Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policy
The data and analysis on this page is from 2019. View and download the most recent policy data and analysis on Measures of Student Growth in Colorado from the State of the States 2022: Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policies report.
Impact of Student Growth: Colorado requires that, for all teachers, objective evidence of student growth count for 50 percent of its teacher evaluation rating for all teachers. Measures of student growth must include the following: 1) a measure of individually attributed student academic growth; 2) a measure of collectively attributed student academic growth; 3) statewide summative assessment results, when available, and for subjects with annual statewide summative assessment results from two consecutive grades; and 4) results from the Colorado Growth Model. Additional measures may also be used.
State's Role in Evaluation System: Colorado districts may adopt the Model Evaluation System or develop their own system as long as it meets or exceeds the state's rules.
Due to Colorado's strong policies in this area, no recommendations are provided.
Colorado recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.
7A: Measures of Student Growth
Many factors should be considered in formally evaluating a teacher; however, nothing is more important than effectiveness in the classroom. Value-added models are an important tool for measuring student achievement and school effectiveness.[1] These models have the ability to measure individual students' learning gains, controlling for students' previous knowledge and background characteristics. While some research suggests value-added models are subject to bias and statistical limitations,[2] rich data and strong controls can eliminate error and bias.[3] In the area of teacher quality, examining student growth offers a fairer and potentially more meaningful way to evaluate a teacher's effectiveness than other methods schools use.
Unfortunately, districts have used many evaluation instruments, including some mandated by states, which are structured so that teachers can earn a satisfactory rating without any evidence that they are sufficiently advancing student learning in the classroom.[4] Teacher evaluation instruments should include factors that combine both human judgment and objective measures of student learning.[5]