Charlotte Danielson Releases Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument, 2013 Edition

Updated Evaluation Instrument to incorporate instructional implications of Common Core State Standards

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and based on feedback from educators, Charlotte Danielson has updated her Framework for Teaching (FFT) Evaluation Instrument with the 2013 Edition. The 2013 Edition incorporates the instructional implications of CCSS and includes language refinements to further improve scoring accuracy when using the Framework for evaluations and observations. Developed in 1996, the FFT, a research-validated instrument, has now been adopted in more than 20 states and is used as the basis for professional learning and teacher evaluation by providing a common language for defining and reflecting on teaching effectiveness.

"The core concepts and architecture of the Framework remain the same. However evolving requirements from educators and the field continue to drive ongoing enhancements to the Evaluation Instrument, as they have throughout its history," said Charlotte Danielson. "The evolution of this instrument speaks to the strength and stability of the tool as well as its flexibility in meeting districts' changing evaluation needs. The 2013 Edition is my most robust instrument to date for observers to conduct fair, consistent and reliable evaluations in today's high stakes environment, and maintains its integrity as a tool for teacher training and professional development."

While the FFT has always been grounded in student learning - a key tenet of the CCSS - the new enhancements to the FFT Evaluation Instrument, 2013 Edition help classroom observers in the 46 states that have adopted the CCSS more deeply understand the instructional implications of the new standards. The enhancements explicitly address the CCSS themes of academic language, argumentation and student strategies. The enhancements also focus on curriculum and assessment - a major instructional implication of the CCSS - and provide observers of classroom practice with possible examples they can use to conduct evaluations across academic disciplines.