Network for Educator Effectiveness: An Overview of Educator Evaluation Systems
The landscape of educator effectiveness is constantly evolving, with a growing emphasis on comprehensive evaluation systems that support both teacher growth and student success. This article explores the Network for Educator Effectiveness (NEE) and related systems, examining their components, features, and impact on the educational landscape.
Data-Driven Insights into Educator Performance
At the heart of many educator effectiveness systems lies the power of data. Tools like the NEE track and store data and artifacts for each educator, building, and district. This creates a centralized repository of information that can be used for evaluation, professional development, and overall improvement.
The Indicator Trend report provides a snapshot of progress made on specific indicators throughout the academic year. This allows educators, administrators, and districts to monitor performance and identify areas where targeted support is needed. Student surveys offer valuable feedback on teachers, while teacher surveys provide feedback on principals, creating a 360-degree view of leadership and instruction.
NEE: A Research-Based Educator Evaluation System
The Network for Educator Effectiveness (NEE) is a research-backed educator evaluation system developed at the University of Missouri. It was designed with practical implementation in mind. PK-12 practitioners worked in partnership with researchers to design NEE. Every detail in NEE was deliberately designed based on research and practical expertise.
NEE incorporates 27 teaching practices that are observable in the classroom. Schools can choose which to focus on, based on local needs and priorities. NEE focuses on teaching practices that research shows have a large effect size. For example, promoting students’ social skills has a powerful effect on student learning.
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NEE uses an elongated scale for classroom observations. This is because the research shows that principals tend to rate teachers leniently, near the top of the scale. In teacher evaluation systems that use only a 3- or 4-point scale, almost all teachers score at the top.
NEE includes a student survey because research shows that students are reliable raters of teachers’ effectiveness, and use of student surveys is a cost-efficient way to get detailed feedback (while also showing respect for students’ voice). The student survey is completely aligned with the NEE Classroom Observation process, for corroborating evidence on the same teaching practices.
Training and Support for Effective Implementation
NEE emphasizes comprehensive training for raters to ensure fair and accurate evaluations. Training includes “performance dimension” training to help raters understand specific teaching practices through didactic research review and discussion. “Practice-with-feedback” training is also used to have raters score selected videos of authentic classes and discuss their ratings with others under guidance.
NCEES: North Carolina's Comprehensive System
North Carolina utilizes the North Carolina Educator Evaluation System (NCEES) as the official Home Base application for public and charter schools. NCEES offers components designed to support the ongoing professional growth of K-12 educational leaders and teachers. This tool includes and educator evaluation component and a professional development component. NCEES is a component of PowerSchool's Perform Enterprise and Professional Learning.
Key Components of NCEES
Effective educator evaluation instruments and professional development plans in the Perform Enterprise component of NCEES available to PSUs include:
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- Rubrics based on NC teacher and administrator standards.
- Observations that inform teacher/staff growth.
- End-of-year evaluation ratings.
- Free access to NCDPI self-paced Canvas and Moodle modules aligned to staff standards & elements, and focus areas.
- Staff dashboards to track CEUs earned through DPI and local PD course modules, and varied PD learning opportunities.
Professional Development Opportunities within NCEES
The PD office provides the ability to:
- Create and manage local professional learning opportunities and track CEUs.
- Share local PD/CEU opportunities with other PSUs for regional or shared events.
- Transfer Credit Manager - manages approvals for CEUs earned outside of the district to show on staff transcripts
PSUs are given access to NCEES Professional Learning PD office component for $1.25/ADM (this fee also includes access to Schoolnet).
Accessing NCEES Resources and Support
To learn more about this application, visit to the NCEES Information and Resources below. LEAs and charter schools are given access to the local control of professional development components by opting into Home Base for the low price of $1.25/ADM (this fee also includes access to Schoolnet). For more information on how to opt into Home Base, visit the Opt-in to Home Base page.
NCEES Resources:
- NCEES Help Guides - You will need to login to NCEdCloud
- NCEES How To And Troubleshooting Guide - Videos and Step-by-Step Directions
- Public School Unit Contacts for Home Base products including NCEES
- NCEES Information and Resource - Policy and Evaluation Processes Support
- NCVirtual Professional Learning for Educators - To enroll, log into the NCEES system using your IAM/NCEdCloud username and password, then click the Professional Development tab. You can then search for a course by title or list all courses.
- NCEES Training YouTube Playlist - Videos for PowerSchool's Perform Enterprise and Professional Learning
- Other Professional Development for Credit Resources - Presence on this list does not constitute an endorsement of the provider or content by NCDPI.
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