Reply #141: explanation

[distilledvinegar]

Something like this happened to me, so I'll try to explain. Our teachers' contract specifies when we are to be evaluated, who may evaluate us, the most basic agreements about pre- and post-observation meetings, and what happens if we do not meet standards. It says that our evaluations are to be "standards-based," but it does NOT say anything about the evaluator having any obligation to follow accepted rubrics - they have almost complete freedom to decide what exactly teachers need to demonstrate to meet a given standard. Teachers also have no right to contest an evaluation based on the content or results; you are only allowed to write a response and have it attached.

In my case, a principal who evaluated me did not follow the rubrics and rated performance that clearly met or exceeded standards as not being satisfactory. In her own comments were many examples that showed that, according to the rubrics, I did meet standards. She said to my face that she had the right to rate "satisfactory" performance as "in need of improvement." Contractually, there was nothing I could do - she had not violated the contract, so I could not file a grievance.

At least in my district if a principal has it out for you, there's not much you can do except document everything and wait to see where it goes. You can't stop them from making your life hell unless they break the contract, and even then there is no guarantee.

I always kind of laugh when I hear people complaining about how much power teachers' unions have. That may be true as far as their ability to affect politics, but in my experience it definitely does not hold true for individual teachers. I've been told more than once by my union that they have to pick and choose which grievances to file because there are so many that they don't have enough personnel to handle all of them. On top of that, the teachers' contract in my district is full of holes and vague language that allows the district to get away with a lot of bad behavior.

Evaluations are only as fair as the evaluator, period. If the principal likes you, you get a good eval, if not...