Teacher Observations/Evaluations for the 2020-2021 School Year

In accordance with guidance provided by the Maryland State Department of Education, the

following considerations relative to teacher observations and evaluations shall be in effect for the

2020-2021 school year:

I. General Observation/Evaluation Guidance - Baltimore County Public Schools

(BCPS) and TABCO recognize the importance of monitoring and fostering good

professional practice through teacher observation and evaluation. Due to the Covid-19

Pandemic and the necessity to provide instruction virtually, it is agreed that the BPCS’

evaluative model shall be adjusted to reflect the new instructional environment and

provide appropriate evaluative feedback to teachers.

A. BCPS will continue to use the Framework for Teaching domains and a reduced number

of identified components to gather and align data to inform reflective practice. The

reduced number of components considered during an observation and evaluation is in

response to limitations arising from online learning and remote instruction. This

reduction in components within each domain are reflected in the modified Observation

Tool for Remote Learning and the end-of-year evaluation tool that will be used for

teachers in their summative and formative years in the 2020-2021 school year.

B. The Framework for Teaching Indicator Rubric for Remote Teaching and Learning

shall be used as a reference for both teachers and principals regarding the BCPS teacher

evaluation system during the 2020-2021 school year. It includes those agreed upon

domain components that will be considered. It also provides possible virtual classroom

“look fors”. These are not intended to be used as a checklist but rather examples of

virtual resources that may be observed during remote teaching and learning. Teachers

shall not be penalized for not choosing to incorporate the tools listed as examples.

C. It is agreed that all observations and end-of-year evaluations for teachers of record will

be completed on-line using the automated system. Paper observations and end-of-year

evaluations will be used for all other teachers in accordance with current practice.

II. Non-tenured Teachers

A. Non tenured teachers who were in their third probationary year during the 2019-2020

school year shall be in Formative Year 1 for the 2020-2021 school year and shall be

considered to have earned tenure.

B. Non-tenured teachers who were in Summative Years 1 and 2 shall be in Summative

Year 2 or Summative Year 3, respectively.

C. All non-tenured teachers shall be observed two (2) times per semester and shall

receive a mid- and end-of-year evaluation.

D. No formal observations shall be conducted prior to week of September 28, 2020.

E. All observations shall be conducted online using the Observation Tool for Remote

Learning (Summative).

F. All non-tenured teachers shall develop two (2) teacher developed, content based

Student Learning Objectives (SLO) and shall submit them to their principal for

approval no later than October 30, 2020. All SLOs will be completed and results

submitted to their principals for scoring by no later than the last duty day in February.

G. Non-tenured teachers shall be rated highly effective, effective, developing (non-

tenured teachers in Summative Years 1 or 2 only) or ineffective.

H. Teacher Evaluation Timelines for the 2020-2021 SY shall be followed, and all actions

shall be completed, and deadlines met relative to ineffective non-tenured teachers.

I. End-of-year evaluations for effective non-tenured teachers shall be completed online

for teachers of record and on paper for all other teachers and submitted to HR no later

than June 1, 2021.

III. Tenured Teachers Who were in a Summative Year in the 2019-2020 SY

A. Tenured teachers who were in their summative year in the 2019-2020 school year

shall continue to be in a summative year for the 2020-2021 school year with the

following carry-overs from the 2019-2020 school year:

1. To the extent practical, all tenured teachers will be able to use artifacts for

Domains 1 and 4 from the 2019-2020 school year during the 2020-2021

school year as relevant.

2. Observation scores from the 2019-2020 school year shall carry over to the

2020-2021 school year.

3. At least one observation will have to be done in the 2020-2021 school year

and no less than two total observations during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021

school year shall be completed.

B. No formal observations shall be conducted prior to the week of September 28, 2020.

C. All observations shall be conducted online using the Observation Tool for Remote

Learning (Summative).

J. Tenured teachers shall develop two (2) teacher developed, content based Student

Learning Objectives (SLO) and shall submit them to their principal for approval no

later than October 30, 2020. All SLOs will be completed and results submitted to

their principals for scoring by no later than the last duty day in February.

D. Tenured teachers shall be rated highly effective, effective, or ineffective.

E. Teacher Evaluation Timelines for the 2020-2021 SY shall be followed, and all actions

shall be completed, and deadlines met relative to ineffective tenured teachers.

F. End-of-year evaluations for effective tenured teachers shall be completed online for

teachers of record and on paper for all other teachers and submitted to HR no later

than June 1, 2021.

IV. Tenured Teachers in Formative Year 1 or Formative Year 2 in the 2019-2020 SY

A. Tenured teachers who were in Formative Year 1 or 2 in the 2019-2020 school year

shall continue to be in the same Formative year for the 2020-2021 school year.

B. Tenured teachers in Formative Years 1 and 2 shall be observed once during the 2020-

2021 school year.

C. The required observation shall be conducted online using the Observation Tool for

Remote Learning (Formative).

D. Formative evaluations shall not be assigned an evaluation rating. The rating assigned

to the teacher for their last summative year shall carry over for the 2020-2021

formative year.

E. Formative year teachers shall receive narrative end-of-year written feedback on

qualitative and quantitative progress. End-of-year feedback will reflect student

progress on selected Student Learning Objectives.