Over seven hundred teachers from Hillsborough County Public Schools have participated in the Measures of Effective Teaching project since its inception in the fall of 2009.  Participation in the project, including its unique 360 degree videos and reflected feedback, has helped the district and teachers explore future avenues in effectiveness and evaluation.  When a final research summary is released later this year, we will know more about our schools and have a better understanding of what teaching characteristics drive student achievement.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is extending the Measures of Effective Teaching project for two additional years.  The extension will take on a more streamlined, focused approach, reducing the number of teachers involved to between 100 and 150 while increasing the number of videotaped lessons from 4-8 per teacher to approximately 20.

The project has been extremely popular with our teachers and we anticipate high interest in the extension.  A separate grant will follow that will include funding for teacher stipends.  Because the extension will involve fewer teachers, staffing for MET will be reduced from a director, supervisor, and one clerical position to the supervisor and clerical position.

The project is evaluated externally by staff contracted through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.