K-12 Catalyst: Building a System for Educator Professional Growth

KickUp presents on how to build a strong, effective evaluation system that leads to educator growth.

K-12 Catalyst: How to Assess and Improve Online Instruction — Lessons from a Virtual School

Quality Matters, Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance and Virtual Virginia present their research on effective online instruction systems.

Educator Professional Growth Plans: A Practical Guide and Template

Research and tips on building a growth-based professional evaluation program, plus a free PGP template for educators.

RELEASE: Fontana Unified School District leverages new technology to improve the effectiveness of online classes

PRESS RELEASE: Southern California district one of several in a nationwide group of districts using an innovative progress monitoring system aligned to the National Standards for Quality Online Teaching.

Case Study

Camdenton R-III School District

Dr. Ryan Neal

Assistant Superintendent, Camdenton R-III School District

Performance evaluation is a touchy subject in K-12 education. Done without care, it can come off, at best, as a laborious but mandatory task—and at worst, as a case of institutionalized “gotcha.” But with a blend of trust-building, intentional processes, and actionable data, one Missouri school district is moving from a culture of simple compliance to continuous growth.

Continuous Improvement: Principles and Practices for Growing Educators During COVID

TeachFX and Anaheim Union High School District talk through translating continuous improvement principles into practical learnings for deploying support and changing teacher practice.

Coaching & Support Logs: 5 Tips for Getting Started

Coach and mentor time is precious—and expensive. Though we know coaching can change teacher practice, quality of time matters. It’s an administrator’s job to understand what’s happening at scale in order to tailor instructional support for maximum impact and demonstrate the program’s outcomes.

Funding PD Infrastructure with CARES Act and Title II

As districts ramp up their PD to sharpen educators’ virtual instruction skills, coordinating and supporting newly-remote teaching teams has never been more critical. But with an uncertain school year ahead and funds stretched tight by COVID-19, many education leaders are scrambling to find the budget for professional learning supports. Recent changes to federal education funding structures like Title II and the CARES Act mean that these dollars are now available to invest in long-term PD solutions for continuous improvement.

Putting Feedback to Work with Joellen Killion and Comal ISD

Professional learning expert Joellen Killion and Hanna Schramm of Comal ISD talk through how districts can use lightweight PD feedback data to optimize professional learning programs and ensure instructional adoption.

Virtual Classroom Walkthroughs: 7 Tips for Effectively Observing Online Instruction

Virtual walkthroughs can provide clear, actionable feedback about how professional learning efforts are translating into practice. Check out our top 7 tips for creating a walkthrough program in your district’s online classrooms — or download the free guide of practical look-fors adapted from the National Standards for Quality Online Teaching.