You’ve probably heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder.” For educational leaders, this means being strategic—aligning efforts to create consistency and coherence across the organization.
One critical strategy for improving student achievement is ensuring that all employee growth and evaluation systems are aligned with district goals. According to the National Center on Education and the Economy (2024), high-performing education systems worldwide share a relentless focus on system alignment.
Are Your Employee Evaluation Systems Aligned with Your Vision?
Every employee in a school or district contributes to achieving its mission. But how intentional and aligned is your system for evaluating them?
- Does your evaluation process measure and support your vision for instruction?
- Are teachers, leaders, and instructional support professionals held to clear, consistent expectations?
Using the research-based Marzano evaluation models, districts can create a system where all employees understand what success looks like and how it will be measured—regardless of who conducts the evaluation.
Evidence is at the heart of scoring all four evaluation models. Dr. Marzano’s tools identify the domains and key functions across district leaders, school leaders, teachers, and non-classroom instructional support professionals.
The models provide:
- A clear set of expectations
- Common language and vocabulary
- Transparent structures that support both the employee and observer
Building Trust Through Fair, Evidence-Based Evaluations
One key shift with Marzano’s models is the focus on evidence-based scoring rather than personal judgment. Instead of worrying about “hard graders,” employees can trust that their performance is assessed based on observable evidence, applied consistently through clear rubrics.
Consistency and accuracy build trust that the evaluation process is fair and objective, not subject to personal pet peeves or preferences.
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From Compliance to Impact: Evaluating What Truly Matters
Traditional evaluations often focus on whether a teacher taught a lesson—but what truly matters is whether students learned as a result.
With the Marzano aligned evaluation systems:
- The focus moves from “going through the motions” to measuring impact toward goals and desired effects.
- Employees are empowered to monitor their actions, adjust when needed, and track their results over time.
- Teachers, leaders, and non-classroom professionals receive meaningful feedback that helps them improve.
Are You Ready to See Better Outcomes?
When schools and districts align their evaluation systems, they work smarter, not harder—driving better student outcomes through fair, transparent, and effective evaluations.
Want to learn how aligned evaluations can improve performance across your district? Schedule a call with one of our evaluation experts today.
About the Author
Lorah Neville, M.Ed.
Ms. Lorah Neville is a lifelong educator whose career spans classroom teaching, school and district leadership, and higher education. After starting as a middle school teacher, she advanced into administrative roles including principal, K-12 Director of Curriculum, Executive Director, and ultimately K-8 Superintendent, where she led impactful initiatives in curriculum, assessment, and school improvement.
A certified trainer in Facilitative Leadership and national development programs, she has supported educators through coaching, professional development, and academic instruction at Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University.
Ms. Neville’s work has influenced educational practices both nationally and internationally, and she remains actively involved in her community, all driven by her belief in the transformative power of strong leadership and quality teaching for student success.
References
The National Center on Education and the Economy, NCEE (2024). Blueprint: Designing Systems That Work. https://ncee.org/blueprint/
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About Marzano Evaluation Center
The Marzano Evaluation Center is the foremost destination to inquire about and receive access to the world-renowned Marzano Focused Teacher Evaluation Model (FTEM). The Focused Teacher Evaluation model, along with our school leader, district leader, and support staff evaluation models culminate in our systemwide approach to evaluation. This comprehensive approach has allowed us to collaborate with school districts to improve their educational outcomes by aiding professionals in attaining useful feedback on classroom and personal performance.
