Gordon County Schools to help pilot new teacher evaluation system

The local district was one of 12 selected from across the state.

The Georgia Department of Education has selected 12 counties to pilot a new teacher evaluation program beginning next school year, including one local school district.

With Gordon County Schools included, the list includes urban, rural and charter school districts. The state will fund a supplement to teachers and team leaders participating in the pilot.

The current teacher evaluation system, called the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System, evaluates teachers based on a combination of student growth, the teacher’s ability to meet certain performance standards and progress toward professional development goals.

Georgia teachers are required to undergo at least two, and in some cases up to six, classroom observations of their teaching each year.

“Our aim is to create a teacher evaluation system that values and elevates educators, instead of devaluing them — recognizing their central and irreplaceable role in student success,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “I wish to thank these districts for coming alongside us to pilot a new system that is designed for teacher growth, from beginning teacher to teacher leader — to the benefit of students.”

The Georgia Association of Educators supports the pilot program.

“We look forward to working with the Georgia Department of Education and the districts to move Georgia toward a teacher evaluation system that promotes educators as the professionals they are and provides a mechanism for educators to increase their skills and proficiencies in the classroom,” GAE President Lisa Morgan said.

The 11 other school districts selected for the new pilot program — called the Georgia Leadership and Educator Acceleration and Development System — include Atlanta Public Schools; the school districts of Brooks, Clay, Dooly, Dougherty, Jefferson, Lowndes, and Muscogee counties, the Griffin-Spalding and Savannah-Chatham school systems; and Liberty Tech Charter School.