The evaluation process should generate information about teaching and provide an analysis of that information which then leads to rich and appropriate professional development experiences. Such professional development should lead to the improvement of instruction. The standards in this section address the evaluation process and its connection to professional development.

The complexity of teaching requires an evaluation process based on information from a variety of sources and a variety of teaching situations. Teachers may demonstrate more strengths in one context than in another. A fair and valid evaluation process should collect enough data from a variety of contexts to allow an accurate description of the teacher's abilities.

Improving the teaching of mathematics depends on what the teacher knows and does. The evaluation process can reveal areas of instruction that are not consistent with the desired vision of teaching mathematics, but only the teacher can take steps toward realizing the vision. Accordingly, the teacher is the key element in the assessment process and, consequently, should be fully involved in determining which aspects of teaching should be the focus of individual professional development.