08.13.08

As teachers greeted a new batch of students in Jefferson Parish public schools this week, they started working under a new teacher evaluation program too.

It's based on the statewide Louisiana Teacher Assistance and Assessment Program. But those involved in Jefferson's program tout its standards as more specific and, therefore, more useful than the state guidelines.

A trial deployment at 12 schools in the 2007-08 year confirmed the tool's effectiveness, said Betsy Daley of the Jefferson system's Human Resources Department.

Jefferson's teacher evaluation rubric differs from the state framework in two ways:

-- In addition to the three "domains" of instruction, management and planning that the state recommends for evaluating teachers, Jefferson looks at professionalism and school improvement. It will assess teachers, for example, on whether they foster "positive relationships within the school and community setting."

-- While the state allows for only three ratings -- satisfactory, not satisfactory and needs improvement -- Jefferson Parish will have a five-point scale. Scores of 3, 4 and 5 will correspond to a score of "satisfactory" on the state scale.