Commissioner of Education Michael Williams has emphasized that regardless of what occurs with the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver, the state will launch new evaluation systems for teachers and principals in 2016-2017. The systems are currently being piloted in 64 school districts and charters across the state. The new appraisal system will replace the current state-recommended instrument for evaluating teachers – the Professional Development and Appraisal System (PDAS) – which has been in place since 1997. Under state law, districts and charters are not required to use the state-designed evaluation system, but most do.
