CTE has developed a Web-based application, Teacher Compass, to help school administrators respond to some of the challenges facing them by providing a tool for collecting and analyzing teacher performance and evaluation data with accuracy, ease and efficiency.

It is not uncommon for principals to be faced with more than one hundred teacher observations per year and an ever-worsening shortage of time and resources. As a result, many principals struggle to meet teacher evaluation deadlines. Teacher Compass saves time by providing a portable, standardized, template-driven system for collecting teacher observation data. It also supports a more thorough approach to evaluation by allowing principals to

• Record and analyze accurate data on multiple variables
• Generate reports that include reliable feedback
• Customize evaluations for specific settings and to meet specific needs
• Conduct timely and more frequent observations that help ensure quality instruction

Furthermore, Teacher Compass gives principals and teachers immediate access to both current and past observations, which may enhance reflection on growth and insight into areas needing improvement. In the end, Teacher Compass saves time, increases the value of the observation process, and promotes teacher excellence by giving school administrators a tool that supports the production of high quality evaluations based on principles and practices of effective supervision.