Washington CEL 5D+ Teacher Evaluation Software
Run CEL 5D+ evaluations against Washington's 8 State Criteria and the five dimensions of teaching, aligned to TPEP and built for trained evaluators.
The evaluation is the entry point, not the whole story. In EX in Education, CEL 5D+ evaluations connect to coaching, goals, PD, and retention, so every educator moves from hired to thriving.
CEL 5D+ Observation
Washington's TPEP and the CEL 5D+ Framework
The Teacher and Principal Evaluation Program (TPEP) is Washington's statewide evaluation system, built on 8 State Criteria. CEL 5D+, developed by the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership, is one of the state-approved instructional frameworks districts use to score those criteria. In EX in Education, that framework is the doorway into a connected system for coaching, PD, and retention.
8 State Criteria, 5 Dimensions
CEL 5D+ organizes teaching into five dimensions and maps them to Washington's 8 State Criteria, so evaluators score against the state rubric without rebuilding forms.
- Purpose
- Student Engagement
- Curriculum and Pedagogy
- Assessment for Student Learning
- Classroom Environment and Culture
Comprehensive and Focused Cycles
TPEP runs on two evaluation types. EX tracks which cycle each teacher is on and keeps the criteria addressed in one record.
- Comprehensive covers all 8 State Criteria
- Focused covers one of the 8 State Criteria (plus a student growth component)
- Comprehensive at least once every six years
- Provisional teachers evaluated annually
Complete CEL 5D+ Framework Coverage
All five CEL 5D+ dimensions and their subdimensions are pre-built in EX in Education, so Washington evaluators can observe, score, and generate evidence against the State 8 from day one.
Purpose
How the lesson's learning target and standards drive the work students do.
Student Engagement
How students take on intellectual work and own their learning.
Curriculum and Pedagogy
How content, teaching moves, and scaffolds support rigorous learning.
Assessment for Student Learning
How assessment and feedback shape instruction in the moment.
Classroom Environment and Culture
How the physical space, routines, and culture create the conditions for learning.
Comprehensive Evaluation
- Covers all 8 State Criteria
- At least one summative every six years
- Annual for provisional and probationary teachers
- Includes student growth criteria
Focused Evaluation
- Focuses on one of the 8 State Criteria (plus a student growth component)
- Available to teachers rated Proficient or above
- Includes a student growth component
- Lighter cycle between comprehensive years
Framework choice: Washington districts adopt one of the state-approved TPEP frameworks (CEL 5D+, Danielson, or Marzano) to score the 8 State Criteria. EX in Education comes pre-built for CEL 5D+ Version 3, and evaluators can pair formal observations with quick walkthroughs, with reminders so districts stay on cycle.
TPEP Performance Ratings, Tracked Over Time
TPEP produces one of four summative 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.
Distinguished
Consistently exceeds expectations and models practice for others
Proficient
Meets expectations and demonstrates effective practice
Basic
Shows growth potential and needs support in some areas
Unsatisfactory
Requires significant improvement and intensive support
Under TPEP, teachers rated Proficient or Distinguished can move to a focused evaluation in years between comprehensive cycles, while teachers rated Basic or Unsatisfactory stay on annual comprehensive evaluation 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 Washington's Evaluation Process
EX in Education gives Washington districts what they need to run CEL 5D+ aligned to TPEP, then connects that evidence to coaching, PD, goals, and retention across every school.
CEL 5D+ Aligned Forms
Observation forms pre-built for all five dimensions and mapped to the 8 State Criteria, on the TPEP rating scale.
- All five dimensions included
- 4-level rating scale
- Evidence collection tools
Comprehensive and Focused Cycles
Manage comprehensive and focused evaluations alongside quick walkthroughs, with scheduling and reminders in one connected system.
- Comprehensive evaluations
- Focused evaluations
- Cycle reminders
Student Growth Goals
Record the student growth goals TPEP requires within the relevant criteria, alongside observation results.
- Goals tied to State Criteria
- Evidence in one record
- District-defined measures
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 Assignments
Track which evaluators are assigned to which teachers and buildings, so observations stay organized across the district.
- Evaluator records
- Cycle 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 Washington Districts Run CEL 5D+ Inside EX in Education
Run CEL 5D+ 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
Standard CEL 5D+ 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 CEL 5D+ Evaluations
AI in EX in Education helps evaluators work through CEL 5D+ faster while keeping every judgment in human hands. It drafts and organizes, evaluators decide.
Draft Feedback From Evidence
Turn observation notes into clear, dimension-aligned feedback that the evaluator reviews and edits before it is shared.
Organize Evidence by Dimension
Sort notes and artifacts against the five CEL 5D+ dimensions and the State 8, 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 CEL 5D+ Into the Bigger Picture
See how EX in Education runs CEL 5D+ aligned to TPEP, then connects evaluations to coaching, PD, goals, and retention across every school.
Built for TPEP requirements. Bring your own rubric, or start from ours. Connected to coaching, PD, and goals.
Part of EX in Education
One piece of the educator experience.
Washington CEL 5D+ 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.
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