Teacher Evaluation
REACH Problems?
Document issues as they arise in your evaluation process to help you make a case later, if you need it. Educators who receive a final summative rating of Unsatisfactory have a right to appeal their rating. The resources below will help you document your issues and clarify what administrator errors might qualify you to grieve your rating.
2022–23 Observation Grievance Checklist
Appeals Checklist and Interview Tips
Last Year’s Observations
Use the 2021-22 Handbook and Grievance Checklist as you document your observations this year, in case you need to file a grievance this coming fall.
2021–22 REACH Teacher Evaluation Handbook
2021-22 REACH Grievance Checklist
Get Help
Common Concerns
Union members and staff stick up for our rights together. Follow the links below and get general information to help you start solving these common problems.
Professional Development
PD on the REACH Framework is available through the CTUF Quest Center.
Documents About Teacher Evaluation
CPS Intranet REACH Page
NOTE: You must be logged into your CPS account to access this and other CPS Intranet resources.
The one-page leaflet Pushing your principals to take the punishment out of REACH summarizes the report from UIC Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy called Beyond Evaluation: The Role of Trust in Transforming REACH into a Developmental Tool. The report highlights the critical role of building trust between administrators and staff that is essential in making REACH a meaningful and supportive policy, rather than a mere bureaucratic form of punishment.
REACH PT Key Dates 2021-22 has crucial dates that are coming up in Spring 2022.
The CTU’s 2021-22 REACH Grievance Checklist helps members assess whether they have experienced procedural errors which could possibly allow them to file a grievance. Please contact your CTU Field Rep to discuss filing a grievance.
The 2022–23 REACH Teacher Evaluation Handbook tries to comprehensively explain the evaluation process for all REACH evaluated educators.
The Framework for Teaching with Critical Attributes: Teachers should regularly consult, study and reference this document which is the rubric that determines their Teacher Practice observation scores.
The Framework Placemat is good for quickly referencing the different components of the Framework.
The Framework for Teaching Companion Guide unpacks each of the components of the framework and provides considerations, teaching ideas, and artifacts aligned to each component.
The REACH Guidance for New Teachers document summarizes where to start to learn the REACH teacher evaluation system if you are new to CPS.
Framework Selection Form: If you are a librarian, counselor, or other educator whose job duties are split and two frameworks could apply to your work, use this form to have a conversation with your evaluator at the beginning of the school year to document what framework should be used for your REACH observations this school year.
The Special Education Framework for Teaching with Critical Attributes: Special Education teachers should regularly consult, study and reference this document which is the rubric that determines their Teacher Practice observation scores.
Click to download the REACH SPED Addendum. Special Education teachers should review this document and share useful passages from it with their evaluator in email and in their pre- and post-observation conferences to ensure that the particularities of their teaching setting are taken into consideration during REACH observations.
Click to download the REACH Best Practices for Co-Teaching document. Teachers in co-teaching settings should review this document as well as the Overview document listed below and use them in discussions with their evaluator in pre- and post-observation conferences for REACH.
Click to download the REACH Co-Teaching Overview document. Teachers in co-teaching settings should review this document as well as the Best Practices document listed above and use them in discussions with their evaluator in pre- and post-observation conferences for REACH.
The Knowledge Center page for REACH Performance Tasks details REACH Performance Tasks each type of teacher must give at BOY and EOY this school year
Instructions on How to Check Your Framework & Evaluation Plan in RLS
The Tenured 2nd Emerging Developing Rule document explains the change in the 2nd Developing rating rule for tenured teachers in the current contract and clarifies when a 2nd emerging Developing rating becomes an Unsatisfactory rating and when it does not.
REACH Arts Addendum: Arts teachers should review this document and share useful passages from it with their evaluator in email and in their pre- and post-observation conferences to ensure that the particularities of their teaching setting are taken into consideration during REACH observations.
REACH EL Addendum: EL teachers should review this document and share useful passages from it with their evaluator in email and in their pre- and post-observation conferences to ensure that the particularities of their teaching setting are taken into consideration during REACH observations.
REACH PE Addendum. PE teachers should review this document and share useful passages from it with their evaluator in email and in their pre- and post-observation conferences to ensure that the particularities of their teaching setting are taken into consideration during REACH observations.
REACH Preschool Addendum: Preschool teachers should review this document and share useful passages from it with their evaluator in email and in their pre- and post-observation conferences to ensure that the particularities of their teaching setting are taken into consideration during REACH observations.
REACH Preschool to 2nd Grade Addendum: Teachers of K-2 grades should review this document and share useful passages from it with their evaluator in email and in their pre- and post-observation conferences to ensure that the particularities of their teaching setting are taken into consideration during REACH observations.
General CTU Information
Find Your Union Representatives
Your union field representative and organizer have your back. Find out which staff members are assigned to your school.
Current Contract
Your contract is powerful… if you use it! Union staff will help you learn your rights and will back you up every step of the way.
CTU Speaks! Podcast
Our podcast, CTU Speaks! is hosted by Andrea Parker and Jim Staros. We’ll chat about our union, enforcing our contract, and our fight for the schools our students and educators deserve.
