Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System
(T-TESS)
The Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) focuses on providing continuous, timely and formative feedback to educators so they can improve their practice. This is the state adopted model for teacher evaluation. In order to be a certified evaluator using this system, one must complete the following: a 3 day T-TESS training and either Instructional Leadership Development (ILD) or Advancing Educational Leadership (AEL).
Advancing Educational Leadership
(AEL)
Administrators must be knowledgeable in curriculum and instruction, must be skillful in data gathering and analysis, must be able to set goals, must be skillful in conducting effective conferences, must have team building skills and conflict resolution skills, and must have mentoring and coaching skills. The Advancing Educational Leadership (AEL) training addresses all of these skills and provides practical tools for participants to implement. This 3 day, researched based and engaging training is now required for teacher appraisers who are T-TESS evaluators. In order to be a certified evaluator using the T-TESS system, one must complete the following: a 3 day T-TESS training and either Instructional Leadership Development (ILD) or Advancing Educational Leadership (AEL).
Texas Principal Evaluation and Support System
(T-PESS)
The intended purpose of the Texas Principal Evaluation and Support System (T-PESS) is to assess the principal’s performance in relation to the Texas Principal Standards. This is the state-adopted evaluation model for Principals and in many districts for Assistant Principals as well. In order to be an evaluator for T-PESS, a 1 day face to face training must be completed.
Guidance on Student Growth in T-PESS and T-TESS
The Student Growth Guidance documents from TEA on both T-TESS and T-PESS (links below) are designed to provide further clarification on the options for Student Growth within evaluation.
Student Learning Objectives Training
(SLO)
The focus of this training is on Student Learning Objectives (SLOs), one option for measuring Student Growth as part of T-TESS or a locally developed appraisal system. The Student Learning Objective (SLO) Model in Texas provides a framework for continuous dialogue between students, teachers, and principals to support teacher development and student growth throughout the year. In this training, participants will understand the value of the SLO process, the pedagogical questions addressed through the SLO process, and how the SLO process fits within the broader goals of teacher appraisal. This training will also provide a framework for districts and schools to begin planning for implementation.
Impact Coaching
For campus/district administrators and central office personnel only. This 2-day training will develop instructional leadership skills to inspire, guide, and coach staff to reach their full potential and positively impact performance. Participants will apply the Impact Coaching Competencies to the planning and instructional criteria of the T-TESS rubric; and develop a skill set to engage in reflective discussions to effectively implement action steps for continuous improvement.
Educator Preparation Programs
(EPP)
Field Supervisor Training provides guidelines and instruction for field supervisor support to candidates seeking certification and focuses on structures and practices that support candidates’ development with respective certification standards for performance. This training is designed for all supervisors who support teachers, educational diagnostician, master teacher, principal, reading specialist, school counselor, school librarian, and superintendent candidates who have been admitted to an EPP on or after December 27, 2016.
Field Supervisor Observation Training (for Teacher Certification Candidates)
Field Supervisor Observation Training provides guidelines and instruction for field supervisor support for teacher candidates participating in clinical teaching or internship experiences through educator preparation programs (EPPs). Field supervisors will be trained on structures and practices to support teacher candidates through the certification process. This training is designed for field supervisors who support clinical teachers or internship teachers who have been admitted to an EPP on or after December 27, 2016.
Field Supervisor Coaching Training (for Advanced Certification Candidates)
Field Supervisor Coaching Training provides guidelines and instruction for field supervisor support to candidates seeking certification in an area other than classroom teacher and who are participating in practicum experiences through educator preparation programs (EPPs). The training focuses on structures and practices that support candidates’ development with respective certification standards for performance. This training is designed for all field supervisors who support educational diagnosticians, master teachers, reading specialists, school counselors, school librarians, and superintendent candidates who have been admitted to an EPP on or after December 27, 2016.
Calibration Training (For TIA Districts)
This training is held at Region 10 and works directly with campus/district appraisers in creating their own implementation plans to improve calibration between campus/district appraisers. Participants will reflect on their own instructional lens to identify observational patterns and trends that skew the data. Based on their own reflection of observational data, participants will engage in practices to increase inter-rater reliability using the T-TESS rubric. Participants will understand the calibration process and the importance of inter-rater reliability; apply the T-TESS rubric to the classroom observation process through videoed lessons; evaluate observation data to objectively improve calibration; and develop an implementation plan through timelines, systems, and procedures for the campus/district (Full Day Training - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM).
For districts using an evaluation tool other than T-TESS, Region 10 will customize this training based on district needs.
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