Marzano Focused Teacher Evaluation Model (2017)
Robert Marzano's Focused Teacher Evaluation Model concentrates on the instructional elements that research shows have the greatest impact on student achievement. The focused model simplifies evaluation by prioritizing the highest-impact strategies within four domains.
The Marzano is organized into 4 domains, 23 criteria, and a 5-level rating scale.
Used in districts across Florida, Arizona, Oklahoma, Colorado, and many other states.
Domains and Criteria
The Marzano domains and criteria
Standards-Based Planning
- Planning Standards-Based Lessons/Units
- Aligning Resources to Standard(s)
- Planning to Close the Achievement Gap Using Data
Standards-Based Instruction
- Identifying Critical Content from the Standards
- Previewing New Content
- Helping Students Process New Content
- Using Questions to Help Students Elaborate on Content
- Reviewing Content
- Helping Students Practice Skills, Strategies, and Processes
- Helping Students Examine Similarities and Differences
- Helping Students Examine Their Reasoning
- Helping Students Revise Knowledge
- Helping Students Engage in Cognitively Complex Tasks
Conditions for Learning
- Using Formative Assessment to Track Progress
- Providing Feedback and Celebrating Progress
- Organizing Students to Interact with Content
- Establishing and Acknowledging Adherence to Rules and Procedures
- Using Engagement Strategies
- Establishing and Maintaining Effective Relationships in a Student-Centered Classroom
- Communicating High Expectations for Each Student to Close the Achievement Gap
Professional Responsibilities
- Adhering to School/District Policies and Procedures
- Maintaining Expertise in Content and Pedagogy
- Promoting Teacher Leadership and Collaboration
Rating Levels
Marzano rating levels
Giving feedback on the Marzano
The slow part is the write-up
Aligning observation evidence to every Marzano domain and standard by hand, for every teacher and every visit, is what eats a principal's week. Observation Copilot does that mapping for you.
How Observation Copilot Helps
AI-powered Marzano feedback in seconds
Paste your observation notes. Copilot maps your evidence to the right Marzano domains and drafts structured, rubric-aligned feedback - ready to review and share. Walkthrough notes return a focused single-indicator debrief; full lesson observations return a multi-domain rubric-aligned report.
- Organizes observation notes by Marzano domains and elements
- Identifies the dominant Marzano elements observed in your notes
- Generates structured feedback focused on high-leverage strategies
- Provides next steps aligned to specific Marzano design questions
- Saves principals 30-40 minutes of post-observation analysis time per teacher
Frequently Asked Questions
Marzano FAQ
- What is the Marzano teacher evaluation model?
- The Marzano Focused Teacher Evaluation Model (2017) is a research-based teacher observation model developed by Robert Marzano that concentrates on the instructional strategies with the greatest impact on student achievement, organized into 4 domains and rated on a 5-level scale.
- What are the domains of the Marzano Focused Teacher Evaluation Model?
- The model is organized into 4 domains: Standards-Based Planning, Standards-Based Instruction, Conditions for Learning, and Professional Responsibilities.
- How many elements does the Marzano Focused model have?
- The Focused model has 23 elements distributed across its four domains.
- What are the Marzano rating levels?
- Practice is rated on a 5-level scale: Not Using, Beginning, Developing, Applying, and Innovating.
Used In
States Using Marzano
Alaska
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Arizona
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California
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Florida
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Kansas
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Maine
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Michigan
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Minnesota
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Missouri
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Nebraska
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New Jersey
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New York
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North Dakota
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Oklahoma
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Oregon
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Vermont
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Washington
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Wyoming
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Related Reading
Marzano Resources for Principals
50 Teacher Observation Feedback Examples (Organized by Framework Domain)
50 specific teacher observation feedback examples organized by framework domain, each tied to evidence and a next step principals can use.
Read more
FFT, T-TESS, Marzano, or Your Own: How Observation Copilot Aligns to Any Framework
Whether you use Danielson FFT, T-TESS, Marzano, or a custom rubric, Observation Copilot aligns feedback to your framework.
Read more
Walkthroughs vs. Formal Observations: When Each One Helps and When It Hurts
Walkthroughs and formal observations serve different purposes. Here's how principals balance both in a coaching cycle that actually grows teachers.
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Writing Better Observation Notes: Tips for Getting the Most Out of AI-Powered Feedback
AI-generated feedback is only as good as your observation notes. Practical tips for writing notes that produce better, more specific results.
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The Post-Observation Conversation: How to Make the 15 Minutes After Feedback Count
Delivering feedback is only half the job. Here's how to structure the post-observation conversation so teachers grow from it.
Read more
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