Professional growth plans become central under OTES 2.0; joint panel recommends one behavioral SMART goal

Katherine Evershaw and Wendy explained that OTES 2.0 places the professional growth plan at the center of teacher evaluation practice. "this truly is intended to refocus the whole evaluation process on your own educator professional growth," Evershaw said; Wendy added that the joint evaluation panel "has determined for us for next school year is that everybody will write one professional goal um that will be based on teacher behaviors."

Presenters described how autonomy for writing and implementing the PGP varies by performance level: accomplished teachers write self‑directed goals, skilled teachers develop goals jointly with evaluators, developing teachers are guided by evaluators, and ineffective teachers are typically placed on directed improvement plans. Districts were told to keep PGPs open in the Ohio ES system for continuous reflection and to align PGP goals to building or district improvement plans.