BTU members who are classroom teachers are evaluated using the teacher effectiveness evaluation. Other BTU members (e.g., education associates, counselors, library media specialists) are evaluated with the performance-based evaluation system. Not sure which evaluation applies to you? Check out this listing by job title. All BTU members should anticipate meeting with their supervisor to review the evaluation process. Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and initial planning conferences must be completed by October 27.

Note that if a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline will shift to the next workday.

Baltimore City Public Schools is committed to authentic employee evaluations, grounded by accurate observations of practice and meaningful feedback. We recognize the importance of each employee receiving feedback on their performance and impact and being recognized for the role they play in support of our students and families.

From the professional development goals set in an educator’s Individual Development Plan to the feedback they receive during a conference with their evaluator, steps in the evaluation cycle can be one part of an educator’s personalized learning and support during this school year.

This evaluation for BTU classroom teachers reflects the complexities of teaching and was designed to help improve student academic outcomes. It includes multiple measures and components that, together, provide an authentic, comprehensive understanding of strengths and areas for improvement aimed at continuous improvement of instructional practice.

An overview of the evaluation is provided below. All BTU members and their supervisors are encouraged to watch the 2023-24 Plug & Play narrated presentation.

Although the mid-year review for classroom teachers occurs offline, we have provided some guidelines for holding mid-year conversations. The mid-year performance review conversation provides an opportunity for teachers and school leaders to discuss student and teacher progress to date. 

Because it includes several components, the teacher effectiveness evaluation unfolds over the course of the school year. Review these key dates and milestones for the teacher evaluation. If any date falls on a weekend or holiday, the due date is the next day. Please note: The deadline for Professional Expectations was updated from April 5, 2024, to April 12, 2024.

For electronic evaluation forms, there is a task deadline and often a later date when electronic access to the forms will close. This gives some time for evaluators and employees to make sure information has been entered in the appropriate system, to review, and to add comments or attachments as needed.

GCO-RF outlines a 30 calendar day window to ensure information in the electronic system is accurate. After the electronic system closes, please contact the Office of Human Capital or your evaluator within this 30 calendar day window if you realize information in the electronic system needs to be updated.

Professional practice: Formal classroom observations (40% total)

Formal observations provide evidence of a teacher's strengths and areas for development. When done purposefully and with a discussion that includes actionable feedback, they are integral to improving instructional practice. 

• Teachers are observed on the seven (7) indicators of the Instructional Framework’s TEACH domain.

• Teachers should receive frequent informal observations during the school year

• In order to sustain an annual evaluation, a minimum of two formal observations must be completed by qualified observers 

• The total weight of the formal observation component is 40% (e.g., if two observations, then each is worth 20%), 

• Each formal observation is considered a separate evaluation measure 

Formal Observations Guidance as developed by the Office of Human Capital as well as Content Specific Addendums for the Instructional Framework can be found on the Instructional Framework Supports page.

Professional practice: Professional expectations (10%)

This measure considers the extent to which a teacher meets district expectations for compliance with district and school policies and demonstrates standard skills in communication, professionalism, professional practice, and district expectations. 

Supervisors and teachers should review the professional expectations rubric. Teachers are encouraged to reflect and self-assess their performance on this form.

Student growth: Student learning objectives (35%)

SLOs are specific, measurable academic goals for a particular group of students in an academic year. Teachers create SLOs in collaboration with their school leaders and in alignment with the relevant district guidance. SLOs can be used to measure student learning for teachers in both tested and non-tested grades. For 2023-24, the evaluation includes one SLO worth 35% of the total evaluation. Note that without an approved exemption, teachers must have an approved SLO learning target and submit their student data in the appropriate electronic system. Failure to do so results in a score of 25 on the SLO component of the 2023-24 evaluation.

For more information and resources about SLOs, visit the district's Blackboard site, log in, and click the SLO icon.

Student growth: School performance measure (15%)

This measure reflects a whole school’s yearlong performance for learning environment, student growth, and college and career readiness. Due to the timing when data is available, school performance measure data reflects the previous year’s performance. SPM is not available for SY 2023-24 annual evaluations as we assess ways to account for school performance following several years of instructional and assessment shifts in the district and state.

Please review the evaluation reweighting resource for more information.

For most teachers, the end-of-year rating is determined by a composite score made up of individual scores from each component. Each individual raw score is converted to a 100-point scale, weighted, and combined to yield a single overall composite rating. This overall annual evaluation rating is based on where a teacher's composite score falls within the annual evaluation score ranges. This overview shows an example of an annual evaluation rating calculation; this overview clarifies how evaluation components are re-weighted when data is not available.

The final rating can result in the awarding of achievement units which, in turn, contributes to teachers' advancement along their career pathway and their salary. 

• 86 and above: Highly effective (12 achievement units)

• 70 to 85: Effective (9 achievement units)

• 55 to 69: Developing (3 achievement units)

• 54 and below: Ineffective

If a teacher receives a rating of ineffective, City Schools must, at a minimum, offer that teacher (if he or she is certificated) a meaningful appeal process in accordance with Education Article, § 4-205(c)(4), Annotated Code of Maryland. The burden of proof is on the teacher to appeal the rating.

After an initial pilot in 2020-21, City Schools offers a Off Cycle Evaluation Opportunity for tenured classroom teachers with a history of strong performance. This is for one school year, and those teachers who make this decision will not have formal observations or professional expectations conducted during the upcoming school year. Rather, their formal observation and professional expectations scores from the previous school year will be included in their upcoming school year’s annual evaluation. In accordance with COMAR requirements, student growth data must be gathered each year and so these teachers must still participate in the SLO process while being “off-cycle”.

Eligible teachers will be notified by the Office of Human Capital and given the opportunity to decide whether they will be “off cycle” for 2023-24.  Eligible teachers have until Friday, September 29th to confirm their intent to be Off Cycle for this school year.

If you believe you should have received notification from the Office of Human Capital and there is an error in your eligibility status for this school year, you must complete the electronic Eligibility Review Request form by Friday, September 29th. No other form of communication – including notifying your supervisor – will be accepted as official initiation of this review request. For additional information, read this FAQ.

BTU employees who do not work primarily in delivering instruction are evaluated using forms and rubrics from the Performance-Based Evaluation System. Please note the following dates, tasks, and resources.

Note that if a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline will shift to the next workday.

By October 27: Initial Planning Conference and Individual Development Plan (IDP)

• Individual Development Plan (IDP) Form

By December 8: First Formal Observation

• Formal observation – Other teacher level staff

• Full-time mentor input form

• Guidance counselor input form

• IEP associate and clinical service provider input form

By January 26: Mid-year Performance Review

• Performance review – Midyear report

By April 5: Second Formal Observation

• See forms for the first formal observation

By one week before the last day of school for employees: Annual evaluation

• For electronic evaluation forms, there is a task deadline and often a later date when electronic access to the forms will close. This gives some time for evaluators and employees to make sure information has been entered into the appropriate system, to review, and to add comments or attachments as needed.

• GCO-RF outlines a 30 calendar day window to ensure information in the electronic system is accurate. After the electronic system closes, please contact the Office of Human Capital or your evaluator within this 30 calendar day window if you realize information in the electronic system needs to be updated.

• Annual evaluation – Teacher-level staff

All BTU employees and their evaluators complete steps in the evaluation process electronically. BTU employees will access their information in OPMS via their Employee Self Service and supervisors will access information in OPMS via Manager Self Service.

Guides specific to using Blackboard for SLOs are listed in the SLO course.

All employees:

• How to access completed evaluations

Teachers:

• Opening the annual evaluation report

• Reviewing and responding to the classroom teacher observation

Other BTU members:

• Reviewing and responding to the input and observation forms

All supervisors:

• Changing the main appraiser

• How to access completed employee evaluations

Classroom teacher supervisors:

• Completing the professional expectations form

• Opening employees annual evaluation report

• Completing the formal observation

Other BTU employee supervisors:

• Initiating the PBES annual evaluation report

• Completing the input and observation forms