The primary purpose of TPES is to optimize student learning and growth (Strong, 2013, p. 1). Each teacher, with guidance from the administrator, develops and sets Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) to optimize learning and growth in their classroom. The SLOs are discussed in a face to face meeting between the teacher and administrator at the start of the school year.
The use of student achievement data is an important aspect of the SLOs development and evaluation. When a gap in student achievement is discovered in data, the teacher and/or administrator may uses it as the baseline for a time bound and measurable SLOs. The teacher then collects data relative to the SLOs at intervals throughout the school year. At the conclusion of the school year, the teacher will collect final measurements regarding the SLOs. Again, the teacher and administrator will meet to evaluate the teacher 's performance relative to the student achievement. These outcome measurements of the SLOs are fifty percent of the teacher’s evaluation (Strong, 2013, p. …show more content…
The TEPS affords both teacher and administrator the ability to reflect on the evidence and justify the summative evaluation of the teacher. The high level of interaction between the teacher and administrator develops a collegial relationship, if the focus is placed on growth over compliance of teacher (Glickman, Gordon, & Ross-Gordon, 2013).
The development, implementation, and evaluation of the teacher’s SLOs demonstrates the priority TEPS places on promoting student learning. Through the use of data analysis, teachers and administrators discover areas of student needs within each teacher’s classroom. Thus, creating an increased focus for the teacher and administrator to remedy the student deficiency through the development of a targeted SLOs. Appropriately, the TEPS use of SLOs has improved the teacher’s instructional practices and promoted student learning due to the increased awareness of their students