How to Evaluate a Danielson-Aligned PD Platform

Oct 23

20 min read

Let’s be honest: the words 'teacher evaluation' don't always inspire excitement. For many educators, the process can feel disconnected, punitive, or like just another task on their already full plate. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When done right, professional development can be an empowering and collaborative experience. The key is having a system that prioritizes growth over grades. A well-designed Danielson framework aligned PD platform can transform the entire dynamic by making feedback timely, personalized, and supportive. This article will show you how to select a tool that your teachers will actually want to use—one that fosters collaboration and puts them in the driver's seat of their own professional journey.

Key Takeaways

Look for True Framework Alignment
: A truly aligned platform does more than list the Danielson domains. It integrates the framework's language into every step, from observation to goal-setting, making it a practical guide for improvement rather than just a compliance checklist.
Choose Tools That Support, Not Just Score
: The right platform shifts the focus from evaluation to development. Prioritize features that enable specific, data-driven feedback, facilitate teacher collaboration, and connect educators with personalized resources to help them grow.
A Great Tool Needs a Great Plan
: Technology alone won't create a culture of growth. A successful rollout depends on a thoughtful implementation strategy that includes comprehensive teacher onboarding, clear goals, and a plan for using data to measure impact and refine your approach over time.

What is the Danielson Framework?

If you’ve been in education for any length of time, you’ve likely heard of the Danielson Framework for Teaching (FFT). But what is it, really? At its core, the FFT is a research-based definition of what good teaching looks like. Think of it less as a rigid checklist and more as a common language that helps educators have meaningful conversations about their craft. It provides a comprehensive picture of the complex work teachers do, breaking it down into understandable components.

Developed by Charlotte Danielson, the framework has become a cornerstone for teacher evaluation and professional learning in countless districts. Its power lies in its ability to create a shared understanding of excellence. When everyone—from new teachers to veteran educators to administrators—is speaking the same language, feedback becomes clearer, goals become more aligned, and professional growth becomes a collaborative effort rather than a top-down mandate. It shifts the focus from simply rating performance to genuinely improving practice, which is a goal every school leader can get behind. By outlining the many facets of teaching, it helps us appreciate the artistry and skill involved in helping students learn.

The Four Domains Explained

The Danielson Framework is organized into four key areas, or domains, that cover the full scope of a teacher's responsibilities. This structure helps ensure that professional growth is balanced and that no critical aspect of teaching is overlooked. The domains are:

Planning and Preparation:
This covers all the behind-the-scenes work, like designing instruction, knowing your content, and understanding your students.
Learning Environments:
This domain focuses on creating a classroom culture of respect, rapport, and safety where all students feel they belong and can learn.
Learning Experiences:
This is about the main event—what happens during instruction. It includes communicating clearly, using questioning and discussion techniques, and engaging students in their learning.
Principled Teaching:
This domain covers the professional responsibilities that extend beyond the classroom, such as reflecting on teaching, communicating with families, and contributing to the school community.

Why Framework Alignment is Non-Negotiable

When your evaluation tools, feedback conversations, and professional development resources are all grounded in the same framework, you create a cohesive system for teacher growth. Alignment is non-negotiable because it ensures consistency. Teachers receive feedback based on the same criteria used for their evaluations, and their professional learning opportunities are directly tied to their identified areas for growth. This connected approach eliminates the disjointed feeling that can happen when PD feels random or disconnected from a teacher’s daily practice. It makes the entire process more logical, transparent, and ultimately, more effective for everyone involved.

How it Fuels Professional Growth

The Danielson Framework provides a clear and detailed roadmap for what teachers can work on to improve their practice. Instead of vague feedback like "work on classroom management," the framework allows you to pinpoint specific components, such as "managing student behavior" or "organizing physical space." This level of detail empowers teachers by showing them exactly where to focus their efforts. It transforms evaluation from a judgment into a diagnosis, identifying strengths to build upon and areas for development. This structure helps educators see their own progress and take ownership of their professional journey, leading to more meaningful and lasting growth.

What to Look For in a Danielson-Aligned Platform

Once you’ve decided to adopt a platform for professional development, the next step is figuring out which one is the right fit. Not all tools are created equal, and a platform that is merely "Danielson-friendly" won't cut it. You need a system that truly embeds the framework into its DNA, making it a seamless part of your district's culture of growth. The goal is to find a tool that simplifies the process, provides meaningful insights, and supports teachers instead of just evaluating them.

When you're comparing options, it's easy to get lost in feature lists. Instead, focus on how the platform will function in the real world for your administrators and teachers. A truly effective system moves beyond compliance and becomes a central hub for professional learning and collaboration. It should provide clear, actionable data that helps everyone improve. Let's break down the essential elements you should be looking for.

Deep Framework Integration

A truly aligned platform does more than just use the Danielson Framework's terminology. It should deeply integrate the components and rubrics into every aspect of the evaluation and growth cycle. This means that when an observer is capturing evidence, they can easily tag it to specific components of the framework. When a teacher is setting goals, those goals should be directly linked to the language of the rubrics. This level of integration ensures the framework isn't just a checklist, but a practical tool that guides conversations and fosters a shared understanding of effective teaching. When the framework is woven into the platform's fabric, it helps everyone focus on practices that matter most for student learning.

Tools for Data-Driven Feedback

Vague feedback doesn't help anyone grow. Your platform should equip administrators with tools to provide specific, evidence-based, and formative feedback. Look for features that allow observers to leave time-stamped comments on videos or attach specific evidence to rubric ratings. The best systems collect this data over time and present it in easy-to-understand reports and dashboards. This allows you and your teachers to see patterns, identify strengths, and pinpoint precise areas for development. When feedback is grounded in concrete data, it transforms the conversation from a subjective assessment into a collaborative strategy session focused on professional growth. A comprehensive buyer's guide can help you identify which data tools are most critical for your team.

Features that Encourage Collaboration

Teacher growth rarely happens in isolation. A great platform should be designed to build instructional capacity across your entire school or district by making collaboration easy and intuitive. Look for features that support Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), peer observations, and shared resource libraries. Can teachers share effective strategies tied to specific framework components? Can teams collaborate on goals and track their collective progress? The right platform breaks down classroom walls and creates a supportive environment where educators can learn from one another. This collaborative approach helps build a consistent, high-quality instructional culture that benefits every student.

Clear Ways to Track Progress

For professional development to be meaningful, teachers and administrators need to see the progress they're making. A Danielson-aligned platform must provide clear, visual ways to track growth over time. This goes beyond a single score on an end-of-year evaluation. Look for dashboards that show development across all four domains throughout the year. Can you see how targeted feedback and professional learning activities are impacting a teacher's practice? This long-term view is essential for celebrating successes and adjusting support strategies as needed. When teachers can see their own progress, they become more invested in the process. You can request a demo to see firsthand how a platform visualizes growth and makes tracking progress simple.

How to Choose the Right Platform for Your District

Selecting a new professional development platform is a major decision that will impact every teacher and administrator in your district. The right tool can streamline your evaluation process and foster meaningful growth, while the wrong one can create frustration and administrative headaches. To make the best choice, it’s helpful to break the evaluation process down into a few key areas. Think about not just the features on paper, but how the platform will function in the daily lives of your staff. Let’s walk through the essential criteria to consider.

Assess for True Framework Alignment

Many platforms claim to be "Danielson-aligned," but the term can be used loosely. True alignment means the platform does more than just list the framework's components. It should deeply integrate the language, rubrics, and philosophy of the Danielson Framework into every feature, from observation forms to feedback tools. A truly aligned platform helps educators understand the nuances of their practice by connecting observations to specific evidence and actionable next steps. When you’re reviewing options, ask if the platform helps build a shared understanding of the frameworks or if it just serves as a digital checklist. The goal is to find a tool that supports genuine instructional improvement, not just compliance.

Prioritize Ease of Use for Teachers and Admins

If a platform isn’t intuitive, your team won’t use it effectively—no matter how powerful its features are. The best systems are designed with the end-user in mind, making it simple for administrators to conduct observations and for teachers to access feedback and find relevant resources. A clean, straightforward interface reduces the learning curve and minimizes administrative burden. Effective implementation of the Danielson Framework is about building instructional capacity, and a user-friendly platform removes barriers to that goal. When you request a demo, pay close attention to the user experience. Can you easily find what you need? Does the workflow make sense for a busy educator’s day?

Look for Strong Support and Training

Rolling out a new platform is a significant undertaking, and you shouldn’t have to do it alone. Look for a provider that acts as a partner, offering comprehensive training and ongoing support. Before you commit, find out what their onboarding process looks like. Do they offer live training sessions, self-paced tutorials, or both? A robust knowledgebase is also crucial for answering quick questions and troubleshooting minor issues without having to file a support ticket. Strong support ensures that your team feels confident using the platform from day one and can get help when they need it, which is essential for long-term success and adoption across the district.

Weigh the Costs and Benefits

While budget is always a factor, the conversation around cost should focus on value and return on investment. A low-cost platform that creates more work or fails to support teacher growth isn't a bargain. Consider the hidden costs of using disconnected systems: the administrative hours spent juggling spreadsheets, the missed opportunities for targeted feedback, and the challenge of tracking progress over time. A unified platform that combines evaluations with personalized professional learning offers immense value. It saves time, provides data-driven insights, and directly supports the complex skills teachers need. When reviewing different plans, think about which one will best help you achieve your district’s goals for educator development.

Set Your Team Up for a Smooth Rollout

You’ve done the research and picked a platform that aligns perfectly with the Danielson Framework. That’s a huge step, but the work isn’t over yet. A successful implementation is just as important as the software itself. A thoughtful rollout plan ensures your team feels supported and confident from day one, turning a new tool into a transformative part of your school’s culture. It’s about more than just sending out login information; it’s about building momentum and showing your teachers that this platform is here to help them grow, not just to add another task to their plate.

Taking the time to plan your approach will help you sidestep common hurdles and make sure everyone, from administrators to new teachers, understands the value of the platform. When you get the rollout right, you set the stage for a system where feedback is meaningful, professional development is targeted, and every educator has a clear path to improving their practice.

Check the Technical Specs

Before you go live, it’s essential to do a final check to ensure the platform’s technical side matches your district’s infrastructure and needs. Does it integrate with your current Student Information System (SIS)? Is it accessible on the devices your teachers and administrators actually use every day? You’ll also want to confirm the platform’s security protocols to ensure sensitive evaluation data is protected. Making sure the technical specifications align with your district’s reality is a critical first step. This prevents frustrating technical glitches down the road and ensures the tool works seamlessly within your existing digital ecosystem. For detailed questions, a platform’s knowledgebase is often the best place to find answers.

Map Out Your Setup Process

A smooth rollout starts with a clear plan. Instead of figuring things out as you go, map out the entire setup process from start to finish. This means creating a timeline, assigning roles, and deciding who will manage the platform day-to-day. A structured approach helps streamline everything. You can use the Danielson Framework itself as your guide, setting up evaluation rubrics and connecting them to professional learning resources within the platform before teachers even log in. By having all the necessary components in place, you create a clear, organized environment that reflects the intentionality of the frameworks you use. This preparation makes the system intuitive and ready for your team to use effectively from the start.

Plan for Teacher Onboarding

Effective onboarding is about building instructional capacity, not just teaching people how to click buttons. Your goal is to help teachers see the platform as a tool for their own professional growth. A well-planned onboarding process can make all the difference. Start with a hands-on training session where educators can explore the platform in a supportive setting. Follow up with clear, accessible resources they can refer back to later. Consider a phased rollout, starting with a pilot group of teachers who can become champions for the new system. When teachers feel confident using the tool, they’re more likely to engage with it meaningfully and embrace the feedback process.

Get Ahead of Common Challenges

Every school and district has its own unique dynamics, and it’s smart to anticipate potential challenges before they arise. For example, specialists like librarians or art teachers often have different evaluation needs than general classroom teachers. Does your platform accommodate them? Think about your staff’s comfort level with technology and plan for extra support for those who might be hesitant. Addressing potential roadblocks upfront, like how to ensure feedback is balanced across all domains, leads to a much smoother implementation. A comprehensive buyer's guide can often help you think through these potential issues so you can create a proactive plan that supports every educator on your team.

Use Your Platform to Drive Teacher Growth

Choosing the right Danielson-aligned platform is a huge step, but it’s what you do after the contract is signed that truly matters. The ultimate goal isn't just to check boxes on an evaluation form; it's to create a system that genuinely supports and develops your educators. A powerful platform moves teacher development from a once-a-year event to an ongoing, collaborative conversation. It transforms the evaluation process from something that feels punitive into a tool for authentic professional growth.

When you leverage your platform effectively, you create a clear path from observation to action. It becomes the central hub where administrators can provide meaningful support and teachers can take ownership of their professional journey. Instead of juggling spreadsheets, paper forms, and disconnected resources, everything is in one place. This unified approach helps you build a culture where feedback is welcomed, data is used for improvement, and every teacher has the resources they need to thrive. Let’s look at how you can use your platform to make this happen.

Streamline Observations

The days of clunky, paper-based walkthroughs are over. A modern platform should make the observation process seamless and far more effective. When you can easily capture evidence on a tablet or laptop and tag it directly to the Danielson Framework components, you save incredible amounts of administrative time. This efficiency is key because it frees you up to focus on what really matters: the coaching conversation.

Streamlining observations allows for targeted, formative feedback that promotes reflection on instructional practices. Instead of a simple checklist, the process becomes a rich, evidence-based dialogue about teaching and learning. Your platform should make it simple to share notes, artifacts, and comments with teachers quickly, turning every observation into a valuable opportunity for growth. This shift helps build trust and positions administrators as instructional partners rather than just evaluators.

Provide Timely, Actionable Feedback

Feedback loses its impact the longer you wait to deliver it. A great platform closes the gap between observation and conversation, allowing you to share notes and suggestions almost immediately. Timely and actionable feedback is essential for an educator's professional growth, giving them specific insights they can apply right away. Vague comments like "good job with classroom management" aren't helpful. Instead, the platform should help you provide evidence-based feedback tied directly to the framework, like, "The strategy you used for transitioning between activities (Component 2c) was highly effective because...

This level of specificity helps teachers understand their strengths and identify clear areas for development. The best systems even connect this feedback directly to relevant professional learning resources. This creates a powerful cycle: observation leads to specific feedback, which then points to a targeted growth opportunity, all within a single, supportive ecosystem. You can learn more about our approach to connected growth.

Use Data to Inform Your Strategy

Your evaluation platform is a goldmine of data—and not just for individual teacher files. When you can see aggregated data across a grade level, school, or the entire district, you can move from reactive to proactive professional development. Are many of your new teachers struggling with student engagement? Is there a district-wide need for support in differentiated instruction? The right platform makes these trends easy to spot.

This data allows you to make strategic decisions about where to invest your PD time and resources. Instead of offering generic workshops, you can design targeted support that addresses the real-time needs of your staff. This data-informed approach ensures your professional learning budget is used effectively and that your teachers are getting support in the areas where they need it most. Check out our Buyer's Guide for more on what to look for in a platform's data capabilities.

Ensure it Works with Your Existing Systems

A new tool should solve problems, not create them. The last thing your team needs is another siloed system with a separate login and no connection to the tools they already use every day. Before committing to a platform, it's critical to confirm that it can integrate with your district’s existing technology ecosystem, such as your Student Information System (SIS) or HR software.

This integration is about more than just convenience; it’s about creating a coherent and efficient workflow for everyone. When systems talk to each other, you reduce manual data entry, minimize errors, and ensure information is consistent across the board. As The Danielson Group notes, effective planning requires alignment, and that principle applies to your technology as well. Be sure to ask about integration capabilities when you request a demo to ensure a smooth rollout for your team.

Build a PD Program That Lasts

Choosing the right platform is a huge first step, but the real work begins when you use it to build a professional development program that has a lasting impact. A great tool is one that moves beyond compliance and becomes the foundation for genuine, sustainable growth. It’s about creating a system where teachers feel supported, engaged, and empowered to refine their craft year after year. A Danielson-aligned platform can be the key to making this happen, helping you build a culture of continuous improvement rather than just checking boxes.

Create Personalized Learning Paths

We know that one-size-fits-all instruction doesn’t work for students, and the same is true for teacher professional development. The most effective PD meets teachers exactly where they are. A strong platform uses data from observations to pinpoint specific areas for growth, just as "skillful teachers design formative assessment strategies that identify students' misconceptions." This allows you to move away from generic workshops and create personalized learning paths for every educator. By tailoring support to individual needs, you make professional learning more relevant and meaningful, which is the fastest way to help teachers improve their practice and feel invested in their own development.

Support Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

Teacher growth rarely happens in isolation. It thrives in collaborative environments where educators can learn from and with each other. Your PD platform shouldn't be a one-way street for feedback; it should be a central hub for teamwork. Look for features that help you support professional learning communities, allowing teachers to share resources, discuss instructional strategies tied to the framework, and work on common goals. As research shows, PLCs and peer collaboration are powerful ways to help teachers feel more confident and prepared in the classroom. This turns individual growth into a shared, team-wide effort that strengthens your entire school community.

Keep Teachers Engaged

Let’s be honest: PD can sometimes feel like a chore. To build a program that lasts, you need teachers to be genuinely invested in their own growth. A well-designed platform helps by making the process clear and manageable. The Danielson Framework itself provides a comprehensive structure, and when a platform visualizes this well, it "aids educators in their professional growth, ensuring that their development is balanced across all critical areas of teaching." This turns the abstract goal of "improving" into a clear roadmap. When teachers can easily see their progress against the Danielson Framework for Teaching, they stay motivated and engaged in their journey.

Monitor Progress Over Time

A successful PD program is a long-term investment, not a one-time event. To know if your efforts are paying off, you need to be able to see growth over time. The right platform makes it easy to track progress, not just for a single observation, but across an entire school year. This isn't about collecting grades; it's about telling a story of development. This process "helps teachers receive targeted, formative feedback, promotes reflection on instructional practices, and supports professional development aligned with best practices." When both teachers and leaders can see this journey, it fosters meaningful reflection and helps inform the next steps for support.

How to Measure the Impact of Your PD Platform

Once you’ve rolled out a new professional development platform, the real work begins. How do you know if it’s actually making a difference? Measuring the impact of your investment isn’t just about justifying a line item in the budget; it’s about ensuring your teachers are getting the support they need to thrive and that your students are reaping the benefits. A great platform provides the data you need to connect the dots between professional learning, classroom practice, and student achievement. Here’s how to track your progress and prove the value of your program.

Track Individual Teacher Growth

Effective professional development isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your platform should help you move beyond compliance and toward genuine, personalized growth for every teacher. The goal is to see a clear trajectory of improvement over time. With a system built on a clear framework, you can help educators set specific goals tied to their unique needs and then track their progress throughout the year. Instead of just looking at a single observation score, you can identify patterns. Is a teacher consistently strengthening their skills in classroom management? Are they becoming more adept at student-led discussions? This focus on the individual journey ensures development is balanced and meaningful.

Analyze Changes in Teaching Practice

Are the new strategies discussed in PD sessions actually showing up in the classroom? The Danielson Framework provides a shared language and clear standards for what effective teaching looks like, allowing for a systematic analysis of teaching practices over time. Your platform should make it easy to collect and review observation data, so you can spot trends across a department, a grade level, or the entire school. For example, after a series of workshops on questioning techniques, you should be able to see evidence of those improved practices in observation notes and teacher self-reflections. This data-driven approach turns anecdotal feedback into concrete evidence of change.

Connect PD to Student Outcomes

The ultimate measure of any professional development initiative is its effect on students. While your PD platform won't track test scores, it provides the crucial teacher-side data you need to make connections. As you see teachers improve in specific competencies—like designing formative assessments or differentiating instruction—you can look for corresponding gains in student learning. Skillful teachers are better equipped to identify and remedy student misconceptions. By linking professional development to student outcomes, you can clearly demonstrate how investing in your teachers directly contributes to student success and a more dynamic learning environment.

Calculate Your Return on Investment

Evaluating the return on your professional development investment is about more than just money; it’s about making sure your resources—including time and energy—are used effectively. A streamlined platform saves countless administrative hours that were once spent on paperwork, scheduling, and manual data tracking. More importantly, effective teacher professional development leads to higher teacher satisfaction and retention, which has a massive impact on school culture and student stability. When you can show that your PD program is leading to stronger teaching and better outcomes, you’re not just proving the platform’s worth; you’re making a powerful case for continued investment in your staff.

Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Choosing a Danielson-aligned platform is about more than just streamlining evaluations; it's about fundamentally shifting your school's culture. The goal isn't simply compliance. Effective implementation is about "building instructional capacity across the system." The right technology acts as a partner in this mission, transforming the evaluation process from a top-down mandate into a collaborative journey of professional growth.

When your platform is built to support development, it helps create an environment where teachers feel empowered to take ownership of their practice. It turns observation and feedback into a continuous, supportive cycle rather than a series of isolated events. This approach moves everyone toward a shared goal: creating the best possible learning experiences for students. By focusing on growth over grades, you can build a resilient, reflective, and highly effective teaching staff.

Commit to Supporting Teacher Development

Your platform should be a tool for growth, not just a report card. Look for a system that actively supports teachers on their professional journey. The Danielson Framework is structured to guide educators, ensuring their development is balanced across all critical areas of teaching. A great platform brings this structure to life by connecting evaluation feedback directly to personalized learning opportunities. Instead of leaving teachers to figure out their next steps alone, the system should recommend relevant resources, courses, or mentors based on their specific needs. This shows a true commitment to their growth and helps them build skills in a targeted, meaningful way.

Make Collaboration the Norm

Growth rarely happens in a vacuum. A supportive culture thrives on collaboration, and your platform should be its central hub. Look for features that make it easy for teachers to work together, share insights, and learn from one another. For example, tools that support Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) can help teams analyze student data, refine instructional strategies, and share best practices. When your platform facilitates peer observations and shared goal-setting, it breaks down classroom walls and reinforces the idea that everyone is on the same team. This collaborative spirit builds trust and collective efficacy, making your entire staff stronger.

Create Effective Feedback Loops

For feedback to be meaningful, it needs to be timely, specific, and actionable. The best platforms streamline this entire process, creating a seamless loop between observation, reflection, and improvement. The Danielson Framework is designed to help teachers receive targeted, formative feedback that encourages reflection on their practice. Your platform should make this easy for administrators by linking observation notes directly to the framework's components and performance levels. This clarity helps teachers understand exactly where they are and what they need to do to improve. When you can deliver this kind of high-quality feedback consistently, you build a foundation for continuous growth.

Plan for Long-Term Success

A great professional development program is a marathon, not a sprint. Your platform should provide the tools you need to plan for long-term, sustainable improvement. The Danielson Group emphasizes that teachers must understand students' current knowledge to plan successful learning experiences. Similarly, administrators need to understand their teachers' strengths and growth areas to plan successful professional development. Look for a platform with robust reporting features that allow you to see trends over time, identify district-wide needs, and measure the impact of your initiatives. This data-informed approach ensures your PD strategy is always aligned with the real needs of your teachers and students.

Frequently Asked Questions

My district already uses the Danielson Framework with paper forms. Why is a digital platform necessary? Think of it as the difference between a road map and a GPS. A paper system can show you the framework, but a digital platform guides the entire professional growth journey. It streamlines the time-consuming administrative work of observations, allowing you to focus on high-quality coaching conversations. More importantly, it connects everything in one place, linking specific feedback directly to relevant professional development resources and tracking a teacher's progress over multiple years. This creates a dynamic, data-rich story of growth that paper forms simply can't capture.

What's the most important feature to look for in a Danielson-aligned platform? The single most critical element is deep framework integration. Many platforms might list the Danielson domains and components, but a truly aligned system weaves the framework into every single action. This means that when you're capturing observation evidence, you can tag it to a specific component. When a teacher sets a goal, it's linked directly to the rubric's language. This deep integration ensures the framework is a living guide for improvement, not just a static checklist for compliance.

How can a platform help our teachers become more receptive to feedback? A well-designed platform can transform the feedback process by making it more objective, transparent, and timely. When feedback is grounded in specific evidence captured within the system and tied directly to the shared language of the Danielson Framework, it feels less like a personal judgment and more like a collaborative analysis of practice. The speed of a digital tool also allows you to provide feedback when it's most relevant, turning it into an ongoing conversation rather than a once-a-semester formal review.

Can a platform like this support our veteran teachers as well as our new ones? Absolutely. The beauty of a data-driven system is its ability to support personalized growth paths. For a new teacher, the platform can provide a clear roadmap for developing foundational skills across all four domains. For a veteran educator, it can help pinpoint highly specific areas for refinement or even identify their strengths so they can serve as mentors. The detailed data allows you to move beyond generic support and offer every teacher the precise next step they need to continue growing, regardless of their experience level.

How do we measure if the platform is actually improving teaching? You measure it by tracking growth over time. A strong platform provides dashboards and reports that visualize progress, not just for one observation, but across the entire school year. You can see if the professional development you're offering is leading to tangible changes in classroom practice. For example, after a school-wide focus on questioning techniques, you should be able to see an upward trend in evidence tagged to that specific framework component. This allows you to connect your PD initiatives directly to observable improvements in teaching.