AI-Powered Observations for Arizona Principals
Arizona evaluates teachers using Danielson FFT (2013), Danielson FFT (2022), and Marzano.
Generate Danielson- or Marzano-aligned feedback from your observation notes in seconds - built for Arizona principals meeting state evaluation requirements.
Education in Arizona
Education Landscape
Arizona serves approximately 1.15 million students in publicly funded K-12 schools across 236 school districts and over 420 public charter holders. The state employs roughly 60,000 teachers. The Arizona Department of Education oversees evaluation policy, but districts have significant local control over which evaluation frameworks and instruments they adopt.
Observation Requirements
Arizona Revised Statute 15-537 requires at least one evaluation per school year for each certificated teacher, including at least two classroom observations of complete, uninterrupted lessons with a minimum of 60 calendar days between the first and last observation. Written feedback must be provided within 10 business days of each observation. Teachers are classified as Highly Effective, Effective, Developing, or Ineffective.
State policy facts verified 2026-06-01 against the official source. View the official policy
Framework Spotlight
Supported Frameworks in Arizona
Danielson Framework for Teaching (2013)
Developed by Charlotte Danielson, the Framework for Teaching is one of the most widely used teacher observation frameworks in the United States. It defines effective teaching through four domains and ...
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Danielson Framework for Teaching (2022)
The 2022 revision of the Danielson Framework for Teaching updates the classic four-domain structure with a stronger emphasis on equity, student agency, and culturally responsive practice. It retains t...
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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 evaluatio...
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Arizona law requires districts to evaluate certificated teachers annually using a system that includes classroom observations and student academic progress data. While the state developed the Arizona Framework for Measuring Educator Effectiveness, districts now have full flexibility to adopt their own evaluation instruments. The Danielson Framework for Teaching and the Marzano model are among the most widely used across Arizona districts. Observation Copilot supports both, adapting to whichever rubric your district has adopted.
Why Observation Copilot
Built for Arizona School Leaders
Multiple Frameworks Supported
Whether your Arizona district uses Danielson FFT, Marzano, or a locally developed model, Copilot generates feedback aligned to the specific rubric your district adopted.
Timely Feedback That Meets State Law
Arizona requires written feedback within 10 business days of each observation. Copilot helps you deliver structured, evidence-based feedback the same day - well ahead of the deadline.
Less Paperwork, More Coaching
Principals using Copilot finish post-observation write-ups in minutes instead of hours, freeing up time each week for the instructional coaching conversations that actually improve teaching.
How Observation Copilot Helps
AI-powered observations for Arizona
Paste your observation notes. Copilot maps your evidence to Arizona's framework and drafts structured, rubric-aligned feedback - ready to review and share.
- Supports Danielson FFT, Marzano, and locally adopted district frameworks
- Organizes observation notes by framework domains and components automatically
- Generates written feedback with evidence and next steps within minutes - meeting Arizona's 10-business-day requirement easily
- Suggests ratings across the four performance classifications based on observed evidence
- Reduces post-observation write-up time from 45 minutes to under 10
What Educators Say
Trusted Nationwide
School leaders in Arizona and across the country use Observation Copilot to turn raw observation notes into Danielson FFT (2013), Danielson FFT (2022), and Marzano-aligned feedback in minutes - saving hours every week and giving teachers faster, more specific next steps.
Observation Copilot has helped me to streamline and speed up the teacher feedback process. I'm able to organize the notes that I take during the lesson into summaries about the different dimensions while I get straight to the work of rating the lesson on the rubric.
Jason Cunningham - Stockdale, TX
Principal, Stockdale Independent School District
Frequently Asked Questions
Arizona observation FAQ
- What teacher evaluation framework does Arizona use?
- Arizona law requires annual evaluation with classroom observations and student progress data, but districts choose their own instrument. The Danielson Framework for Teaching and the Marzano model are the most widely used, and Observation Copilot supports both.
- How many classroom observations does Arizona require?
- Under Arizona Revised Statute 15-537, each certificated teacher receives at least one evaluation per year, including at least two observations of complete, uninterrupted lessons with at least 60 calendar days between the first and last.
- How are teachers rated in Arizona?
- Arizona classifies teachers as Highly Effective, Effective, Developing, or Ineffective, combining classroom observation evidence with student academic progress data.
- How quickly must Arizona teachers receive observation feedback?
- Written feedback must be provided within 10 business days of each classroom observation.
- Can Observation Copilot speed up Arizona observation write-ups?
- Yes. Paste your notes and Copilot drafts Danielson- or Marzano-aligned feedback in minutes, helping you meet the 10-day feedback requirement.
Related Reading
Resources for Arizona 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.
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Planning the 2026-2027 Teacher Observation Cycle: A Summer Checklist
A principal's summer checklist for the 2026-2027 teacher observation cycle - calendars, calibration, policy updates, and the tools that hold up.
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
End-of-Year Teacher Evaluations: A Principal's Summative Review Guide
How principals can write fair, evidence-based end-of-year teacher evaluations - without the last-minute scramble or recency bias.
Read more
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