Join us on Feb. 28: Exploring Ethnoracial & Gender Bias in Denver Public Schools' Teacher Evaluation System
In this research talk, Associate Professor Mimi Engel will discuss the analysis of Denver Public Schools’ multiple measure teacher evaluation system with a focus on ascertaining whether aspects of the system may be biased against teachers from marginalized groups.
- When: Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 2:45-3:45 p.m.
- Where: Kittredge Multipurpose Room A
Open to everyone — Q&A will follow the talk.
Analyzing Denver Public Schools’ multiple measure teacher evaluation system, Leading Effective Academic Practice (LEAP), became a part of the Teacher Workforce Collaborative’s (TWC*) research agenda in 2021. In conversation with District leaders, we learned that both DPS and other key stakeholders including DPS’ teachers union, the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA), were interested in an evaluation of LEAP with a focus on ascertaining whether aspects of the system may be biased against teachers from marginalized groups. In collaboration with DPS, TWC members, and other DPS leaders and stakeholders, we developed a Scope of Work for evaluating the extent to which particular LEAP ratings vary systematically by teacher race/ethnicity and gender.
We focus on three aspects of LEAP identified by DPS as areas for analysis and evaluation. These include a “Professionalism” sub-measure, the observation of a teacher’s classroom “Learning Environment”, and the use of “Decision Bands and/or Boxes” to determine final rating outcomes when scores fall between two possible ratings.
The DPS teacher workforce—like most US urban school districts—has a substantial misalignment between the ethnoracial composition of its teacher workforce and the students it serves. For example, in 2018, 13% of DPS students were Black compared with 4% of teachers, and 55% of DPS students were Latine compared with 17% of teachers. This talk draws from a report that is currently under review by our DPS partners. Results and recommendations will be discussed.
*TWC, established in 2018, is a Research-Practice Partnership between DPS and researchers at CU Boulder’s School of Education and University of Virginia