Summative Assessment

Georgia Department of Education. (2014). Teacher Keys Effectiveness System Handbook.  Atlanta:  Retrieved from http://legisweb.state.wy.us/InterimCommittee/2012/TKESHandbook.pdf

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p. 17

Suggestions

When it comes time to conduct the formative and summative assessments, evaluators must rate teachers on all ten performance standards. Consequently, as evaluators conduct observations and review documentation, it is important that they keep all ten standards in mind. When conducting walkthroughs, evaluators should focus on a limited number of performance standards and/or indicators. They may find it useful to annotate the TAPS Reference Sheet as to which data source (observation and/or documentation) is likely to provide evidence related to a particular standard. Evaluators also may find it useful to review the teacher-generated listings from the Look Fors and Red Flags activity, and the Matching Observation and Documentation with Performance Standards activity used during the Orientation and Familiarization sessions with the teachers.

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Summative Assessment

After collecting information throughout the evaluation process, evaluators will provide a summative assessment of a teacher’s performance. Evaluators will use the Summative Assessment Report Form to evaluate performance on each standard using the four-category rating scale. By receiving a rating on each individual standard, the teacher is provided with a diagnostic profile of his or her performance for the evaluation cycle.

In making judgments for the summative assessment on each of the ten teacher performance standards, the evaluator should determine where the “totality of the evidence and most consistent practice” [emphasis in original] exists, based on observations, documentation of practice and process provided by the teacher, and Surveys of Instructional Practice. “Totality of the evidence and most consistent practice” [emphasis in original] as used here is intended to mean the overall weight of evidence. In other words, as applied to the four-point rating scale, the evaluator should ask, “In which rating category does the totality of the evidence fall?” In many instances, there will be performance evidence that may fit in more than one category. To reach a decision for aggregating the total set of data to reach a summative decision, the evaluator should ask “In which rating category does the evidence best fit?”

In addition to the ten separate ratings, the teachers will receive an overall TAPS point score.  Exemplary ratings are worth 3 points, Proficient ratings are worth 2 points, and Needs Development ratings are worth 1 point. Ineffective ratings have no point value. Through the GaDOE TLE Electronic Platform, evaluators will receive a point value for all ten standards which will produce a final TAPS score.