Georgia Department of Education > School Improvement > Teacher and Leader Effectiveness > CLASS and Leader Keys

CLASS and Leader Keys

These CLASS and Leader Keys materials are available for districts who are currently implementing these systems. Georgia has made a commitment to statewide implementation in 2014-2015 of the new Teacher Keys (TKES) and Leader Keys (LKES) Effectiveness Systems currently being piloted in approximately fifty districts. Districts considering a new teacher/leader evaluation system should review the TKES/LKES materials and contact the Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Division for more information.

CLASS Keys

Effective teacher evaluation is a key component of educational reform and school improvement. With CLASS Keys, Georgia teachers have an evaluation system that serves a twofold purpose: improvement and accountability. CLASS Keys is both a formative and summative tool that identifies a teacher's level of performance across five strands of teacher quality. The five strands are: Curriculum and Planning, Standards-Based Instruction, Assessment of Student Learning, Professionalism, and Student Achievement. These five strands have been further developed and defined into performance standards and elements with rubrics that have accompanying examples of evidence and artifacts. Additionally, the Georgia Teacher Duties and Responsibilities (GTDR) component is included in the evaluation system and provides ongoing positive and corrective feedback.

CLASS Keys Resources

CLASS Keys Standards CLASS Keys Process Cycle

CLASS Keys Crosswalk CLASS Keys Strands & Elements Graphic

CLASS Keys Process Guide

CLASS Keys Training Modules

CLASS Keys Forms

CLASS Keys Copyright Request Information

The CLASS Keys Teacher Evaluation System is a copyrighted work developed by the Georgia Department of Education on behalf of the State of Georgia. It was created to assist school districts and other educational agencies in reforming teacher evaluations.

If you are a vendor, you much request permission to reproduce and CLASS Keys materials. Please submit the following in writing:

Contact information (name, organization/company, address, email, and phone number);
Source of the material (e.g., Process Guide, training modules);
Description of the material (e.g., entire document, excerpt, illustration, page number);
Purpose of the content usage (description of how you plan to use the content and the intended audience); and
Marketing and distribution plan.

The information should be submitted to:

Division Director

Teacher and Leader Effectiveness

1854 Twin Towers East

205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE

Atlanta, GA 30334

A written response either granting or denying the request will be forwarded as soon as possible (typically within ten business days). Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Stacey Suber-Drake, Associate General Counsel, at sdrake@doe.k12.ga.us.

Leader Keys

Leader Keys is based on Georgia's Leadership Performance Standards that have been adopted by the Board of Regents and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. In the same manner that the School Keys standards define the work of high performing schools and CLASS Keys elements guide the practice of highly effective teachers, the Leader Keys standards will provide a new focus for leaders as they work to implement practices to improve student learning and drive the professional growth of school and district staff. Leader Keys is organized into ten broad strands: Curriculum, Assessment, Standards-Based Instruction, Data-Analysis, Organizational Culture, Professional Learning and Development, Performance Management and Process Improvement, Managing Operations, Leading Change, and Relationship Development. These ten standards are further defined with performance standards and rubrics with accompanying evidence and artifacts. Sixty-six of the 72 Leadership Performance Standards are included in the ten strands, and the remaining six have been added to the new Georgia Leader Duties and Responsibilities component which details important professional behaviors required of all leaders.