White Paper: Building a Culture of Trust in Teacher Evaluations

If teacher evaluations are going to be genuinely useful in supporting teacher growth, it’s imperative that educators and administrators work together to improve practice. A culture of trust and transparency is crucial to building collaboration into the process.

This requires intentionality and effort, but the results will be worth it. Teachers need to know that the evaluation process is part of a larger continuous growth cycle, not simply an instrument to give a grade or determine salary level. When this is true, genuine collaborative reflection is possible, and evaluations can turn from compliance-driven, anxiety-filled procedures into shared efforts toward better instruction and better schools.

This white paper includes:

• Why it’s so important to build a culture of trust — and the potential downsides if you don’t
• Steps school leaders can take to lay the groundwork for effective evaluations and meaningful feedback
• Key elements to include in communication with your teachers
• Practical ways to involve teachers as enthusiastic participants in the evaluation process