1. Clarifying RISE
Indiana’s Model Evaluation &
Development System

2. RISE
RISE is Indiana’s model evaluation and
development system created by the
IDOE Evaluation Cabinet and
representatives from the New Teacher
Project.
Clarifying RISE 2

3. Evaluation
• Based on legislation passed during the 2011
session of the General Assembly, an
evaluation instrument must be in place for
the beginning of the 2012-13 school year.
• For those with a contract in place that
contains an evaluation instrument, the new
law will apply to you when that contract
expires.
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4. Instrument Must Include:
• Annual evaluation of each certified teacher.
• Student growth & achievement data, including
state assessments, to “significantly inform the
evaluation.”
• Rigorous measures of effectiveness
(observations, etc., not just test scores).
• Annual designation given to teachers as
“highly effective,” “effective,” “needs
improvement,” or “ineffective.”
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5. RISE, the State’s Model
If adopted by a school district and
voted on and passed by at least
75% of the teachers who vote, RISE
does not need additional approval
from the State Board of Education.
Clarifying RISE 5

6. Evaluation Models
If a school corporation selects a model other
than RISE, TAP or PARCC, then its evaluation
instrument must be submitted to the state for
review and approval if the corporation wishes to
seek any grant funding.
– No rules have yet been established for the
criteria or what happens if the instrument is
rejected by the state. These were to be
established by January 31, 2012.
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7. Indiana Code IC 20-28-11.5
“If a school corporation modifies the
model plan or develops its own
plan, the department MAY request
that the school corporation submit the
plan to the department to ensure the
plan meets the criteria developed
under this chapter.”
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8. ISSUES with RISE
• “Professional judgment” is too subjective. Be
sure to discuss erring in favor of the teacher if
there is a borderline question at all about a
rating.
• It’s not a good instrument for special areas
and special education. Some parts work well
for elementary teachers but not for secondary
teachers and vice versa in other areas.
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9. ISSUES with RISE
• RISE mixes classroom effectiveness and
separate employment-related issues into one
evaluation (Core Professionalism Rubric).
• RISE includes language that is not scientific in
ratings. Examples include ‘pulse,’ ‘patience,’
‘encouragement,’ and many others. Words are
left wide open to subjectivity.
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10. ISSUES with RISE
• The RISE Core Professionalism Rubric opens
the gateway to ignoring the contractual rights
of teachers related to attendance.
• Early career teachers, particularly years 1- 3 in
their careers, will be tremendously challenged
with minimal support.
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11. Moving Forward
• Carefully compare RISE to your
current evaluation instrument to
see if you prefer RISE over your
current instrument.
• Review your current instrument to
see if there is a way to revise it to
include the requirements of the law.
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12. Moving Forward
• Look at a new instrument. One example
worth reviewing is McREL’s Teacher
Evaluation System, a
transparent, standards-based and
validated professional teacher evaluation
system that provides a road map for
professional growth.
http://www.mcrel.org/topics/products/386/
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13. IMPORTANT REMINDER
Indiana’s new law gives teachers
the right to vote on the evaluation
instrument if their school
corporation did not submit one by
July 1, 2011.
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14. Teresa Meredith
Indiana State Teachers Association
tmeredith@ista-in.org
317-263-3309
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