The Maryland State Department of Education is leading and supporting the implementation of a new teacher and principal evaluation (TPE) system in all school districts in the state.

The new TPE system offers a more comprehensive assessment of educator performance which helps schools and districts provide specialized and supportive professional development for their teachers and principals.

This study, produced by the Mid-Atlantic Comprehensive Center at WestEd, examines the progress of four years of TPE implementation, 2013 to 2016, drawing on nearly 60,000 survey responses from principals and teachers, and extensive interviews of educators at central and school site levels. The study’s key findings are based on the ongoing analysis of these data.

Key Findings  

  • TPE implementation shows strong progress over four years
  • State support for TPE implementation is pivotal
  • School and district leadership is critical to TPE implementation
  • Principals and teachers still need implementation support
  • Quality matters when implementing student learning objectives and teacher observations
  • Consistency is a cornerstone of effective TPE implementation
  • Districts need thoughtful management of the evaluation system
  • In the transition to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Maryland’s educators want to stay the course

The report explores each key finding and includes recommendations, such as ways to further improve TPE implementation at central and school site levels within Maryland’s school districts.