Professional Development: Idaho

Analysis of Idaho's policies

New legislation in Idaho requires that state-approved evaluation systems include the method through which results of evaluations will be communicated to teachers and also procedures for providing remediation when remediation "is determined to be an appropriate course of action."

Citation

Implementation Guidelines for Evaluation Framework http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/teacherEval/implementationGuidelines.htm

Recommendations for Idaho

Require that evaluation systems provide teachers with feedback about their performance.
Although Idaho requires that results of evaluations are communicated with teachers, this only ensures that teachers will receive their ratings, not necessarily feedback on their performance. Idaho should specify that teachers should receive specific feedback on identified strengths and areas that need improvement.  

Ensure that professional development is aligned with findings from teachers' evaluations.
Professional development that is not informed by evaluation results may be of little value to teachers' professional growth and aim of increasing their effectiveness in the classroom. Idaho should ensure that districts utilize teacher evaluation results in determining professional development needs and activities.

State response to our analysis

Idaho recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.