Revisiting Equity in Rubrics: The Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric
A few years ago, we published a blog post, “Collaborating to Examine Teacher Observation Rubrics for Equity,” which marked a meaningful step in Hendy’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusiveness, and justice (DEIJ) through our expertise in teacher evaluation. The post detailed our initial, intentional work to examine teacher evaluation rubrics—a primary area of our influence—through an anti-racist lens.
Revisiting this work now offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on what we’ve learned, how the conversation has evolved, and the critical importance of sustained, deeper engagement in this area.
What We Set Out to Do (And Why It Still Matters)
Our initial thesis was simple: teacher evaluation rubrics, as drivers of teacher practice and leader coaching, must be improved to actively dismantle rather than inadvertently uphold dominant (and/or oppressive) norms, values, and culture.
To that end, we engaged a powerful, identity and role-diverse team of experts to critically examine four existing rubrics.
Our original goals for the examination remain – to identify:
- Language or expectations in the rubric that values white dominant norms, values, and culture over those of other racial groups;
- Language in the rubric that is supportive of equity (specific practices, mindset cues for teachers, etc.); and
- Missed opportunities in the rubric to advance equity of instruction for students.
Evolving Our Perspective: From Identification to Action
Since publishing the original post, our understanding and commitment have deepened in several key ways:
- Beyond “A Separate Indicator”: While our original piece discussed structural features like including DEIJ as a separate indicator versus baking it in, we now advocate for the latter. Placing equity in a single section risks making it a compliance check. Equity must be the lens through which all teaching indicators are viewed—from classroom environment and culture to instructional planning and assessment.
- The Role of the Student: Our initial examination surfaced the tension between student-focused and teacher-focused rubrics. Today, we emphasize that any equitable rubric must center the student experience. It’s not just about what the teacher does, but what students experience as a result, particularly students who have been historically marginalized. This requires rubrics to be exceptionally clear on the visible evidence of equitable student outcomes and agency.
The Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric provides a vision of excellence in teaching and learning across K-12 classrooms of all subjects. It intentionally focuses on both teacher actions and student outcomes as a way to keep students at the center of the work. It also integrates equity as a lens across all indicators in the rubric.
Looking Ahead: Guidance for the Next Phase
Since this initial examination of equity in rubrics, and our publishing of the Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric, our core belief has only strengthened: improving teacher observation rubrics is an essential step toward creating anti-racist schools where all students can succeed. The tool itself is powerful not just for evaluation, but for professional learning—it sets the expectation for what quality teaching means. And if that expectation doesn’t actively advance equity, it is actively hindering it.
We continue to be energized by the opportunity to engage with partners on this critical work. If you or your team are ready to move from identifying bias to designing for equity in your evaluation tools, or you want to give the Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric a try, please reach out.