Guidelines

Guidelines for Teachers

The Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) supports teachers and as part of the continuous improvement process, teachers consistently hold themselves to a high standard for individual development and performance.

They identify methods to collaborate with other educational professionals within and beyond the school to engage in purposeful and targeted professional learning opportunities, seek feedback, and refine their practices and skills. Including the teacher in a systematic way allows them to take an active role in their professional growth and development.

Teacher Handbook

Comprehensive T-TESS guide: Texas teacher appraisal process, emphasizing standards, rubric understanding, and continuous improvement for educators

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Rubrics

Quick guides of the T-TESS rubrics, written for both in-person and virtual instruction methods

Download Rubric Download Virtual Instruction Rubric

Guidelines for Appraisers

The appraiser has a vital role in assessing teaching proficiency and ensuring that teachers and administrators derive reliable and meaningful information from the teacher evaluation process. By providing evidence-based feedback, appraisers help teachers and administrators make decisions that support efforts to improve instructional quality and student performance.

The Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) requires that all appraisers successfully complete appraisal training and pass a certification exam prior to conducting formal observations. The face-to-face appraiser training is offered by Education Service Centers (ESCs). Contact your regional Education Service Center to view registration and contact information.

Upon conclusion of the three-day face-to-face training, appraisers must successfully complete the online certification test to assume the role of certified appraisers. The online certification process includes two steps: viewing/scoring a lesson and post-conference responses.

Appraiser Handbook

Comprehensive guidebook on T-TESS appraisal process, providing step-by-step instructions and examples for effective teacher evalautions

Download Handbook

Companion Documents

Intended to support Appraisers with information and evidence to support performance evaluations for teachers of students with disabilities served in inclusive classroom settings.

Behavior Management Inclusion Early Childhood Early Childhood Special Education

Guidelines for Districts

Involving district-level leaders in T-TESS implementation ensures that T-TESS becomes a process for education innovation. Successful implementation hinges on collaboration within and among departments and a deepened commitment to growth-centered supervision of instruction and capacity building throughout the organization. Here are resources for districts to use in the implementation of T-TESS.

Implementation Guidebook

Comprehensive guidebook on T-TESS appraisal process, providing step-by-step instructions and examples for effective teacher evaluations

Download Handbook

Campus Phase-In Guide

Tool intended to assist campus administrators with self-monitoring implementation and guide the development of the T-TESS system from initial to full implementation

Download Phase-In Guide