Research Informs New State Evaluation System

July 1, 2013

WCER Researcher Steve Kimball and colleagues are providing technical assistance to the State of Wisconsin that will soon affect every teacher and principal in the state. The Wisconsin Educator Effectiveness System (EE) is a new educator evaluation system intended to support professional growth and lead to improved student outcomes. It will encompass all Wisconsin public school teachers and principals, beginning in the school year 2014-15. Kimball and colleagues are bringing to bear research in education policy, human capital management, and evaluation of teacher practice to help the state Department of Public Instruction design and roll out the new system. It will evaluate teachers and principals using multiple measures across the areas of educator practice and student outcomes. This project was endorsed by the state legislature and has earned the state a waiver from the guidelines of No Child Left Behind. Kimball says the system will allow educators to collect and review data to better understand the extent to which an educator's practice aligns with those known to promote student learning. Teacher and principal practice will be documented using observation, review of documents, surveys, and discussions with other educators and stakeholders. More about the EE system is available here.