Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES) Rubric Vocabulary

General Oversight of the Teacher Performance Evaluation

• Evaluation Method: The performance rubric is scored holistically. Evaluators must determine which level provides the best overall description of the teacher's performance across the defined domains.
• Timing and Frequency: Ratings are determined upon the completion of each $30$-minute observation and subsequent post-conference.
• Evidence Integration: To determine a rating for a $30$-minute observation, evaluators integrate evidence from:
  • Pre-conferences.
  • Observations.
  • Post-conferences.
  • Classroom walkthroughs (where applicable).
• Observation Cycle Scope: Evaluators are not required to find evidence for every single indicator during every observation cycle. Similarly, teachers have the option, but not the obligation, to provide additional evidence to address rubric indicators.
• Professionalism Evidence: Information for the professionalism section can be drawn from pre-conferences, post-conferences, and the teacher's Professional Growth or Improvement Plan.

Instructional Planning: Focus for Learning

High-Quality Student Data (Elements $1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.3$)

• Ineffective: The teacher fails to use high-quality student data to create measurable and developmentally appropriate student growth goals.
• Developing: The teacher utilizes a single source of high-quality student data and attempts to analyze patterns for goal setting. However, the analysis may be incomplete or contain inaccuracies.
• Skilled: The teacher performs a thorough and correct analysis of patterns using at least $2$ sources of high-quality student data. They develop measurable, developmentally appropriate goals and monitor student progress toward them.
• Accomplished: The teacher performs thorough and correct analysis of trends and patterns in at least $2$ sources of high-quality student data. Beyond setting goals and monitoring progress, the teacher facilitates developmentally appropriate data collection by students and implements strategies to help students set their own goals and monitor their own progress.

Connections to Prior and Future Learning (Elements $1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5$)

• Ineffective: Lesson plans show no connections between the current material and students' prior or future learning.
• Developing: The teacher attempts to connect lessons to prior or future learning, but these connections are unclear.
• Skilled: Lesson plans include clear and coherent connections to prior and future learning, and the teacher uses specific strategies to communicate these connections to the students.
• Accomplished: Lesson plans make clear and coherent connections to prior/future learning and explicitly link content to other disciplines or real-world experiences. The teacher actively uses input from families, colleagues, and other professionals to understand student prior knowledge and support development.

Connections to State Standards and District Priorities (Elements $2.3, 4.1, 4.7$)

• Ineffective: The instructional plan does not reference Ohio’s Learning Standards.
• Developing: The plan references Ohio’s Learning Standards, but the goals and activities are not aligned with student needs, school priorities, district priorities, or the standards themselves.
• Skilled: The instructional plan incorporates activities, assessments, resources, and available technology that align with student needs, district/school priorities, and Ohio’s Learning Standards.
• Accomplished: In addition to aligning activities and technology with standards and priorities, the teacher participates in studying and evaluating content advances or provides direct input on school and district curriculum.

Instructional Planning: Knowledge of Students

Planning Instruction for the Whole Child (Elements $1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 4.2, 4.4, 6.4$)

• Ineffective: The teacher is unfamiliar with student experiences, culture, backgrounds, or developmental characteristics, and the instructional plan makes no connections to these factors.
• Developing: The instructional plan makes minimal connections to student culture, backgrounds, and developmental characteristics.
• Skilled: The plan reflects connections to student culture, developmental characteristics, and experiences, including abilities, strengths, needs, talents, backgrounds, skills, language proficiency, and interests.
• Accomplished: The plan reflects consistent connections to the whole child (culture, talents, skills, language proficiency, etc.) and integrates input from school professionals and outside resources to support instruction.

Instruction and Assessment: Lesson Delivery

Communication with Students (Elements $2.2, 4.3, 4.6, 6.1$)

• Ineffective: The teacher does not communicate learning goals or mastery expectations, does not model exemplary performance, and students cannot discern the goals. No content-specific strategies or developmentally appropriate language are used, resulting in no student engagement and no feedback.
• Developing: Communication of goals and expectations is inconsistent. Differentiated goals are limited. The teacher uses some content-specific language but engagement is low. Feedback is general, occasional, or limited and may not support learning.
• Skilled: The teacher consistently communicates needs-based, differentiated learning goals and models exemplary performance. Content-specific language and strategies are used effectively to engage students. Questioning techniques check for understanding and encourage higher-level thinking. Feedback is substantive, specific, and timely.
• Accomplished: The teacher uses multiple communication techniques for differentiated goals (needs, interest, or strength-based). Questioning stimulates creative thinking and student-to-student interaction. In addition to high-quality teacher feedback, students are given opportunities for self-assessment, peer feedback, and reflection on their own challenges and strengths.

Monitoring Student Understanding (Elements $3.2, 3.3$)

• Ineffective: The teacher does not monitor or address student confusion or misconceptions.
• Developing: Monitoring is inconsistent, or the teacher incorrectly addresses student confusion.
• Skilled: The teacher consistently monitors for common misconceptions and addresses them by presenting information in multiple formats and clarifying content when challenges arise.
• Accomplished: The teacher anticipates individual student confusion or misconceptions in advance. They articulate and address these issues using multiple formats and real-time clarification.

Student-Centered Learning (Elements $3.5, 4.5, 4.6, 5.3, 5.4$)

• Ineffective: Learning is entirely teacher-directed. Students do not participate in activities, and there is no student choice or differentiation.
• Developing: Learning is primarily teacher-directed with students participating in whole-class activities. Student choice is rare, and differentiation is limited.
• Skilled: There is a balance between teacher direction and student interaction. The teacher combines collaborative and whole-class learning. Students have choices regarding learning paths or demonstration of learning. Differentiation is used for groups of students.
• Accomplished: Learning is primarily self-directed with the teacher acting as a facilitator. The teacher encourages persistence in tasks. They combine independent, collaborative, and whole-class opportunities effectively. Students decide how to demonstrate learning and help develop goals toward mastery. Instruction, pacing, and resources are differentiated for every individual student.

Instruction and Assessment: Classroom Environment

Classroom Routines and Procedures (Element $5.5$)

• Ineffective: Routines and procedures are not established. Lack of effective transitions leads to significant loss of instructional time and frequent off-task behavior.
• Developing: Routines are established but used inconsistently. Transitions are sometimes ineffective, leading to loss of time and occasional off-task behavior. The teacher makes all operational decisions.
• Skilled: Routines, procedures, and transitions are used consistently to maximize instructional time. On-task behavior is evident, and students take appropriate responsibility for classroom operations.
• Accomplished: The teacher and students collaboratively establish routines and transitions. Students ensure on-task behavior and initiate responsibility for the effective operation of the classroom.

Classroom Climate and Cultural Competency (Elements $1.4, 5.1, 5.2$)

• Ineffective: No evidence of rapport or respectful interactions. There is no regard for student perspectives or culture, and well-being needs are ignored.
• Developing: Some rapport exists, but regard for student culture and perspectives is inconsistent. The teacher is aware of well-being needs but does not address them effectively.
• Skilled: Consistent rapport and respectful interactions. The teacher models openness and care, demonstrates regard for student culture, and effectively addresses well-being needs.
• Accomplished: The teacher intentionally creates an environment of rapport and respect. They seek out and are receptive to student opinions. They may include other school professionals or community resources to ensure every student feels valued.

Instruction and Assessment: Assessment of Student Learning

Use of Assessments (Elements $3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4$)

• Ineffective: No use of varied assessments. The teacher does not analyze data or modify instruction and does not share learning evidence with students.
• Developing: Limited use of varied assessments. Data analysis is attempted, but subsequent instructional modifications do not meet student needs. Evidence is shared with students.
• Skilled: Multiple assessments are used, including diagnostic, formative, and summative types. The teacher analyzes patterns to measure learning, anticipate obstacles, and differentiate for groups. Evidence is shared with both parents and students to plan instruction.
• Accomplished: Assessment selection is intentional and strategic, featuring differentiated choices for the full range of student needs. Data trends and patterns are analyzed to differentiate for individual student needs. The teacher collaborates with colleagues, parents, and students to plan individual instruction.

Evidence of Student Learning (Element $1.3$)

• Ineffective: Data shows no evidence of growth or achievement over time for most students.
• Developing: One source of high-quality student data shows growth or achievement for some students.
• Skilled: At least $2$ sources of high-quality student data show expected growth or achievement for most students.
• Accomplished: At least $2$ sources of high-quality student data show above-expected growth or achievement for most students.

Professionalism: Professional Responsibilities

Communication and Collaboration with Families (Elements $6.1, 6.2$)

• Ineffective: The teacher does not communicate with families or students.
• Developing: Communication strategies are inconsistent or unsuccessful and do not adequately support student well-being or development.
• Skilled: Effective and appropriate strategies result in partnerships that contribute to student learning and well-being.
• Accomplished: Multiple ongoing strategies promote two-way communication and active participation in partnerships that support every student's individual development.

Communication and Collaboration with Colleagues (Element $6.3$)

• Ineffective: The teacher does not communicate or collaborate with colleagues.
• Developing: Collaboration is inconsistent or unsuccessful, leading to limited professional improvement.
• Skilled: The teacher effectively collaborates to examine practice and analyze student data to implement targeted strategies for improvement.
• Accomplished: The teacher initiates collaboration outside the classroom, leading to improvements in student learning, school practice, and the broader teaching profession.

District Policies and Professional Responsibilities (Element $7.1$)

• Ineffective: Lack of understanding or regard for district policies, state/federal regulations, and the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators.
• Developing: Minimal understanding of policies, regulations, and the professional code of conduct.
• Skilled: The teacher understands and follows all district policies, state/federal regulations, and the professional code of conduct.
• Accomplished: The teacher follows all policies and the code of conduct while also exemplifying leadership beyond the classroom and helping shape policy at the school, district, or state level.

Professional Learning (Elements $7.2, 7.3$)

• Ineffective: Goals are set but the teacher fails to monitor progress or take action.
• Developing: Goals are set and monitored, but the teacher fails to take action to meet them.
• Skilled: Goals are set and monitored based on self-reflection and data analysis; the teacher takes appropriate action to meet these goals.
• Accomplished: The teacher consistently pursues best practices and reflects on goal progress based on data analysis. They take action to meet goals and collaborate with colleagues to share best practices.