Educator Evaluation 101

Overview of Educator Evaluation in Colorado

With the passage of Senate Bill 10-191 in 2010, an annual educator evaluation system was established in Colorado. In the legislation, several key aspects of the Colorado Evaluation System were established, including:

Every licensed educator receives an evaluation and a final effectiveness rating (FER) every school year. This includes teachers, special services providers (SSPs), and principals/APs
The final effectiveness rating comes from:
- Professional Practices (scores for the Quality Standards, i.e., rubrics)
- Measures of Student Learning/Outcomes (MSLs/MSOs)
  - Note: MSLs for teachers and principals/APs include individual and collective measures
Districts/BOCES can use the state model evaluation system or create their own locally created system
Those using the state model system have access to the Colorado Performance Management System (COPMS) in RANDA at no cost to them

In 2022, Senate Bill 22-070 was passed which made updates and refinements to the Colorado Evaluation System. The legislation does not replace Senate Bill 10-191, but rather updates the existing statute.

Why is the Colorado Educator Evaluation System Important?

The intention behind the creation of the Colorado Evaluation System is to aid in the continued development of educators' practice. Below are several key values and data points which highlight the possible outcomes of meaningful educator evaluation:

Students have the greatest chance to succeed when educators receive support to continuously improve their skills and knowledge. High quality evaluation systems have been shown to do this.
Findings also validate that classroom teaching and principal leadership are the strongest school-based factors effecting student achievement.
In order to ensure student success in a globally competitive world, the evaluation system embodies continuous improvement for educators by providing ongoing feedback, support, and meaningful information about how their practice impacts student learning.
For principals, a more comprehensive evaluation system consisting of multiple types of performance data will help school leaders develop their teams and make more informed decisions.
The system ensures effective teachers in every classroom and effective leaders in every school.