Performance Matters Launches FASTe with Year-Round Teacher Assessment
- By Mike Hohenbrink
- 11/16/11
Performance Matters has launched its new Formative Action System for Teacher Effectiveness platform (FASTe), a system designed to monitor teacher effectiveness year-round and put educators in touch with resources to improve their teaching.
The new system allows K-12 administrators to continuously monitor teacher effectiveness based on a variety of criteria including test scores, student assessments, and observations. Based on the data, districts can better compile teacher evaluations based on quantitative factors.
Features of FASTe include:
- An online platform designed to be user-friendly;
- An implementation framework customizable for individual districts;
- Support and a baseline module to conduct self-assessments; and
- Data collection and analysis throughout the year.
Districts utilizing FASTe begin each school year with a self-assessment to identify current needs. Based on identified needs, districts can plan programming and professional development, and make policy decisions. The data also helps teachers monitor their own performance and helps districts better determine how effective individual educators are, both for internal purposes and to comply with state-wide evaluation requirements.
Data is then collected throughout the year based on metrics such as student assessments, professional development, and observation. The information is correlated to show the effectiveness of teachers’ efforts to determine what is working and where improvement is needed so that teachers can be connected with the appropriate professional development resources. These teacher assessments are possible year-round as a way for instructors to monitor their progress and then annual evaluations, based on individual schools' criteria, are made at the end of the school year.
For more information on Performance Matters, visit performancematters.com.