An Overview of IMPACT 

What Is IMPACT?

First introduced in 2009, the system is designed to help staff become more effective by:

• Clarifying Expectations – IMPACT outlines clear performance expectations that are tailored to staff members’ specific job responsibilities.
• Providing Feedback and Support – Quality feedback is a key element to the improvement process, which is why IMPACT provides staff members with multiple opportunities to engage in conversations with their managers about strengths and areas for growth. IMPACT also provides data that helps instructional coaches, mentors, and other support personnel be more effective in their work.
• Retaining Great People – Having highly effective staff members in our schools helps everyone improve. IMPACT helps retain these individuals by providing significant recognition for outstanding performance.

How Does IMPACT Work?

IMPACT ratings for teachers are based on the following:

1. Student Achievement
We believe that a teacher’s most important responsibility is to ensure that her or his students learn and grow. This is why we hold educators accountable for the growth their students make on our state assessment, the DC CAS, or on other assessments if they don’t teach a DC CAS grade or subject.

2. Instructional Expertise
This is assessed through five formal observations each year – three by teachers’ administrators and two by independent, expert practitioners called master educators. Feedback and guidance for growth are provided in five post-observation conferences.

3. Collaboration
Education is very much a team effort, which is why IMPACT also measures the extent to which educators work together on behalf of students.

4. Professionalism – Teachers are also held accountable for key professional requirements, including following all school policies and procedures, and interacting with colleagues, students, families, and community members in a respectful manner.

IMPACT ratings for other school-based staff are based on criteria specific to their jobs. For example, instructional coaches are evaluated based on how well they support teachers, while custodians are evaluated based on building maintenance and safety.

How Does IMPACT Provide Support?

IMPACT provides teachers with five formal feedback cycles over the course of the year. The system also generates a great deal of data to guide our professional development efforts. Among these efforts are:

• Over 150 instructional coaches and mentor teachers, who provide intensive, on-the-job support.
• Over 45 master educators, who provide content-based feedback and guidance for growth.
• A $1 million video library highlighting the best practices of our top educators.
• Brand new curricular resources to support our teachers with the implementation of rigorous national standards.

What Are the Final IMPACT Ratings?

All staff members evaluated under IMPACT receive one of four final ratings: Highly Effective, Effective, Minimally Effective, or Ineffective.

• Highly Effective: This rating signifies outstanding performance. Under the current Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) contract, WTU members who earn this rating are eligible for additional compensation. These staff members are also recognized in a variety of other ways.
• Effective: This rating signifies solid performance. Individuals who receive this rating advance normally on their pay scales.
• Minimally Effective: This rating signifies performance that is below expectations. Individuals who receive this rating are given an additional year to take advantage of the professional development opportunities provided by DCPS. Those who do not improve after two years are subject to separation.
• Ineffective: This rating signifies unacceptable performance. Individuals who receive this rating are subject to separation.

How Does IMPACT Recognize and Reward Excellence?

In additional to providing support, we also believe that it is essential to demonstrate – in the boldest way possible – how much we value that work that our educators do. IMPACT allows us to do just this. 

Highly Effective teachers are eligible for performance bonuses of up to $25,000. Repeat highly effective staff members are eligible for base salary increases of up to $20,000, in addition to the annual bonuses.

IMPACT also allows us to recognize teachers in other ways. For example, it enables us to honor our best educators through the annual A Standing Ovation for DC Teachers gala at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Rubenstein Awards for Highly Effective Teaching, and invitations to participate in district leadership opportunities.

Conclusion

This system is called “IMPACT” because we believe that the adults serving in our schools have the ability to make a dramatic, positive impact on our students’ lives. Ultimately, IMPACT was created to ensure that every student in every DCPS classroom has access to an outstanding education.