AWSP Blog

Let me just start by saying something super unpopular but true. TPEP is draining principals rather than supporting teachers. There I said it. How do I know? I talk to principals and teachers.  Am I saying good teaching isn’t happening? No. There are wonderful and magical things happening in classrooms throughout the state. Schools are filled with hope, positive energy, enthusiasm, and incredible relationships in every region of our state. Let me clarify: TPEP, in its current, well-intended form, is not working as originally designed. We are not improving instruction as the system was designed or as we all hoped.

At the beginning of the 2021–22 school year, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) released revised Student Growth Rubrics for schools and districts for their optional use this year. The revised rubrics capture key learnings from the past ten years of student growth goals as part of the evaluation process and are informed by feedback from schools that elected to pilot the revised rubrics this year.

In a recent conversation with Sue Anderson, Director of OSPI’s Educator Effectiveness, she reminded me of the required Fall and early Winter TPEP dates. Sue has been a school leader and certainly understands the demands placed on principals and assistant principals. With the frenetic pace school leaders are keeping, they may think they are behind, or missing important TPEP timelines. Here is some quick info for you as you continue to plan out your observation and evaluation schedules. Take a deep breath, you have plenty of time to complete any TPEP requirements.

With the return this school year to full Comprehensive evaluations with three Student Growth Goals, there is an opportunity to pilot Student Growth Goal rubrics for 3.1, 3.2, 6.1, 6.2, and 8.1.