Professional Growth and Evaluation Background

In September 2010, Seattle Public Schools and the district’s teachers’ union, the Seattle Education Association, reached a new collective bargaining agreement. This landmark contract for teachers and other certificated staff created a new evaluation system that is tied to student achievement, includes increased collaboration time with peers and career ladder stipends offering additional compensation for increased responsibilities. 

Later that same month, the U.S. Department of Education awarded Seattle Public Schools a $12.5 million Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant to strengthen the education profession in the district.

In November 2010, voters approved a supplemental levy that provides $16.8 million to support the historic contract with the Seattle Education Association.

Together, the Teacher Incentive Fund grant and the supplemental levy fund the Professional Growth and Evaluation initiative.

In addition, in February, Seattle Public Schools and the Principals Association of Seattle Schools (PASS) reached a new collective bargaining agreement. The contract created a new principal evaluation system that ties principal performance to student achievement and provides principals with increased compensation and support for the additional effort that is needed for the new teacher evaluation system.

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