Board adopts new teacher evaluation system after multi-year development and pilot planning

The Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District governing board on May 6 approved a revised teacher evaluation system the district staff said had been developed over three years with teacher and principal input.

District staff described a phased, competency-based approach built on the Empower digital platform. The system is designed to combine teacher self-evaluation, uploaded evidence (folios), informal observations and a summative score at year-end. Staff said the tool is intended to prioritize development and two-way feedback rather than a punitive, checklist-style inspection.

Why this matters: the evaluation system will affect how teachers set goals, document practice and receive support from principals and instructional coaches. The district framed the change as both an instructional and personnel tool tied to professional growth.

What the board heard

The presenter told the board the new tool reduces the original Marzano framework’s 49 elements into a staged rollout so teachers are not overwhelmed and so principals can focus coaching conversations. The first phase targets teachers who are new to the district or in early career stages and emphasizes lesson preparation, comprehensible input, lesson delivery and assessment and review. Later phases add classroom management and Marzano elements for teachers demonstrating proficiency.

“A self-evaluation component allows teachers to set goals and upload evidence; administrators and coaches can add feedback in real time,” the presenter said. The transcript identifies the presenter as Miss Rivera, who led the Teaching & Learning description and fielded questions.

Principals and board members praised the platform’s digital workflow and the tool’s emphasis on development. A Calabasas-area principal told the board the digital access and immediate feedback would improve efficiency for evaluators. Multiple board members said they appreciated the teacher-led goal setting and the plan for incremental rollout; one board member urged streamlining where possible so evaluators are not distracted by lengthy checklists.

Implementation notes and next steps

Staff said the district will use Empower and work with the vendor’s support staff for coding and rollout. The initial implementation will include training for principals and a sign-up process for teachers; the TLE/HR team will pilot sections and expand the use in subsequent years. The board approved the system on a motion, and staff listed training and rollout milestones to be completed before the 2025–26 school year.

Ending: The board carried the measure and directed staff to proceed with implementation planning and training for the coming school year.