By Sherri Drake Silence - The Commercial Appeal -

There's no more giving teachers the benefit of the doubt on job evaluations, Shelby County Schools administrators heard in three weeks of training this month.

Starting this upcoming school year, principals must see evidence of competency during an official observation of a teacher's lesson. They can't rely on what they think they know about the teacher or what they've seen from the teacher in the past.

"If it's not there, it's not there," evaluation trainers told the SCS administrators.

Starting this fall, new teachers will be observed by their principal or a certified administrator at least six times per year. Seasoned teachers will be observed at least four times annually.

Teachers will have to be on target with their lessons to score well in a new 1-to-5 rating system, with 5 being perfection. A score of three will indicate a solid teacher.

It's a big shift from previous practices, when seasoned teachers may have gone years without observations.

The scores for the observations will count as 50 percent of a teacher's performance review. And the scores will be tied to whether new teachers get tenure, which now takes five years to earn instead of three years.

During their observations, teachers will have to meet specific indicators, including lesson planning, classroom environment, professionalism and instruction.

"It's an evidence-based process rather than just an overall impression," said Laura Link, the suburban district's director of professional development and leadership.

Districts across Tennessee will roll out new teacher evaluation practices this fall as part of the federal Race to the Top initiative, which awards states millions of dollars to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement.

State education officials approved a few evaluation models that districts can use. SCS is going with the state-recommended Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model.

Memphis City Schools plans to use an alternative model that also factors in student perception of a teacher's content knowledge.

As part of TEAM, the state's most prevalent model, the other 50 percent of teacher evaluations will be based on their students' achievement test scores and academic growth.

About 160 Shelby schools administrators went through four-day training on the new evaluation model over the past three weeks at the district's central office. They must pass a test to become "certified observers." More county school staff members will be trained in August.

John McDonald, principal of Shadowlawn Middle School in Arlington, said he thinks the new evaluation model will help raise the bar for teacher effectiveness.

"I think it's a good thing for all of us," McDonald said. "I do think it will be a tremendous challenge."

Link said teachers will get plenty of training on the new model, so they won't feel overwhelmed by the process. Some will have mentors.

"They're not going at this alone," Link said.

-- Sherri Drake Silence: (901)-529-2510