Mississippi Teacher Growth Rubric
Mississippi's statewide teacher observation rubric used within the Professional Growth System (PGS). Organized around four domains and nine standards covering Lesson Design, Student Understanding, Culture and Learning Environment, and Professional Responsibilities, with ratings on a 1-to-4 scale.
The Mississippi TGR is organized into 4 domains, 9 criteria, and a 4-level rating scale.
Used statewide across all Mississippi school districts.
Domains and Criteria
The Mississippi TGR domains and criteria
Domain 1: Lesson Design
Planning and designing lessons that align to standards, incorporate prior knowledge, and address the needs of diverse learners.
1: Lessons are aligned to standards and represent a coherent sequence of learning
2: Lessons have high levels of learning for all students
Domain 2: Student Understanding
Using formative and summative assessment to monitor and adjust instruction based on student understanding.
3: The teacher assists students in taking responsibility for learning and monitors student learning
4: The teacher provides multiple ways for students to make meaning of content
Domain 3: Culture and Learning Environment
Building a respectful, well-managed classroom community with established routines and effective use of space, time, and resources so all students can focus on learning.
5: The teacher manages a learning-focused classroom community
6: The teacher manages classroom space, time, and resources (including technology when appropriate) effectively for student learning
7: The teacher creates and maintains a classroom of respect for all students
Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities
Demonstrating professionalism, engaging in continuous improvement, and contributing to the school community.
8: Teacher engages in professional learning
9: The teacher establishes and maintains effective communication with families/guardians
Rating Levels
Mississippi TGR rating levels
Level 1
This teacher should receive immediate and comprehensive professional learning and support(s) designed to address the identified area(s) for growth.
Level 2
A teacher demonstrating Level 2 practices is making attempts, but does not fully demonstrate effectiveness.
Level 3
This teacher demonstrates effective instructional practices. Level 3 practices are expected of all effective teachers.
Level 4
This teacher demonstrates advanced instructional practices, particularly those that foster student ownership of learning and the environment.
Source
Official Mississippi TGR source
Source: Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Effectiveness, PGS Teacher Observation Guidebook 2019-2020 (+ Examples of Evidence) (2019-2020). Verified 2026-06-01. View the official rubric
Rubric facts verified 2026-06-01 against the official source.
Giving feedback on the Mississippi TGR
The slow part is the write-up
Aligning observation evidence to every Mississippi TGR 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 Mississippi TGR feedback in seconds
Paste your observation notes. Copilot maps your evidence to the right Mississippi TGR 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.
- Maps observation notes to the four TGR domains and nine standards
- Generates rubric-aligned feedback with evidence organized by domain
- Suggests domain ratings on the 1-to-4 scale based on observed indicators
- Creates targeted next steps tied to specific TGR standards
- Reduces post-observation write-up time for Mississippi principals
Frequently Asked Questions
Mississippi TGR FAQ
- What is the TGR?
- Mississippi's statewide teacher observation rubric, used within the Professional Growth System (PGS) to observe and give feedback across four domains and nine standards on a 1-to-4 scale.
- What are the domains of the TGR?
- The TGR is organized into 4 domains: Lesson Design, Student Understanding, Culture and Learning Environment, and Professional Responsibilities.
- How is the TGR scored?
- Performance is rated on a 4-level scale: Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4.
- What does TGR stand for?
- TGR stands for Mississippi Teacher Growth Rubric.
- Which version of the Mississippi Teacher Growth Rubric is current?
- The current rubric comes from the Mississippi Department of Education's PGS Teacher Observation Guidebook (2019-2020 edition, with Examples of Evidence), verified against the official source on June 1, 2026.
Used In
States Using Mississippi TGR
Related Reading
Mississippi TGR 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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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
Ready to streamline your Mississippi TGR observations?
Start generating framework-aligned feedback in seconds.