Beyond the Rating: What FTEM Reveals About Student Learning
This session explores whether Marzano Focused Teacher Evaluation Model (FTEM) provides meaningful insight into student learning—not just teacher evaluation ratings. Drawing on data from nearly 5,000 teachers across 168 schools in Oklahoma, we found that FTEM observations form a strong, reliable measure of teaching effectiveness, and schools with higher effectiveness scores consistently show higher ELA and math proficiency, even after accounting for demographics. These findings position FTEM as more than an accountability tool—it is a powerful engine for actionable, growth-focused feedback. Join us to learn what the research reveals and to gain practical strategies for delivering high-impact feedback that strengthens instruction and elevates schoolwide performance.
Lorah Neville
Lorah J. Neville is an educational leader with over 30 years of experience in K-12 administration, curriculum development, and professional development. She currently serves as the Director of the Marzano Evaluation Center at Instructional Empowerment, where she oversees operations and collaborates with Dr. Robert Marzano to develop educational products, serving 400+ clients. Her expertise includes teacher evaluation, instructional leadership, and educational program management.
Previously, Lorah worked as a District & School Leadership Coach, mentoring school leaders to drive school improvement and team development. She has held key leadership roles, including Superintendent of Union Elementary School District, Executive Director of Learning Services at Kyrene Elementary School District, and Director of Curriculum K-12 at Chandler Unified School District. Her leadership has been instrumental in improving student achievement and managing district resources.
Lorah has also contributed to higher education, serving as an adjunct faculty member at Northern Arizona University and mentoring school principals from Saudi Arabia through Arizona State University. She is a certified facilitator and trainer in several educational programs, including the Marzano Teacher and Principal Evaluation Framework.
Her leadership extends to board roles, including President of Desert Sounds and Vice President of the Kyrene Schools Community Foundation. Lorah is a committed member of several professional organizations, including Learning Forward and the Superintendents Association, and continues to support educational growth through coaching, mentoring, and program development.
Dr. Lindsey Basileo
Dr. Lindsey Devers Basileo is the Director of Research at the Applied Research Center of Instructional Empowerment. She earned her doctorate from Florida State University in 2010 and is a nationally certified reviewer for the What Works Clearinghouse, specializing in Group Design Standards (Version 4.0 and 4.1). Her research interests include school improvement, educational innovations, self-determination theory, Diffusion of Innovation theory, Group Design standards, survey design and collection, and both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Dr. Basileo’s dedication to conducting thorough and impartial research in the field of education has not only tremendously helped our organization, but the many students and educators that we collaborate with through our efforts to improve educational outcomes in schools.
Session Details
Audience: ALL
Difficulty Level: ALL