The PDAS is a teacher evaluation system created by the Texas Education Agency in response to the passage of Senate Bill 1 in 1995. The goal of the PDAS is to advance the level of professional practice of teaching in Texas by implementing a teacher appraisal system that incorporates the learner-centered proficiencies in evaluation criteria and that promotes continuous professional development. Certified appraisers appraise all public school teachers in Texas, including music teachers, once a year using either the PDAS or a locally-developed system that meets state appraisal guidelines, which are available on the web at www.tea.state.tx.us/PDAS. Specific links between the TEKS and TAAS objectives can be found by downloading the following documents:

PDAS and Elementary Fine Arts Teachers
PDAS and Middle School Fine Arts Teachers
PDAS and High School Fine Arts Teachers

The PDAS appraises teaching according to the following eight domains:

Domain I: Active, successful student participation in the learning process.
Music students are actively engaged in learning at high cognitive levels, (e.g., demonstrating original thinking, problem solving, and other complex thinking skills in solving musical problems). Students are self-directed when appropriate in music lessons and activities and connect learning in music to work and life applications, both within music, the other fine arts, and non-arts disciplines.

Example: Teaching the Grade 2 Music TEKS nearly guarantees the active participation of students in the learning process. Students cannot help but be engaged when they are singing or playing a classroom instrument independently or in groups, reading and writing simple music notation, and distinguishing between various qualities of the music (e.g., beat/rhythm, higher/lower, louder/softer, faster/slower, same/different). The music teacher who has students engaged and making connections is demonstrating Domain I of the PDAS.

Domain II: Learner-centered instruction.
The goals and objectives of music teachers rely upon the knowledge and skills needed by students and the content of the Music TEKS. Course content relates to the varied interests, strengths, and needs of students and instructional strategies promote critical thinking and problem solving. Motivation techniques emphasize the integral value of music knowledge and skills and involve students meaningfully in the learning process. Whenever possible, music teachers should make use of available technology to teach music. These and other effective instructional strategies for music teachers are discussed in instructional strategies.

Domain III: Evaluation and feedback on student progress.
Effective assessment of learning in music is necessary if students are to demonstrate the Music TEKS. Student assessment should be aligned with class goals, objectives, and instructional strategies. Ideally, assessment meets the following criteria:

• Reinforces student learning
• Meets individual diverse student needs
• Provides students with constructive feedback
• Gives students opportunities to relearn and re-evaluate difficult course content. 

The student assessment pages contain more information and ideas on effective student assessment in music, including performance assessment.

Domain IV: Management of student discipline, instructional strategies, time, and materials.
Whenever possible, music teachers should participate in the development and implementation of their campus discipline management procedures. A few basic guidelines for music teachers include:

• Be clear with students about expectations for desired student behavior in a music class, intervening and re-directing disruptive, inappropriate, and off-task behavior.
• Reinforce desired behavior when appropriate and interact with students in an equitable manner. 
• Promote and encourage self-discipline and self-directed learning on the part of students. 

Be sure to review safety concerns specific to music. In addition to safety considerations, music teachers have the additional task of efficiently managing the many and varied instructional materials required for attending to diverse student needs and interests.

Domain V: Professional communication.
Music teachers practice appropriate verbal, non-verbal, and written communication in their interactions with students, parents, staff, and community members. Music teachers are courteous and supportive, respectfully addressing individual student needs, including those of reluctant students or students having difficulty with course content.

Domain VI: Professional development.
Music teachers should seek out professional development activities that correlate with the music content in the TEKS, with campus goals and policies, and with the varied needs of their students. Ideally, professional development activities should address teachers' past performance appraisals. See the professional development pages in music for more information. In addition to seeking out formal learning opportunities, music teachers should constructively collaborate with other teachers to enhance overall student performance.

Example: One of the four strands in the Music TEKS requires students to understand music’s role in history to participate successfully in a diverse society. Students gain this understanding by reflecting on musical periods and styles. High school music students listen to and classify music by style, genre, historical period, and culture, justifying the classifications. Music teachers who do not feel they are well-versed in the music of many different traditions may identify this area as a professional development need to address through the PDAS.

Domain VII: Compliance with policies, operating procedures, and requirements.
Music teachers should comply with all policies, operating procedures, and legal requirements, participating in policy and procedure development whenever possible. Music teachers should consistently contribute to making their schools safe, orderly, and stimulating learning environments for all students.

Domain VIII: Improvement of academic performance of all students on the campus.
Domain VIII evaluates teaching on the basis of its relationship to student achievement on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) and the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS):

1. Diagnosing student needs and providing performance feedback related to appropriate TAAS-related objectives and the Music TEKS
2. Aligning planning and delivery of instruction to all appropriate TAAS-related objectives and the Music TEKS
3. Collaborating with other faculty and administration to improve TAAS-related performance of all students on the campus
4. Identifying students who are at risk and developing strategies to assist these students
5. Monitoring the attendance of all students and intervening to promote regular attendance.

To address these criteria, music teachers must identify TAAS-related objectives taught or reinforced in their classes on Teacher Self-Report Forms. Though music teachers may not be assigned primary responsibility for teaching the skill sequences assessed in TAAS, music teachers can reinforce TAAS-related skills while teaching the Music TEKS. For example, a music teacher teaching time signature might think of ways to emphasize how the lesson corresponds to number concepts and mathematical relations.

Data for appraisal of each domain are gathered from observations, Teacher Self-Report Forms, and other documented sources. The data describe teacher contributions in increasing student achievement, making the whole school safe and orderly, and creating a stimulating learning environment for all students.