Forest Grove rolls out short'form classroom observation tool to sharpen instructional feedback

Superintendent Dr. West told the Forest Grove School District board during the Oct. 28 work session that the district is beginning a phased rollout of a short'form classroom observation platform intended to provide more specific, frequent feedback than current evaluation cycles.

"A superintendent doesn't do this work alone," Dr. West said, describing the tool as a way to "create the conditions for my team to be successful." Leaders showed three examples: a "keeping time" timer that separates teacher talk from student talk and records instructional grouping; a TAPS on'task sampling used at intervals to count students on task; and a higher'order questioning tool aligned to Bloom's Taxonomy, Costas and Depth of Knowledge frameworks.

District presenters said observers use a mobile device to start a timer, record targeted indicators and take notes; results are emailed automatically to the teacher. Dr. West emphasized the tool is device'agnostic and includes an administrative dashboard so principals and district leaders can analyze patterns across classrooms and over time. "This way I can hone in on a very discreet skill set that I want to support a teacher with," she said.

Board members asked about rollout timing and labor-union involvement. Dr. West said union leaders were given early access for preview and calibration, noting, "Arturo gave a couple of our union leaders their own accounts so they could get in and play with it." The district will ask principals to preview the tool with teachers before observers begin sending emailed reports, a phased approach officials said is intended to avoid surprising teachers with uncontextualized feedback.

Officials also described customization options. Teachers and principals can request bespoke tools for specific classroom concerns—examples included tracking whom a teacher calls on by seating area and gathering gendered calling patterns. Dr. West said the vendor offers prebuilt tools and the district can build custom instruments to support targeted professional development.

A board member asked about ongoing costs; Dr. West called the vendor "very affordable" compared with other subscriptions and said, "I think for our entire district to use it each year, it's $6,000," while acknowledging she was not certain of the exact figure. District staff said they would provide a firm contract price and procurement details to the board before purchasing.

District leaders framed the tool as one part of a broader strategy to improve core instruction and to support richer coach'teacher conversations. They said short, calibrated observations together with calibration meetings among principals will inform professional development and coaching decisions across schools.

Next steps: principals will pilot the tool with staff, district leaders will convene calibration sessions, and the administration will provide the board with contract/cost details and planned timelines for full classroom rollout.