A new national report says teacher evaluations in Colorado are flawed. The report claims evaluations are short and infrequent, most based on two or fewer classroom visits.

District 60 in Pueblo particpated in the study called, "The Widget Effect: Our National Failure to Acknowledge and Act on Differences in Teacher Effectiveness."

As an example in the study, D-60 teachers are evaluated on whether they smile at the class when they greet them.

The report finds that evaluations should focus on improving instructional effectiveness, and that poorly performing teachers should be given a genuine opportunity to improve before a district moves for dismissal.

Unfortunately, according to D-60 officials, there is little to no money in the budget for training for teachers. This is creating a problem for probationary teachers; teachers in their first, second and third years with the district. At the end of the year, if their performance is evaluated as unsatisfactory, they could be without a job.

Pamela Constuble, a social studies teacher at Risley Middle School, accepts the fact thay she will be held accountable for her performance, but says there is only so much she can do without further training. "I'm not MacGuyver. You cannot give me a paper clip and a rubber band and I can teach them how to build an airplane. It's not going to happen, I have to have the materials I need... I have to have the support... and more importantly I need the training."

District 60 is looking at the possibility of modifying their current evaluation process to reflect the reports suggestions. They also say they plan to make more strategic decisions when it comes to renewing probationary teachers in the future.

The study referenced above was conducted by The New Teacher Project.

Click on the link below to visit their website and read the report.