Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM)
Statewide classroom teacher observation rubric used in Tennessee's TEAM (Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model) evaluation system, covering instructional planning, classroom environment, and instructional delivery across 18 indicators on a 1/3/5 scale.
The TEAM is organized into 3 domains, 18 criteria, and a 3-level rating scale.
Mandated statewide in Tennessee for all public school districts.
Domains and Criteria
The TEAM domains and criteria
Planning
1: Instructional Plans
2: Student Work
3: Assessment
Environment
4: Managing Student Behavior
5: Environment
6: Respectful Culture
Instruction
7: Standards and Objectives
8: Motivating Students
9: Presenting Instructional Content
10: Lesson Structure and Pacing
11: Activities and Materials
12: Questioning
13: Academic Feedback
14: Grouping Students
15: Teacher Content Knowledge
16: Teacher Knowledge of Students
17: Thinking
18: Problem Solving
Rating Levels
TEAM rating levels
Source
Official TEAM source
Source: Tennessee Department of Education, TEAM General Educator Rubric July 2024 (July 2024). Verified 2026-06-01. View the official rubric
Rubric facts verified 2026-06-01 against the official source.
Giving feedback on the TEAM
The slow part is the write-up
Aligning observation evidence to every TEAM 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 TEAM feedback in seconds
Paste your observation notes. Copilot maps your evidence to the right TEAM 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 TEAM rubric domains and indicators
- Generates evidence-based feedback organized by Instruction, Environment, and Planning
- Suggests ratings on the five-level scale based on observed evidence
- Creates targeted next steps tied to specific TEAM indicators
- Reduces post-observation write-up time for Tennessee principals
Frequently Asked Questions
TEAM FAQ
- What is the TEAM?
- Statewide classroom teacher observation rubric used in Tennessee's TEAM (Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model) evaluation system, covering instructional planning, classroom environment, and instructional delivery across 18 indicators on a 1/3/5 scale.
- What are the domains of the TEAM?
- The TEAM is organized into 3 domains: Planning, Environment, and Instruction.
- How is the TEAM rubric scored?
- Each indicator is rated on a 1-to-5 scale, with performance descriptors defined at three anchor levels: Significantly Below Expectations (1), At Expectations (3), and Significantly Above Expectations (5).
- What does TEAM stand for?
- TEAM stands for the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model.
- Which version of the TEAM rubric is current?
- The current rubric is the TEAM General Educator Rubric (July 2024), published by the Tennessee Department of Education and verified against the official source on June 1, 2026.
Used In
States Using TEAM
Related Reading
TEAM 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 TEAM observations?
Start generating framework-aligned feedback in seconds.
