Alabama School Connection » Teacher Evaluation

Quick Reads – April 12, 2016

Things are moving quickly in the state legislature. With only 10 days left, here’s what’s on tap for this week. Most of the action appears to be in the Senate this week. There are 35 Senators to represent the 4.85 million people in Alabama. That’s a lot of power...

Posted On Apr 12 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

The PREP Act: April 7th Version

UPDATE: On the evening of April 12, Sen. Marsh said he is shelving the PREP Act for this session. The PREP Act changed again last week. Having lost track of how many versions there are, one thing is clear: Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh (R-Anniston) is working hard to...

Posted On Apr 11 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

PREP Act Changes Gain Support of the Alabama Association of School Boards

UPDATE: On the evening of April 12, Sen. Marsh said he is shelving the PREP Act for this session. Big news today, folks. Education groups fought hard against lawmakers’ use of a “growth model” in teacher evaluations and of the use of those evaluations in...

Posted On Apr 07 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

Collaborative Effort Results in Agreement on Teacher Evaluation Bill

Yes, you read that right. That phrase “collaborative effort” coupled with “agreement” isn’t often heard where education legislation is concerned in Alabama. That’s what makes this outcome worth mentioning. Dr. Mark Kirkemier, the Alabama State...

Posted On Apr 04 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

Senator Marsh Talks About the PREP Act

UPDATE: On the evening of April 12, Sen. Marsh said he is shelving the PREP Act for this session. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh (R-Anniston) recently spoke with Don Dailey on Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal’s Week in Review about the PREP Act, which...

Posted On Apr 04 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

The PREP Act: What Opponents Are Saying

UPDATE: On the evening of April 12, Sen. Marsh said he is shelving the PREP Act for this session. In the previous article, we published what supporters of the PREP Act, Sen. Del Marsh’s (R-Anniston) all-things-teachers bill are saying. Now it’s time to hear from...

Posted On Mar 16 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

What’s the Difference in the PREP Act & What Alabama Is Already Doing?

UPDATE: On the evening of April 12, Sen. Marsh said he is shelving the PREP Act for this session. How are Alabama’s teachers being evaluated? Are those evaluations helping teachers get better at teaching? Are students learning more as a result of those evaluations? The...

Posted On Mar 13 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

What’s Coming This Week in the Legislature

Busy week ahead, folks. Tuesday, the Senate Education Policy Committee meeting will hold a public hearing in Room 304 at 12:30 p.m. on the PREP Act, Sen. Del Marsh’s (R-Anniston) teacher evaluation reform bill. Planning to Periscope the hearing if at all possible. Look for...

Posted On Mar 07 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

Teacher Effectiveness Ratings Coming Soon? The PREP Act

The long-awaited teacher evaluation overhaul bill was filed by Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston) on Tuesday. Called the PREP Act (“Preparing and Rewarding Educational Professionals”), it changes everything about the way Alabama’s 43,000 K-12 classroom teachers,...

Posted On Mar 02 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

The Third Draft of the RAISE Act

UPDATE: On the evening of April 12, Sen. Marsh said he is shelving the PREP Act for this session. The third draft of the RAISE Act, dated January 28, was recently published by the Montgomery Advertiser. The actual bill has not been filed yet, but here’s what’s...

Posted On Feb 06 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

Spotlight on Education – Alabama Public Television

Alabama Public Television’s (APT) Don Dailey does a fabulous job sharing relevant information through the quarterly Spotlight on Education series. I was honored to be part of the discussion on the most recent episode, which aired January 21. State Superintendent Dr. Bice...

Posted On Jan 28 2016

, By Trisha Powell Crain

Educators Could Face Monumental Changes in Evaluation and Pay

UPDATE: On the evening of April 12, Sen. Marsh said he is shelving the PREP Act for this session. The second draft of a bill attributed to Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston) calls for historic and unprecedented changes in the way teachers are evaluated and compensated in Alabama. It...

Posted On Dec 29 2015

, By Trisha Powell Crain

Test Scores? Who Cares?

The used-to-be-counted-as-something-but-don’t-matter-this-year standardized test scores from Spring 2013 are now available to view. But don’t attempt any analysis unless you have a few extra hours to compile your own spreadsheets. The standardized testing ritual is...

Posted On Nov 17 2013

, By Trisha Powell Crain

How Do You Define and Measure Success in Your Neighborhood Schools?

It’s simple to measure success on a football or baseball field. The higher the number of wins, the more successful the team, right? You win a trophy or a championship at the end of the season, and you know you’re successful. But how do you measure success in your...

Posted On May 10 2013

, By Trisha Powell Crain

League of Women Voters of Greater Tuscaloosa Presentation Materials Posted Here

I had the pleasure of sharing information about the changes that happened, and are happening, from the top-down in Alabama’s K-12 schools with the League of Women Voters of Greater Tuscaloosa on January 8. Just wanted to share this powerpoint with y’all as well. The...

Posted On Jan 20 2013

, By Trisha Powell Crain

2012 Year in Review for Alabama’s K-12 Public Schools

It might be simpler to post what didn’t change in 2012. Students, teachers, principals, curriculum….all have had major changes this year. Many more changes are in the works, but have not yet been approved and/or implemented. And while I know that many of these...

Posted On Jan 01 2013

, By Trisha Powell Crain

State Board of Education Work Session Notes – May 24, 2012

Here are notes from the Alabama State Board of Education’s work session on Thursday, May 24, 2012. A number of subjects were discussed including the newly-released four-year cohort graduation rate (the percentage of students who graduated four years after entering the ninth...

Posted On May 24 2012

, By Trisha Powell Crain

What Are Teachers Supposed to Be Doing in Our Classrooms?

UPDATE: Here is the most current EDUCATEAlabama document, including all standards and accompanying rubric. There were changes to the numbering of the indicators, and slight changes to wording. Now is the time that many of Alabama’s children’s teachers are getting...

Posted On May 23 2012

, By Trisha Powell Crain

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