In the Minneapolis Public Schools, we have one clear and unambiguous priority: great teaching in great schools. Teachers are critical to our success with kids and great teaching is the foundation for achieving our vision of “every child college ready.”
We are working collaboratively with our principals and teachers to design and implement a formal observation process to evaluate and support teachers. This system will help us celebrate successes, share what works and find ways to improve where needed.
We will be phasing in the system starting this 2011-12 school year because we need time to do it well and to ensure everyone understands and values it. We also need time to learn from our mistakes.
The goal is to strengthen our entire teaching and learning framework by:
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Giving us a consistent way to provide regular feedback for every teacher, and to couple that feedback with support and professional development;
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Building on our commitment to focused instruction, which provides consistent tools and resources districtwide; and
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Delivering a quality result: equitable, excellent educational experiences for all students.
If you have questions about this process, please contact Maggie Sullivan, director of strategic planning, at Maggie.Sullivan@mpls.k12.mn.us or 612.668.0179.