Episode 20: Reimagining Teacher Evaluation in the Age of AI (w/Susan Enfield & Will Krasnow)

Teacher evaluation is meant to support growth — but for many school leaders, it’s become a compliance-heavy process that drains time, erodes trust, and leaves little room for meaningful coaching. In this episode of The RocketPD Podcast, host Corey Murray sits down with Dr. Susan Enfield, Executive Director of the Center for Educational Leadership at the University of Washington, and Will Krasnow, CEO of Swiftscore, to explore a timely and complex question: Can AI actually help humanize teacher evaluation — not just speed it up? Drawing on Susan’s decades of experience as a superintendent and national leadership expert, alongside Will’s early work with districts piloting AI-supported evaluation workflows, this conversation unpacks: ⏺ Why traditional evaluation systems often fail to drive real professional growth ⏺ How time constraints push evaluation toward compliance instead of coaching ⏺ The role of relational trust, fairness, and professional respect in teacher growth ⏺ How AI, when used thoughtfully, can give principals time back for real conversations ⏺ What it means to treat feedback as a gift, not a “gotcha” ⏺ How evaluation, professional learning, and instructional leadership can finally work together Rather than asking whether AI belongs in schools, this episode focuses on how it can be used responsibly — as an assistive tool that supports educators, strengthens relationships, and improves outcomes for students. Get Involved: Join the National Research Cohort RocketPD and Swiftscore are convening a national cohort for school and district leaders who want to reimagine teacher evaluation with AI, contribute to meaningful research, and learn alongside peers. Learn more and register here: https://k12researchcohorts.org/future... If you’re a superintendent, principal, instructional leader, or educator wrestling with how to make evaluation more meaningful — this conversation is for you. Subscribe to RocketPD for more conversations at the intersection of leadership, learning, and innovation in K–12 education.