Best Practices Recap

Tie reviews to career development, not just regulatory compliance — align individual goals with credential advancement or CDA attainment to drive retention and classroom quality, not just a licensing checkbox.

Standardize evaluations with concrete, behavioral, tier-based outcomes tied to the Maryland Core Knowledge Areas, so expectations are unambiguous.
Maintain continuous, year-round documentation to eliminate recency, affinity, and halo/horn biases.
Calibrate ratings across managers and departments before finalizing reviews, to protect consistency and defensibility.
Keep developmental coaching strictly separate from progressive discipline.
And sustain momentum after the review itself — co-created goals, committed resources, and scheduled monthly check-ins are what turn a one-time conversation into ongoing growth.