Linking Teacher Evaluation to Professional Development: Focusing on Improving Teaching and Learning

The recent increased attention to teacher evaluation has raised questions about the relationship between evaluation and student outcomes.This research and policy brief lays out an informal framework for using evaluation results to target professional growth opportunities for teachers within an aligned system of evaluation, leading to higher levels of teacher practice and student learning. It discusses the six components that are essential to include in a teacher evaluation system that can be effectively used for professional development. State policy leaders charged with the design and/or approval of teacher evaluation systems and districts that will be implementing teacher evaluation systems should find the discussion useful.