Idaho’s recently released data shows that almost all teachers in the state received at least a “proficient” grade on their performance evaluations last school year. The trend of high performance grades being given by school administrators continues, with 98.4% of educators rated proficient or better for the 2023-24 school year. However, this system remains controversial as it affects teachers’ professional endorsements and each school district’s share of state funding.
Teachers are evaluated on their instruction, student assessment techniques, planning and preparation, classroom environment maintenance, and professional responsibilities. The majority of educators received proficient marks, with a significant number rated distinguished as well. While most of Idaho’s largest school districts rated the vast majority of their educators proficient, some charter schools rated less than 80% of their teachers proficient or better.
There has been a history of controversy surrounding teacher evaluations in Idaho, particularly since former Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter proposed tying evaluations to the state’s career ladder teacher pay program in 2015. The positive evaluations have raised questions about the accuracy and fairness of the ratings, especially when tied to salary increases. An investigation in 2022 revealed that strong performance among teachers does not necessarily result in raises when almost every teacher receives good marks.
The Department of Education conducts annual audits of teacher evaluations to ensure compliance with evaluation rules. The ongoing debate over the efficacy and fairness of teacher evaluations in Idaho continues to be a topic of concern for educators and administrators alike.
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