LEADS transforms state’s outdated evaluation system to support recruitment and retention
(BATON ROUGE, LA) - The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) has developed a modern educator evaluation system that rewards effective teachers with fewer observations and gives school administrators more time to mentor new and growing teachers. Louisiana’s Educator Advancement and Development System (LEADS) transforms the state’s outdated educator evaluation system to promote the recruitment and retention of effective teachers and leaders. Piloted in 2023-2024 and part of a learning year in 2024-2025, LEADS will be used statewide in 2025-2026 for teachers, counselors, and school leaders.
“Outside of the parent, the classroom teacher has the greatest impact on student learning. This new system honors teachers who are excelling in their craft and provides new teachers with the help they need to advance in their profession,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley.
LEADS provides educators with a highly customized approach to coaching. Struggling educators receive immediate instructional support, while more effective educators are rewarded with fewer observations. Under Louisiana’s current legacy evaluation system, known as COMPASS, all teachers are observed twice regardless of their years of experience or scores on previous observations.
LEADS offers differentiated support for teachers depending on years of experience and individual needs. Teachers with at least three years of experience who score highly effective on their first observation may opt out of any remaining observations that school year. Teachers with less than three years of experience will receive three observations each year.
“Louisiana’s improved educator evaluation system builds upon initiatives already in place to support the continuous improvement of teaching and learning across the state,” said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson. “These changes are critical as we focus on the growth and development of our educators to grow our students.”
LEADS is structured to provide more useful, timely, and actionable feedback. Other key improvements include:
- Evidence-based practices that enhance teaching and leadership
- A more fair and transparent process that includes multiple measures, supports self reflection, and gives teachers a voice
- Better feedback for improvement and resources to support individual growth
- Stronger connections between evaluation and professional learning
- Expanded five-point rating scale that offers more room for growth
LEADS Development
LEADS was created using national best practices and feedback the LDOE received from over 8,000 educators. The LDOE has worked alongside school systems and utilized feedback throughout the development and implementation.
- Discovery survey: In 2022, the LDOE surveyed more than 8,000 Louisiana educators and school leaders about the quality of their current instructional support. More than 50% of educators surveyed did not feel the current evaluation system provided feedback that enhanced the quality of their instruction for students. In addition to improved feedback, educators also expressed a desire for more opportunities for professional growth and development. The LDOE utilized this feedback in the development of LEADS
- Pilot study: Sixteen school systems across the state participated in a year-long LEADS pilot study during the 2023-2024 school year. Evaluators from all participating systems were trained and certified to use the new system. The LDOE provided monthly training calls and onsite visits to support the implementation during the pilot year. Participating systems shared both quantitative and qualitative feedback through focus groups and surveys at the conclusion of the year. Results showed that teachers and school leaders reported high levels of satisfaction with the LEADS trainings and found the evaluation process to be effective in supporting instructional growth. Furthermore, the majority of survey participants agreed that the LEADS program was better than the evaluation instruments they had used before.
- Learning year: The development of the new LEADS program will culminate during the 2024-2025 school year in a learning year. School systems were given the choice to opt into testing the new evaluation system, and will be asked to provide feedback to inform final adjustments prior to full implementation in the 2025-2026 school year.
The LDOE is currently hosting a series of informational webinars for school leaders, teachers and counselors to provide an overview of LEADS. Additional information can be found in the LEADS library on the LDOE website. Interested parties are encouraged to sign up for the dedicated LEADS email newsletter in order to receive regular program updates, learning tools, and to connect with additional support, as needed.
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