In an effort to improve educator performance and student learning, a growing number of districts and states are implementing systems that evaluate and reward effective educators. As states and districts work to craft these systems, both opportunities and challenges abound. NCPI and Battelle for Kids (BFK) will host a national conference on September 20-21 entitled, “Evaluating and Rewarding Educator Effectiveness: Navigating the Evolving Landscape.”

The conference will explore the current landscape, drawing from the expertise of leaders in the field to decipher key components and challenges of measuring, evaluating and rewarding educator effectiveness. A collaborative effort, the conference will offer a balanced, yet comprehensive, appraisal of this important reform. The two-day conference, targeted toward policy makers and practitioners, will feature national experts from multiple disciplines, and will combine both panel presentations and breakout sessions.

Panel topics include:

1. Models for Evaluating Educator Effectiveness will offer presentations on some current models for evaluating educator effectiveness, including a discussion of strengths and limitations of each. Speakers will include representatives from the localities in which these models are being implemented.
2. Challenges for Measuring Educator Effectiveness will feature presentations and discussion around current efforts to measure teacher and principal effectiveness. Both opportunities and limitations will be discussed.
3. The Intersection of Measuring and Rewarding Educator Effectiveness: A State Perspective will offer a state-level perspective around issues of measuring and rewarding educator effectiveness. This panel will include leaders from multiple states as they discuss the unique programs occurring in their respective states.
4. Data Dilemmas: Quality and Communication will feature presentations by individuals with extensive experience building and cleaning large, longitudinal data sets, using those data to determine teacher effectiveness, and communicating results to teachers and principals.
5. Lessons from Research will draw from the knowledge and expertise of some of the nation’s leading researchers examining questions related to evaluating or rewarding teacher effectiveness. After presenting a brief overview of their individual work, panelists will discuss critical issues for future study.
6. Lessons from Other Sectors will feature panelists from sectors outside of education. The panelists will discuss current trends and practices relative to employee evaluation and rewards within their sector, as well as the unique challenges and strengths of the programs.
7. Innovations and Lessons from the field will include presentations from various practitioners currently involved in efforts to evaluate and reward effectiveness. Panelists will present and discuss innovative programs and/or strategies that contribute to building cultures of performance in schools.

The breakout sessions, lead by select panel presenters, will afford attendees the opportunity for a more focused presentation and in depth discussion of the topic. For more information about the conference, including a list of conference presenters, or to register, please click here.