Senate Bill 10-191 Legislative Overview

In May of 2022, Senate Bill 22-070 was passed in the Colorado legislature which updated and refined the original statute. Learn more about Senate Bill 22-070 here. 

Learn More about Senate Bill 10-191

In 2010, Senate Bill 10-191 was passed changing the way principals, teachers, and special services providers are supported and evaluated in Colorado with the ultimate goal of ensuring college and career readiness for all students. The bill: 

• Provides context for a system to give meaningful and credible feedback to educators aimed at continuously improving their performance and student results
• Requires evaluating educators based on statewide standards of practice and Measures of Student Learning (for teachers and principals) or student outcomes (for special services providers)
• Makes non-probationary status, often referred to as tenure, a meaningful step in an educator’s career tied to professional expertise rather than length of service
• Requires mutual consent in the placement of teachers (eliminates forced placement)

The evaluation requirements include opportunities for reflection, review, professional development, and growth in the following ways:

• Annual evaluations are required for all teachers, principals and special services providers
• Statewide Quality Standards define what it means to be an effective educator; these professional practice Quality Standards account for half of an educator’s annual evaluation
• The other half of an educator’s annual evaluation is based on Measures of Student Learning (for teachers and principals) or Student Outcomes (for special services providers)
• Non-probationary status is earned after three consecutive years of demonstrated effectiveness
• Non-probationary status is lost after two consecutive years of ineffective ratings

Ensuring Compliance with SB 10-191

All districts were required to implement an evaluation system that aligns with the statewide Quality Standards by July 2013. To support school districts, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) developed the Colorado State Model Evaluation System that meets the defined requirements. School districts can choose to adopt the Colorado State Model Evaluation System, or create their own system that meets or exceeds the requirements in State Board rules. 

The Colorado State Model Evaluation System for teachers and principals was piloted in 27 school districts throughout Colorado in the 2011-16 school years. Nineteen sites across the state also piloted the Colorado State Model Evaluation System for special services providers. Educator feedback was used during the pilot to improve the system.

Implementation Timeline

CDE supported all Colorado school districts during the development and implementation of SB 10-191, and it continues to do so as educators across the state implement educator evaluation processes that support our educators and the students they serve. 

2012-13 School Year: 

• The Colorado State Model Evaluation System (COPMS) for teachers and principals continued to be piloted to give direct feedback on the system for improvement
• CDE met with pilot districts to share lessons learned, analyze data, and make adjustments to the system
• Criteria for evaluating other licensed personnel (now called specialized service professionals) were determined. Specialized service professionals include school audiologists, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, psychologists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, counselors, and school orientation and mobility specialists
• All districts practiced applying measures of student learning to educator evaluations

2013-14 School Year: 

• Every school district in Colorado was required to provide an annual assurance that demonstrated implementation of the Colorado State Model Evaluation System or a locally developed system that meets all statutory and regulatory requirements
• The new evaluation requirements, based on the Quality Standards, were implemented statewide. Because it was the first year, a final rating of partially effective or ineffective did not count towards the loss of non-probationary status
• Rubrics for evaluating special services providers were piloted
• CDE continued to meet with all districts to improve the Colorado State Model Evaluation System based on feedback and educator experience

2014-15 School Year: 

• Evaluations based on the Quality Standards continued to be implemented
• Districts had flexibility in the 2014-15 school year when determining how much weight the Measures of Student Learning/Outcomes standards counts in the educator’s final evaluation rating
• This was the first year that a final rating of partially effective or ineffective was considered in the loss of non-probationary status (non-probationary status is lost after two consecutive years of ineffective ratings)
• CDE continued to meet with all districts to improve the Colorado State Model Evaluation System based on feedback and educator experience

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