The Educator Effectiveness Process

Measuring Educator Success

To help schools keep their best teachers and principals, Youth Empowerment Services (YES) created the Educator Effectiveness Process (EEP), a system that combines fair evaluations, targeted professional learning, and performance-based pay. In 2016, YES received a five-year federal Teacher Incentive Fund grant to refine and implement this approach in 16 high-need schools in Texas and Arizona. Our researchers collected data and identified what was working and what needed adjustment. By closely examining how EEP was rolled out – how teachers were observed and coached, how feedback was used, and how incentives were tied to effectiveness – Basis identified specific ways to strengthen induction for new teachers, improve professional development of instructional coaches, and sharpen communication so staff clearly understood the system.

Rewarding Effective Educators

Over three years, the evaluation moved from diagnosing early implementation challenges to testing refinements and planning for long-term sustainability so the reforms could be incorporated into schools’ everyday culture. The findings informed concrete changes, such as adding targeted co-observations, creating a structured review process for professional development, and revising supports for new teachers entering EEP schools. Undeniably, the project made it more likely that effective educators would feel supported, grow in their practice, and choose to stay.