1 Colo. Code Regs. § 301-87-3.00
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 22, November 25, 2024
Section 1 CCR 301-87-3.00 - TEACHERS: DEFINITION OF EFFECTIVENESS, QUALITY STANDARDS, AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION RATINGS3.1Definition of Teacher Effectiveness. Effective teachers in the state of Colorado have the knowledge, skills, and commitments needed to provide excellent and equitable learning opportunities and growth for all students. They strive to support growth and development, close achievement gaps and to prepare diverse student populations for postsecondary and workforce success. Effective teachers facilitate mastery of content and skill development and employ and adjust evidence-based strategies and approaches for students who are not achieving mastery and students who need acceleration. They also develop in students the skills, interests and abilities necessary to be lifelong learners, as well as for democratic and civic participation. Effective teachers communicate high expectations to students and their families and utilize diverse strategies to engage them in a mutually supportive teaching and learning environment. Because effective teachers understand that the work of ensuring meaningful learning opportunities for all students cannot happen in isolation, they engage in collaboration, continuous reflection, ongoing learning, and leadership within the profession.3.2Teacher Quality Standards. The Teacher Quality Standards outline the knowledge and skills required of an effective Teacher and will be used to evaluate teachers in the state of Colorado. All school districts and BOCES must base their evaluations of licensed classroom teachers on the full set of Teacher Quality Standards and associated detailed Elements included below or must adopt their own locally developed standards that meet or exceed the Teacher Quality Standards and Elements. School districts and BOCES that adopt their own locally developed standards must crosswalk those standards to the Teacher Quality Standards and Elements, so that the school district or BOCES is able to report the data required by section 6.1 of these rules.3.2 (A)Quality Standard I: Teachers demonstrate mastery of and pedagogical expertise in the content they teach. The elementary teacher is an expert in literacy and mathematics and is knowledgeable in all other content that he or she teaches (e.g., science, social studies, arts, physical education, or world languages). The secondary teacher has knowledge of literacy and mathematics and is an expert in his or her content endorsement area(s). 3.2 (A) (1)Element A: Teachers provide instruction that is aligned with the Colorado Academic Standards and their districts' organized plan of instruction.3.2 (A) (2)Element B: Teachers develop and implement lessons that connect to a variety of content areas/disciplines and emphasize literacy and mathematics.3.2 (A) (3)Element C: Teachers demonstrate knowledge of the content, central concepts, inquiry, appropriate evidence-based instructional practices, and specialized characteristics of the disciplines being taught.3.2 (B)Quality Standard II: Teachers establish a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environment for a diverse population of students.3.2 (B) (1)Element A: Teachers foster a predictable learning environment characterized by acceptable student behavior and efficient use of time in which each student has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults and peers.3.2 (B) (2)Element B: Teachers demonstrate an awareness of, a commitment to, and respect for multiple aspects of diversity, while working toward common goals as a community of learners.3.2 (B) (3)Element C: Teachers engage students as individuals, including those with diverse needs and interests, across a range of ability levels by adapting their teaching for the benefit of all students.3.2 (B) (4)Element D: Teachers work collaboratively with the families and/or significant adults for the benefit of students.3.2 (C)Quality Standard III: Teachers plan and deliver effective instruction and create an environment that facilitates learning for their students.3.2 (C) (1)Element A: Teachers demonstrate knowledge about the ways in which learning takes place, including the levels of intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of their students.3.2 (C) (2)Element B: Teachers use formal and informal methods to assess student learning, provide feedback, and use results to inform planning and instruction.3.2 (C) (3)Element C: Teachers integrate and utilize appropriate available technology to engage students in authentic learning experiences.3.2 (C) (4)Element D: Teachers establish and communicate high expectations and use processes to support the development of critical-thinking and problem- solving skills.3.2 (C) (5)Element E: Teachers provide students with opportunities to work in teams and develop leadership.3.2 (C) (6)Element F: Teachers model and promote effective communication.3.2 (D)Quality Standard IV: Teachers demonstrate professionalism through ethical conduct, reflection, and leadership.3.2 (D) (1)Element A: Teachers demonstrate high standards for professional conduct.3.2 (D) (2)Element B: Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals.3.2 (D) (3)Element C: Teachers are able to respond to a complex, dynamic environment.3.2 (D) (4)Element D: Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school, the community, and the teaching profession.3.3Performance Evaluation Ratings for Teachers. The following four Performance Evaluation Ratings for teachers must be used statewide: ineffective, partially effective, effective, and highly effective. The Department must develop a scoring method for assigning ratings as a part of the State Model System and must provide guidelines for evaluating teachers who are consistently rated highly effective. School districts and BOCES may use the scoring method developed by the Department or may adopt their own scoring method, provided they ensure that each Performance Evaluation Rating is based thirty percent on Measures of Student Learning and that each of the Teacher Quality Standards (Professional Practice) has a measurable influence on the final Performance Evaluation Rating.
School districts and BOCES must assign one of the Teacher Performance Evaluation Ratings to each teacher in a written evaluation report. As required by section 22-9-106(3), C.R.S., all evaluation reports must contain a written improvement plan, that must be specific as to what improvements, if any, are needed in the performance of the teacher and clearly sets forth recommendations for improvements, including recommendations for additional education and training during the teacher's license renewal process. As required by section 22-9-105.5(3) (a), C.R.S., each teacher must be provided with an opportunity to improve their effectiveness through a teacher development plan that links their evaluation and performance standards to professional development opportunities.
The following status implications apply for each Teacher Performance Evaluation Rating. These status implications do not apply to at-will employees.
3.3 (A)Ineffective.3.3 (A) (1) A teacher whose performance is deemed ineffective must receive written notice that their Performance Evaluation Rating shows a rating of ineffective and includes a copy of the documentation relied upon in measuring their performance and identification of deficiencies.3.3 (A) (2) Implications for earning or losing nonprobationary status: A nonprobationary teacher who is rated ineffective or partially effective for two consecutive years loses nonprobationary status.3.3 (B)Partially Effective.3.3 (B) (1) Implications for earning or losing nonprobationary status: A nonprobationary teacher who is rated partially effective or ineffective for two consecutive years loses nonprobationary status. Nonprobationary status is only lost if the teacher is rated partially effective or ineffective during the year directly after the first rating of partially effective or ineffective.3.3 (C)Effective.3.3 (C) (1) Implications for earning or losing nonprobationary status: A probationary teacher may earn nonprobationary status after a minimum of three consecutive years of earning a rating of effective or highly effective. A nonprobationary teacher must maintain an effective rating to retain nonprobationary status. Two consecutive ratings below effective results in the loss of nonprobationary status.3.3 (D)Highly Effective.3.3 (D) (1) Implications for earning or losing nonprobationary status: For the purposes of gaining or losing nonprobationary status, a rating of highly effective has the same implications as a rating of effective.41 CR 14, July 25, 2018, effective 8/14/201842 CR 09, May 10, 2019, effective 5/30/201946 CR 11, June 10, 2023, effective 6/30/2023