Understanding Your Evaluation
This page explains the key concepts behind the evaluation process in eVAL.
What is an Evaluation?
In Washington State, both teachers and principals are required to complete annual evaluations based on standards established by state legislation. eVAL is the software that supports this evaluation process digitally.
An evaluation in eVAL involves:
- Collecting different types of evidence throughout the school year
- Aligning that evidence to the rubric in your district's selected framework
- Receiving a summative performance rating at the end of the year
The Evaluation Process
Throughout the year, you'll participate in various activities that contribute to your evaluation:
| Activity | What It Is | Who Does It |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Assessment | Reflect on your practice and identify growth areas | Evaluatee |
| Goal Setting | Set professional growth goals for the year | Evaluatee |
| Artifacts | Submit evidence of your practice (lesson plans, student work, etc.) | Evaluatee |
| Observations | Formal classroom/leadership observations | Evaluator |
| Student Growth | Document student learning and growth data | Evaluatee |
| Summative Evaluation | Final evaluation combining all evidence | Evaluator |
From Evidence to Your Summative Score
Your evaluation is built from evidence collected across the year, which all flows into a single end-of-year review.
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Collect evidence. Throughout the year, evidence is gathered in different evidence collections — observations, artifacts, self-assessment, and student growth. Each piece is aligned to the rubric in your district's selected framework.
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Package and align it. Within a collection, evidence can be grouped into evidence packages and aligned to specific rubric performance levels and descriptors — the rubric language describing what each level of practice looks like.
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Publish it. When an evidence collection is submitted and locked, its evidence is published — ready to count toward the summative.
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It aggregates by the eight criteria. Published evidence from all of your collections is gathered into the Summative Evaluation's Evidence View, organized by the eight state criteria (C1–C8). The evaluator sees every piece of evidence aligned to each criterion in one place.
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The evaluator scores. Reviewing the evidence criterion by criterion, the evaluator assigns a score for each of C1–C8.
Student Growth Flows In Too
Alongside the criteria evidence, the evaluator also works through Student Growth Goal Setting (SGGS) and Student Growth Goal Achievement (SGGA) — collecting evidence and scoring the student growth rubric components. Those scores flow into the same Summative Evidence View and contribute to your final rating through the Student Growth Impact Rating.
For how the C1–C8 scores and student growth combine into your overall performance rating, see Scoring.
Evaluation Types
Teacher Evaluations
For certificated classroom teachers. Your principal (or a district teacher evaluator) conducts your evaluation using a teacher-focused instructional framework.
Principal Evaluations
For school principals and assistant principals. A district principal evaluator conducts your evaluation using a leadership-focused framework.
Plan Types: Comprehensive vs. Focused
Your evaluation will be either Comprehensive or Focused, depending on your situation.
Comprehensive Evaluation
A comprehensive evaluation assesses all eight evaluation criteria. Each criterion contributes to your overall performance rating.
Who is on a Comprehensive evaluation?
- New employees
- Employees who received Basic or Unsatisfactory in their last evaluation
- Employees transitioning back from Focused (typically every 4 years)
Focused Evaluation
A focused evaluation assesses one criterion that you select, along with related professional and student growth goals.
Who is on a Focused evaluation?
- Employees who received Proficient or Distinguished on their last Comprehensive evaluation
:::info Score Carry-Forward When you're on a Focused evaluation, your scores from your last Comprehensive evaluation carry forward. The Focused evaluation lets you dive deeper into one area while maintaining your overall rating. See Focused Evaluations for eligibility, configuration, and scoring details. :::
:::tip Plan Type Changes If your plan type changes during the year, some evidence may be affected. See Plan Type Changes to learn how eVAL handles these situations. :::
Performance Levels
Your evaluation results in one of four performance levels:
| Level | Rating | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Distinguished | Exceeds standards consistently |
| 3 | Proficient | Meets standards effectively |
| 2 | Basic | Approaching standards, needs improvement |
| 1 | Unsatisfactory | Does not meet standards |
What Happens Based on Your Rating?
- Distinguished or Proficient (3-4): You may move to a Focused evaluation the following year
- Basic or Unsatisfactory (1-2): You'll remain on or move to a Comprehensive evaluation with additional support
The Eight Criteria
Washington State evaluations are organized around eight criteria (C1–C8). The specific criteria differ slightly for teachers and principals, but both are evaluated across eight areas aligned with state standards.
Your district's selected framework provides the detailed rubrics for each criterion. For teacher evaluations this is an instructional framework — such as Danielson, Marzano, or CEL 5D+ — whose components map to the eight criteria. Some principal frameworks, like the AWSP Leadership Framework, map directly to the eight criteria. See State Evaluation Framework for the full criteria and how frameworks map to them.
Your Evaluation Timeline
A typical evaluation year follows this pattern:
- Fall - Complete self-assessment, set goals
- Throughout the year - Submit artifacts, participate in observations
- Mid-year (if applicable) - Mid-year check-in with your evaluator
- Spring - Final observations, summative evaluation completed
- End of year - Review final evaluation results with your evaluator