For years, the conversation around educator evaluation in New York has been closely tied to standardized test scores and structured observation checklists. With the arrival of the STEPS framework under Education Law 3012-e, that conversation is about to get a lot more interesting — and a lot more useful. The new measure options could dramatically improve educator evaluations!
A Long-Overdue Shift in How We Measure Teaching
Let’s be honest: not every great educator looks great on a standardized test score report. A music teacher, a physical education specialist, a school counselor, a career and technical education instructor — the idea that a single score derived from student performance on a state ELA or math exam should carry significant weight in their professional evaluation has always felt like a square peg in a round hole.
There has also been a fair amount of pushback in some communities about standardized tests and the reliance on them for teacher evaluation.
3012-e changes that. Districts are no longer limited to SLOs based primarily on state assessments. Instead, they can choose from eight NYSED sample/suggested additional measures that open the door to a much richer picture of what teaching and learning actually look like in your buildings.
Eight NYSED Sample/Suggested Additional Measures
These eight measures are suggested/sample starting points — not an exhaustive or mandatory list. Districts may propose other measures through their STEPS plan as long as they align to the standards. All measure selection is determined through collective bargaining.
Good News for Educators Who Were Never Comfortable With Standardized Tests
If you have staff members who have always felt that a test score doesn’t tell their story — they’re right. A third-grade teacher who transformed struggling readers through innovative small-group instruction, or a high school science teacher whose hands-on lab culture produces remarkable student engagement, may never stand out in a standardized data report. Their work shows up in portfolios, in student feedback, in peer observations, and in the goals they set and achieve year after year.
The new additional measures give those educators a meaningful path to demonstrate their effectiveness in ways that actually reflect what they do. That’s not just good for them — it’s good for morale, for trust in the evaluation process, and for teacher retention.
When educators feel that their evaluation reflects their actual work, they engage with the process more genuinely. That’s better for everyone — administrators, teachers, and students alike.
Opening New Doors for Professional Dialogue
One of the most exciting byproducts of this flexibility is what happens in the conversations it creates. When a teacher’s evaluation is anchored in a professional portfolio they assembled, or in goals they set themselves at the start of the year, the post-observation conversation changes completely. Instead of reviewing a score on a rubric, you’re talking about growth, about the choices they made, about what they’d do differently and what they’re proud of.
That’s the kind of professional dialogue that actually moves teaching practice forward. It invites educators into the process as active participants rather than subjects being evaluated. And for building administrators, it makes evaluation feel less like compliance and more like coaching.
Room for Different Teaching Styles to Shine
Every school has teachers who don’t fit neatly into the “teach to the test” mold — and that’s a feature, not a bug. Project-based learning teachers, culturally responsive educators, arts integrators, experiential learning specialists — the new measures create space for teaching styles that have always been valuable but were underserved by evaluation systems built around standardized data.
Student surveys can capture the engagement and connection those teachers create. Peer observation can document innovative instructional approaches. Professional portfolios can tell the full story of a teacher’s impact in ways a test score never could.
Flexibility That Fits Your District
Here’s the other big advantage: your district gets to choose which measures to use, how to weight them, and how to align them to your specific goals and priorities. That means a district focused on cultural responsiveness can build that into the evaluation process. A district investing in project-based learning can document and reinforce that commitment through teacher projects and portfolios. The evaluation system can actually reflect what your district values — not just what the state mandates.
This is a significant departure from the one-size-fits-all approach of the past, and it’s worth taking the time to design your STEPS plan thoughtfully.
Measure selection, weights, and cycle design all need to be collectively bargained and documented in your STEPS plan before submission to NYSED. Build in time for those conversations — the earlier you start, the smoother the transition.
The Bottom Line
The expanded measures under 3012-e aren’t just a policy change — they’re an opportunity to build an evaluation culture your teachers will actually believe in. For educators who were never well-served by standardized test-driven metrics, it’s a welcome shift. For districts that want evaluations to drive professional growth rather than just generate ratings, it’s exactly the kind of flexibility that makes that possible.
The best evaluation systems aren’t the ones that check every box — they’re the ones that spark real conversations, recognize real talent, and make teachers want to get better. 3012-e gives you the tools to build that system.
NY State Education STEPS (3012-e) Guidance Documents →
Next Article: How Multi-Year Cycles Benefit Building Administrators →
Download the Plain-Language Guide to STEPS 3012e (PDF) to share with colleagues→
RightPath™ supports all eight NYSED sample/suggested measures
Our platform is already built to handle professional portfolios, surveys, goal setting, peer observation, and every other measure available under 3012-e. We’re here to help your district design a STEPS plan that works for your educators and your community.
