Ohio OTES Teacher Evaluation Software
Run OTES 2.0 evaluations across all six domains of practice, aligned to Ohio's requirements and built for credentialed evaluators.
OTES is the entry point, not the whole story. In EX in Education, OTES evaluations connect to coaching, goals, PD, and retention, so every educator moves from hired to thriving.
OTES Classroom Observation
In short: Ohio evaluates teachers through OTES 2.0 (the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System, adopted in 2020), combining the Ohio Teacher Performance Evaluation Rubric, six domains of practice covering planning, instruction, classroom environment, assessment, and professional responsibilities, with high-quality student data. Final holistic ratings are Accomplished, Skilled, Developing, or Ineffective.
Run this in your district
Reviewed for 2026-27 state requirements. Configure EX to your district's local process, or start from a ready-made observation form.
Ohio's OTES 2.0 Evaluation Framework
The Ohio Teacher Evaluation System is the state framework for measuring teacher effectiveness. OTES 2.0, adopted in 2020, organizes practice into six domains of practice and shifts the emphasis toward growth. In EX in Education, that framework is the doorway into a connected system for coaching, PD, and retention.
Six Domains of Practice
OTES organizes teacher practice across six domains of practice, each pre-configured in EX so evaluators score against the state rubric without rebuilding forms.
- Focus for Learning
- Knowledge of Students
- Lesson Delivery
- Classroom Environment
- Assessment of Student Learning
- Professional Responsibilities
High Quality Student Data
OTES 2.0 retired Student Learning Objectives in favor of High Quality Student Data (HQSD), which draws on existing assessment measures. EX tracks the evidence alongside observation results.
- SLOs are no longer used under OTES 2.0
- HQSD draws on multiple existing measures
- Less paperwork for teachers
- Districts choose approved data sources
Complete OTES Framework Coverage
All six OTES domains of practice are pre-built in EX in Education, so Ohio evaluators can observe, score, and generate evidence against the state framework from day one.
Focus for Learning
How the teacher sets the purpose for learning, using high-quality student data, connections to prior and future learning, and Ohio’s learning standards.
Knowledge of Students
How the teacher understands students’ backgrounds, readiness, and needs, and uses that knowledge to plan and adjust instruction.
Lesson Delivery
How instruction unfolds in the classroom: clear communication, questioning and discussion, and keeping students actively engaged.
Classroom Environment
The culture, routines, and relationships that keep the room safe, respectful, and focused on learning.
Assessment of Student Learning
How the teacher uses formative and summative assessment during and after instruction, and acts on the results.
Professional Responsibilities
Communication with families, professional collaboration, ethical practice, and continued professional growth.
The Ohio Teacher Performance Evaluation Rubric organizes practice into these six domains and 15 components. EX in Education pre-builds all six so evaluators can observe, score, and generate evidence against the state framework from day one.
Formal Observations
- • Minimum 30 minutes in duration
- • Pre-observation conference
- • Post-observation conference and written feedback
- • Two per year on a full evaluation cycle
Informal Walkthroughs
- • Typically 5 to 15 minutes
- • Announced or unannounced
- • Brief, timely feedback
- • At least two required; more set by district policy
Evaluator credentialing: Only credentialed evaluators can conduct formal OTES observations that count toward a final rating. Evaluators complete Ohio's state-approved training, pass the credentialing assessment, and renew every 5 years. EX tracks formal observations and walkthroughs together, with reminders so districts stay on cycle.
OTES Performance Ratings, Tracked Over Time
OTES 2.0 produces one of four final ratings. EX in Education records each rating, ties it to the evidence behind it, and carries it forward so growth is visible from one cycle to the next.
Accomplished
Consistently exceeds expectations and models practice for others
Skilled
Meets expectations and demonstrates proficient practice
Developing
Shows growth potential and needs support in some areas
Ineffective
Requires significant improvement and intensive support
Under OTES 2.0, teachers rated Accomplished or Skilled may qualify for reduced evaluation cycles, with a full evaluation every two to three years instead of annually. Teachers rated Developing or Ineffective are evaluated annually and are typically supported with improvement plans and mentoring. EX in Education keeps each teacher's rating history, cycle schedule, and improvement plans in one place, and routes the ones who need support into coaching cycles so a rating leads to next steps, not just a score.
Built for Ohio's Evaluation Process
EX in Education gives Ohio districts what they need to run OTES aligned to state requirements, then connects that evidence to coaching, PD, goals, and retention across every school.
OTES-Aligned Forms
Observation forms pre-built for all six domains of practice, on the OTES rating scale.
- • All six domains of practice included
- • 4-level rating scale
- • Evidence collection tools
Observation Cycles
Manage formal OTES observations alongside quick walkthroughs, with scheduling and reminders in one connected system.
- • Formal observations
- • Informal walkthroughs
- • Cycle reminders
HQSD Tracking
Record the High Quality Student Data measures your district uses alongside observation results.
- • Multiple approved measures
- • Evidence in one record
- • District-defined sources
Coaching Handoff
Turn what an observation surfaces into a coaching cycle, so feedback leads to real support instead of a filed form.
- • Evidence to coaching
- • Structured feedback
- • Follow-up visits
Evaluator Credentials
Track which evaluators are credentialed and when renewals are due, so formal observations stay valid.
- • Credential records
- • Renewal reminders
- • Assignment by school
Growth Goals
Set professional goals tied to what the evaluation surfaced, tracked in the same module that follows a teacher across the year.
- • Goal setting tools
- • Progress tracking
- • Linked to PD
Why Ohio Districts Run OTES Inside EX in Education
Run OTES compliantly, then use what the evaluation surfaces to actually grow and keep your teachers. Evaluation is the doorway. Educator growth and retention is the product.
Less admin, more coaching
Structured workflows and feedback tools free evaluators to spend more of their time in coaching conversations, not paperwork.
Consistent across schools
Consistent rubrics and processes help evaluators score consistently, whether it is one building or the whole district.
Growth you can see
Ratings, goals, and coaching history sit together, so progress is visible over time instead of scattered across files.
Retention, not just ratings
When feedback connects to PD, goals, and support, teachers keep developing, and districts keep the ones they worked hard to hire.
How AI Supports OTES Evaluations
AI in EX in Education helps evaluators work through OTES faster while keeping every judgment in human hands. It drafts and organizes, evaluators decide.
Draft Feedback From Evidence
Turn observation notes into clear, domain-aligned feedback that the evaluator reviews and edits before it is shared.
Organize Evidence by Domain
Sort notes and artifacts against the six OTES domains of practice, so nothing is missed when it is time to score.
Suggest Growth Next Steps
Surface coaching moves and PD ideas tied to what an observation revealed, ready for the evaluator to assign.
Bring OTES Into the Bigger Picture
See how EX in Education runs OTES aligned to Ohio's requirements, then connects evaluations to coaching, PD, goals, and retention across every school.
Tracking license renewal too? Ohio professional development and renewal requirements.
Built for OTES requirements. Bring your own rubric, or start from ours. Connected to coaching, PD, and goals.
Ohio OTES: frequently asked questions
What is OTES 2.0?
OTES 2.0 is the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System, the state's current teacher evaluation framework, adopted in 2020 and phased in over the following school years. It combines the OTES 2.0 performance rubric, covering planning, instruction, and professional responsibilities, with high-quality student data to produce a final holistic rating.
What are the OTES 2.0 rating levels?
OTES 2.0 uses four final holistic ratings: Accomplished, Skilled, Developing, and Ineffective.
How often are Ohio teachers evaluated?
Frequency depends on the rating. Accomplished teachers may be evaluated once every three years and Skilled teachers once every two years, provided a Professional Growth Plan is in place and progress is being made. Teachers rated Developing follow a Professional Growth Plan, and those rated Ineffective are placed on an Improvement Plan, with more frequent evaluation.
What does OTES 2.0 assess?
OTES 2.0 assesses teacher performance on the state rubric through at least two formal observations of at least 30 minutes each and at least two classroom walkthroughs, alongside high-quality student data. The rubric describes practice in areas such as focus for learning, knowledge of students, instruction, assessment, and professional responsibilities.
Part of EX in Education
One piece of the educator experience.
Ohio OTES evaluations are one part of how districts support educators. In EX in Education, they connect to the bigger picture: walkthroughs, coaching, evaluations, goals, PD, recognition, surveys, and retention. Bring your own process, or start from a template, then run it across every school so every educator moves from hired to thriving.