Teacher Effectiveness Measure

TEM FAQs

1. Is TEM a Tennessee state requirement?

The state has a new requirement that teachers be evaluated each year and that 50% of the teacher evaluation includes student growth and achievement data. Our TEM will be aligned with the state evaluation norms, but it will include three other criteria: 40% observations, 5% stakeholder perceptions, and 5% teacher knowledge.

2. When will each TEM component be measured?

The graphic below provides a timeline for when each TEM component will be measured. It should be noted that the dates for observations are not exact and may vary by school and individual teachers.

3. Is Student Growth (TVAAS) the same as Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)?

No. AYP is a required measurement under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. In short, AYP refers to whether or not a student, class, school, district, or state met a pre-set target of proficiency on a criterion-referenced test (CRT). TVAAS, by contrast, is a growth measure. It is based on the gains students make (or don't make) compared to their test outcomes in previous years.

4. Which teachers have individual-level TVAAS results?

Teachers whose students are assessed at the end of the year by a state-mandated test have TVAAS results. At the present time, that means core subject teachers in grades 3 – 8 and teachers in Algebra I, Algebra II, Biology I, English I, English II, and U.S. History have TVAAS results. In 2011–12, English III will be a tested subject that counts for TVAAS, but not for AYP.

5. What if I don't have individual-level TVAAS?

According to state law, teachers in non-tested subjects must use school-level TVAAS data for 35% of their evaluation (TEM) score until the state approves a system for measuring value-add in non-tested subjects. In 2011-12, we are expecting that the work of several state-level committees will provide a more direct measurement of the impact of teachers in non-tested subjects. For the first time this year, a school-level composite TVAAS score will be calculated. This new statistic will combine TVAAS results from all the teachers in a school and report that as a single number: the TVAAS Composite.

6. Will I be assessed on the entire Teaching & Learning Framework this year?

No. Although all four domains of the MCS Teaching & Learning Framework are critical to identifying and guiding highly effective teaching practices, only the "Teach" and "Cultivate a Learning Environment" domains will be incorporated into teachers' TEM scores. This is because the "Teach" and "Cultivate" domains are easily observable during a classroom lesson whereas "Plan" and "Reflect and Adjust" should inform preparation prior to a lesson and modifications after a lesson.

7. How many formal observations will I have? How long will they last?

According to state law, tenured teachers will be observed a minimum of 4 times each academic year, for a combined total of no fewer than 60 minutes. Pre-tenure teachers will be observed a minimum of six times, for a combined total of no fewer than 90 minutes.

8. How will Stakeholder Perceptions be measured?

For 2011-12, Stakeholder Perceptions will be measured through the TRIPOD Student Survey, which students from your class(es) will take twice during the course of the school year. The TRIPOD survey does not measure students' subjective opinions about how much they "like" their teachers. Rather, the survey asks students to assess observable practices in their classrooms according to the "Seven Cs":

9. Will TRIPOD questions vary by student population?

Yes. Currently, there are three versions of the TRIPOD student survey according to grade bands: Kindergarten-2, 3-5 and 6-12. These multiple versions are designed to cater to students' different stages of academic development and reading comprehension skills and are based on several years of research and evidence. Student measures for Pre-K teachers and non-classroom educators are still in development at this time.

Menu Hover BG