Teacher Keys Effectiveness System

Guide for Evaluating Special Education Teachers

Marietta City Schools

Evidence of Documentation
Evaluators may request documentation from teachers when a standard is not observed during an announced or
unannounced observation. The examples below will provide ideas that may be helpful when needing further
documentation. This is not a comprehensive list of examples and should not be used as a checklist.
Documentation may also need to be supplemented with conversation, discussion, and/or annotations to clarify
the teacher’s practice and process.
** Teachers of adapted curriculum

Standards Examples of Documentation

1. Professional  Summary of a plan for integrating instruction
Knowledge  Class profile
 Annotated list of instructional activities for a unit
 Annotated photographs of teacher-made displays used in instruction
 Annotated samples or photographs of instructional materials created
by the teacher
 Lesson/intervention plan (including goals and objectives, activities, resources,
and assessment measures)
Ask for
 Student learning profiles
 Integrated curriculum units for Multi-Grade and/or Multi-Subject classes**
 IEP goals that are standards based and supports that connect the learner to grade level standards
 Verbally able to articulate learning of the students and/or provide annotated list of instructional
activities that are based on the students’ individual learning profiles
 Evidence of scaffolding towards achievement of grade level standards
 Evidence of transactional supports to encourage student independence
Look for
 Evidence of specialized instruction to address IEP goals that progress the student towards mastery of
grade level standards.
 Evidence of specialized instruction to address IEP goals and provide access to grade level standards. **
 Evidence of scaffolding to facilitate participation in and/or provide access to grade level standards.
 Evidence of IEP implementation.
 Educational practices that demonstrate mastery of content and its delivery by engaging all students in
academic, behavioral and social/emotional learning experiences.
 Establishes learning targets for content-related skills and self-management/self-advocacy.
 Presents information in ways that actively engage the students in the material that they are learning and
in ways that students can understand, remember and apply.
 Evidence of transactional supports to facilitate and foster independence.
 Use of assistive technology to facilitate participation and mastery of learning targets.
 Flexible groupings used to provide specially designed instruction.

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 Teacher Keys Effectiveness System
Guide for Evaluating Special Education Teachers
Marietta City Schools
2. Instructional  Course Syllabus
Planning  Lesson Plan
 Intervention Plan
 Team/Department Meeting Minutes
 Substitute Lesson Plan
Ask for
 Specialized instruction added to the lesson and/or unit plan or written as a separate plan aligned to the
lesson or unit plan.
 Integrated curriculum unit plans and/or integrated curriculum lesson plans **
 Instructional plan includes IEP goals and/or objectives as well as learning targets for students.
 Unit or lesson planning with general education teachers i.e. macro and micro planning logs
 Data notebooks
Look for
 Evidence of specialized instruction added to the lesson and/or unit plan.
 Evidence of specially designed instruction that aligns with IEP and advances student towards learning
target.
 Evidence of integration of content standards and/or grade level standards**
 Scaffolding instruction towards grade level expectations
3. Instructional  Samples of handouts/presentation visuals
Strategies  Technology samples on disk
 Video of teacher using various instructional strategies
Ask for
 Learning Profiles and Behavior Intervention Plan
 Macro and Micro planning logs
 Evidence of transactional supports to encourage student independence and support transitions
 Evidence of strategic instruction and metacognitive strategies
 Formative assessments
 Learning targets
Look for
 Use of positive behavior supports practices, multi-sensory instruction, flexible grouping models and
assistive technology
 Metacognitive learning strategies i.e. Thinking Maps, 40 Reading Comprehension Strategies
 Evidence of IEP modifications and accommodations
 Evidence of specially designed instruction
 Evidence of transactional supports to encourage independence and support transitions
 Instruction to use supports and scaffolds (foster independence)
 Frequent check of student understanding
 Model think alouds and ask students to think aloud
 Assignments restructured or reformatted to facilitate independence and demonstrate what the student
knows and can do
 Independent learning target e.g. I do, we do, you do
 Use of augmentative and alternative communication devices **
 Use of graphic supported text **

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 Teacher Keys Effectiveness System
Guide for Evaluating Special Education Teachers
Marietta City Schools
4. Differentiated  Summary of consultation with appropriate staff members regarding
Instruction special needs of individual students
 Samples of extension or remediation activities
 Video or annotated photographs of class working on differentiated
activities
 Video of teacher instructing various groups at different levels of
challenge
Ask for
 Macro and Micro planning logs
 Use of formative assessments to plan for differentiated and specially designed instruction
 Use of Learning Profiles to plan for differentiated and specially designed instruction
 Use of assistive technology to support participation and progress towards mastery of learning target
 Use of flexible grouping models
 Evidence of learning experiences that demonstrate knowledge of content related to grade level
standards and/or IEP goals developmental levels of individual students
Look for
 Use of assistive technology to support participation and progress towards mastery of learning target
 Use of flexible grouping models
 Specially designed instruction i.e. adapting the: content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to
address the unique needs of the student that result from the student’s disability and to ensure access of
the student to the general curriculum.
 Meta-cognitive strategies, transactional supports and multi-sensory instruction
 Differentiation of process, product and content to meet the academic, developmental and functional
needs of the student.
 Errorless learning **
5. Assessment  Copy of teacher-made tests and other assessment measures
Strategies  Copy of scoring rubric used for a student project
 Summary explaining grading procedures
Ask for
 Adherence to Tier 4 Documentation (green files) and Progress Monitoring Rubrics
 Adherence to Tier 4 Assessment Program Guidelines and Documentation
 Behavioral Intervention Data
 Data collection to report progress on goals and objectives
 Program notebook for Discrete Trial Instruction **
Look for
 Variety of methods to assess learning and inform instruction
 Individual learning targets based on academic, developmental and functional level of students
 Standard based assessments adapted to align with the student’s IEP accommodations
 Explicit strategy instruction, controlled practice, and opportunities for generalization
 Use of data sheets, specifically when one teaches and one observes

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 Teacher Keys Effectiveness System
Guide for Evaluating Special Education Teachers
Marietta City Schools
6. Assessment Uses  Brief report describing your record-keeping system and how it is used to
monitor student academic progress
 Photocopies or photographs of student work with written comments
 Samples of educational reports, progress reports, or letters prepared for
parents or students
Ask for
 IEP progress reports with supporting evidence in the green folder
 Adherence to Tier 4 Documentation (green files) and Progress Monitoring Rubrics
 Adherence to Tier 4 Assessment Program Guidelines and Documentation
 Data for Behavior Intervention
 Grading practices that inform knowledge of content and progress on IEP goals
 Assessments used to develop Transition Service Plans
Look for
 Data collection related to IEP goals and objectives
 Varied opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and can do
 Assessments restructured or reformatted to facilitate independence and demonstrate what the student
knows and can do
 Accommodations provided align with routine classroom instruction and are indicated in the student’s
IEP
 Supports and scaffolds provided, as needed, and teaching students to internalize and independently use
strategies to replace supports and scaffolds through direct instruction
 Generalize strategies across curriculum content areas and environments
 Implements a carefully planned sequence of instructional practices to move students from dependence
on scaffolds and supports to implementation of self-regulated strategies
 Work samples with commentary
 Student conferences
 GAA portfolio development **
7. Positive Learning  List of classroom rules with a brief explanation of the procedures used to
Environment develop and reinforce them
 Diagram of the classroom with identifying comments
 Schedule of daily classroom routines
 Explanation of behavior management philosophy and procedures
Ask for
 Classroom system of behavior support to create a setting that is predictable, consistent, positive and
promotes student independent behavior (reduce prompts)
 Continuum of scientifically based behavior and academic interventions and supports
 Hierarchy of consequences for problem behavior
 Use of data to make decisions and solve problems, especially for students who have behavior goals
 Functional Behavior Assessments, Behavior Intervention Plans and/or Learning Profiles

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 Teacher Keys Effectiveness System
Guide for Evaluating Special Education Teachers
Marietta City Schools
Look for
 Classroom system of positive behavioral supports practices that create a setting that is predictable,
consistent, positive and promotes student independent behavior (reduce prompts)
 Arrangement of the environment to prevent the development and occurrence of problem behavior
 Direct instruction in social skills, self-management and self-regulation
 Use of transactional supports to respond to the student's needs and interests, modify and adapt the
environment, and provide tools to enhance learning (e.g., visual supports i.e. visual schedules, picture
communication **, and sensory supports).
 Interactive visual schedule and self-monitoring tools
 Implementation of evidence-based behavioral practices with fidelity and accountability
 Evidence of data collection to inform progress on behavior goals
 Monitoring student performance & progress continuously
 Evidence of a predictable routines and choice
 Absence of threat; no sarcasm or put-downs
 Use of assistive technology to facilitate independence and provide access to grade level standards
 Implementation of individually designed behavior plans
 Scaffolding of expectations to address developmental and functional needs of student (gradual release
of supports to facilitate independence)
8. Academically  Samples of materials used to challenge students
Challenging  Samples of materials used to encourage creative and critical thinking
Environment  Video of lesson with students problem-solving
 challenging problems
Ask for
 Student learning targets
 Integrated Unit Plans provide access to grade level standards**
Look for
 Students with disabilities participating in the general education setting with appropriate supports and
accommodations
 Use of assistive technology to facilitate independence and provide access to grade level standards
 Scaffolding supports e.g. I do, we do, you do
 Student engagement
 Use of visual and verbal supports to facilitate participation
 Use of fading physical supports to foster independence **
9. Professionalism  Documentation of presentations given
 Certificates or other documentation from professional development
activities completed (e.g., workshops, conferences, official transcripts
from courses, etc.)
 Thank you letter for serving as a mentor, cooperating teacher, school
leader, volunteer, etc.
 Reflection on personal goals

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 Teacher Keys Effectiveness System
Guide for Evaluating Special Education Teachers
Marietta City Schools
Ask for
 Evidence demonstrating adherence to timelines and compliance with IEP mandates
 Activities related to serving as the DSS School Contract
 Activities related to serving as a representative on the DSS Leadership Team
 Notebook of professional learning activities
 Macro and Micro Planning logs with General Education Teacher
 IEP documents e.g. IEP, Progress Reports re: goals and objectives, Transition Service Plans and/or
Behavior Intervention Plans
 Gathers data to prepare for IEP meetings and redetermination discussion
 Attendance at GAA trainings and adherence to timeline dates re: GAA portfolios**

Look for
 Evidence of specially designed instruction to address the unique needs of the student that result from
the student’s disability and to ensure access of the student to the general curriculum
 Adherence to due process procedures and district requirements
 Observation at IEP meetings
10. Communication  Samples of communication with students explaining
 expectations
 Parent communication log
 Sample of email concerning student progress
 Sample of introductory letter to parents/guardians
 Sample of communication with peers
Ask for
 IEP documents, reports of progress on goals and objectives, Transition Service Plans and/or Behavior
Intervention Plans
 Orchestrates or delivers professional development activity to address department or school needs and
sharing of resources with stakeholders
 Communicating results of CRCT-M and GAA with parents
 Communicates information about disability, resources or relevant activities to parents e.g. Transition
Fair, Parent Mentor
 Communication with general education teacher on disabilities and accommodations of students
Look for
 Verbal communication during IEP meetings
 Facilitates the IEP process during IEP meeting i.e. test participation, placement options, progress on
goals/objectives
 Facilitates discussion to determine continued eligibility
 Actively participates in eligibility determination
 Leads professional development activities or redelivers guidance from DSS
 Mentors special education teacher
 Communication during team meetings that demonstrate advocacy for students with disabilities