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CASCADING DOMAINS OF INFLUENCE

A Coherent System of Evaluation Models

District Leader Model

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6 domains · 20 elements

Sets the vision and creates conditions for principal effectiveness — data-driven improvement focus, curriculum support, community of care

School Leader Model

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6 domains · 21 elements

Translates district vision into daily practice — moves principals from solely operational management to instructional leadership

Teacher Model

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4 domains · 23 elements

Develops instructional expertise through rigorous, fair, growth-oriented evaluation tied directly to student and teacher evidence

Support Personnel

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4 domains ·17 elements

Extends the shared language to every instructional support staff member — counselors, specialists, coaches, etc.

Student growth and achievement

What makes the Marzano system different from any single evaluation model is what happens when all four are implemented together. Each level of leadership is evaluated on the behaviors that research shows directly influence the next level— district leaders on the actions that develop directors and principals, principals on the actions that develop teachers, teachers on the practices that increase student achievement.

When every level speaks the same language, feedback doesn’t get lost in translation. A superintendent observing a principal uses the same evidenced-based approach the principal uses to observe a teacher. The whole system becomes objective and coherent.

“We’re excited by the possibilities for teacher and student growth thanks to the Marzano Focused Teacher Evaluation Model and it’s support for standards-based classrooms.”

Lucinda Kelley

Deputy Superintendent, Hendry County District Schools, FL

COMMON QUESTIONS

Which Model Fits Your District

Answers to common questions about how Marzano’s evaluation models work individually and together to build one coherent system for professional growth.

Which Marzano evaluation model is right for my district?

It depends on which role you're evaluating. The Focused Teacher Evaluation Model focuses on classroom instruction and the 23 competencies co-authored with Dr. Marzano. The School Leader Model shifts principals from day-to-day operations toward instructional leadership. The District Leader Model is built specifically to work as part of an integrated system, not as a standalone framework. The Support Staff Model covers the full scope of non-instructional professional practice.

Can our district use more than one Marzano evaluation model at once?

Yes — that's how the system is designed to work. Rather than four separate tools, the models share a common language and vision of effective instruction, so evaluating teachers, school leaders, district leaders, and support staff together creates one coherent picture instead of four disconnected ones.

How do the Marzano evaluation models work together as a system?

Each model evaluates a different role, but they're built on the same underlying framework, so growth at one level reinforces growth at every other level. A school leader coached through the School Leader Model, for example, is better equipped to support teachers being evaluated through the Teacher Model — the alignment is what makes the system compound rather than operate as four unrelated checklists.

Are the Marzano evaluation models aligned to state requirements?

Marzano evaluation framework adoption varies by state — many states give districts full autonomy to choose their evaluation model, and Marzano Focused Teacher Evaluation Model is formally approved in several others. A few states mandate a specific state-designed system with no adoption pathway. Contact us directly to confirm compliance for your district and state.

What's the difference between the Marzano District Leader and School Leader evaluation models?

The School Leader Model evaluates principals and assistant principals on instructional leadership at the building level. The District Leader Model evaluates superintendents and central-office leaders on their role in supporting that work system-wide — it's the only one of the four designed explicitly as part of the integrated system rather than as a standalone evaluation.

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

A framework is only as strong as its implementation

Most evaluation vendors hand you a rubric and wish you luck. The Marzano Evaluation Center provides the professional development, side-by-side coaching and inter-rated agreement as well as purpose-built software that turn a research framework into district-wide practice — and keep it there.

Professional development built into the model

Our PD isn’t an add-on — it’s designed around the same elements your teachers and leaders are being evaluated on. Every session builds the observational skill and shared language that make evaluation meaningful rather than procedural.

  • ✓ Observer validation and reliability training
  • ✓ Leader coaching on feedback and growth conversations for all models
  • ✓ On-site or virtual formats
  • ✓ Ongoing support — not just launch-day workshops
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iObservation — software built for the Marzano models or custom forms

Generic observation platforms force you to retrofit your framework into their templates. iObservation is purpose-built for the Marzano models — so the rubrics, scoring, and reporting work exactly as the research intended.

  • ✓ Real-time observation and feedback tools
  • ✓ Scoring calibration and inter-rater agreement tracking
  • ✓ Individual growth plans tied directly to observation and evaluation data
  • ✓ Districtwide reporting across roles and buildings
  • ✓ Can also accommodate custom evaluation models
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Most districts that struggle with evaluation implementation are missing one of these three things: a strong framework, the PD to build shared understanding around it, or the software to make it manageable at scale. The Marzano Evaluation Center is the only providers that brings all three — designed to work together from the start.

Ready to build an evaluation system your teachers will actually trust?

Talk to one of our specialists about your district's goals, timeline, and current system. No pitch decks. No pressure.

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