Teacher Evaluation System - Polk County School District

Introduction
It is important to recognize that the district’s revised teacher evaluation system is in its initial stage of
development and implementation. The system will be monitored to ensure that results in both
outcome and impact on employees and student learning are fair, valid and reliable. The system will be
adjusted over the next three years to take into account many rule changes that will be made by the
Florida State Board of Education and to meet unknown needs related to quality, logic, and equity. The
district’s teacher evaluation system is evolutionary in nature and will be phased in over time as the
infrastructure necessary to meet Florida Statutes 1012.34 and 1008.22 is developed and implemented.
The system is indeed a work in progress with full implementation for all instructional staff targeted for
2014‐1015. The system will be reviewed annually (by the Teacher Evaluation Advisory Committee) for
possible changes, additions and/or deletions that might be needed based on program evaluations
pertaining to its fidelity of implementation, impact on teacher and administrator practices, and its
impact on student performance.
There are several non‐traditional instructional positions for which system processes will be adjusted
throughout to ensure the inclusion of a student performance component and an appropriate rating
scale for determining an overall performance rating. Advisory committees made up of all appropriate
shareholder groups will begin work in 2011‐2012 to examine and to completely revise the evaluation
systems processes for these instructional non‐classroom teaching positions in accordance with Florida
Statute 1012.34 and any related State Board of Education Rules that are written.
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