Evaluation Success Story: How Gratiot-Isabella RESD Transformed Staff Evaluations
Acting as a vital connection between schools and the Michigan Department of Education, Gratiot-Isabella Regional Education Service District (RESD) is one of Michigan’s 56 intermediate school districts. GIRESD is dedicated to supporting local education by serving nine public school districts, one academy, and eight private/parochial schools in Gratiot and Isabella Counties. Shane Brooks, a Data Integration Specialist and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Consultant at GIRESD, plays a key role in helping schools and students thrive by improving educational support systems across the region.
When Shane Brooks met with the Evaluation customer success team, it marked the beginning of a transformation for GIRESD’s evaluation processes. What had once been a cumbersome and time-consuming task became more streamlined and efficient. Now, Shane continues to reflect on how Evaluation helped him and GIRESD partner with the schools they serve to continue to grow.
The Challenge
Before Gratiot-Isabella RESD implemented Evaluation, managing evaluations for multiple districts was a daunting task for Shane Brooks. With each district operating on a separate site, Shane had to manage different systems, creating a process that was not only time-consuming but also overwhelming. "It was pretty miserable," Shane recalled. "I had to manage 10 sites, each with different logins. It was a nightmare." The lack of centralized access meant that tasks like user management and running reports were inefficient and prone to errors.
The challenge didn’t end with logging into multiple sites. The entire process was manually driven, from creating users to managing evaluations. Because the previous system wasn’t integrated with their student information system, every user had to be manually added. This made the process cumbersome and unreliable. With so many moving parts and no automation, the district was struggling to keep up with the demands of an outdated system.
"We weren’t exporting teacher information from our student information system, so every user had to be manually created. This not only consumed a huge amount of time but also introduced many opportunities for errors."
The consequences of sticking with the old system were clear. Gratiot-Isabella RESD would have continued to spend countless hours on administrative tasks, taking meaningful time away from supporting educators and students. It was time for a change.
"Had we stayed with the old system, it would have prevented us from focusing on improving teacher performance and student outcomes, which is the ultimate goal."
The Solution
When Shane and his team began searching for a new platform, their top priorities were simplicity, integration, and efficiency. That’s when they found Evaluation. From the moment Shane met with the customer success team, the process of transitioning to the new system became much easier. Their dedication to hands-on support was immediately apparent. "Amy held my hand through the whole process. I sent her our forms, and she created all of them, which was also a benefit."
The customer success team didn’t just offer technical support—they went above and beyond to ensure that Shane and his team had what they needed every step of the way. According to Shane, "Amy was always available, even nights and weekends, to make sure everything was taken care of." This level of personalized customer service made a world of difference for Gratiot-Isabella RESD, especially compared to their experience with their previous staff evaluation platform.
The Education Advanced team as a whole stood out for their exceptional customer service. Whenever an issue arose, Shane could simply submit a ticket, and it would be resolved quickly.
"Customer service was fantastic. If there was a problem, I just put in a ticket, and it got taken care of immediately. They were incredible—always on top of everything."
The Results
The moment Shane realized that Evaluation was making a real difference came during their first evaluation season. The finalization tool, in particular, simplified the process in ways he hadn’t imagined. The tool provides a clear summary of staff performance, making it easy to compare final scores and ratings, and adjust settings for multiple staff members simultaneously. This tool, along with the automated user creation, allowed the district to streamline processes that once took hours, making their evaluation workflow far more efficient.
"It was amazing how easy it was. The finalization piece made it so much simpler to see everything at once."
The impact of Evaluation went beyond just saving time—it made the system more user-friendly, which had a positive effect across the district. "The real benefit for us is just that people can get in and use it. It's much more intuitive," Shane noted. Shane also explained how much more efficient training has been through this process.
"Training new administrators has become a breeze. In just an hour, they’re comfortable using the system, which used to take much longer."
One of the most unexpectedly beneficial features Shane found in Evaluation was the Heatmap report. This tool lists each staff member's average marks for specific indicators over a chosen timeframe and uses color-coding to highlight areas of growth, helping districts target specific skills for skill development.
"The Heatmap report was a pleasant surprise. It allowed our districts to focus on specific areas for professional development."
Tools like this shifted the district’s focus from merely completing evaluations to using them as a resource for growth and improvement.
Concluding Questions
Shane’s experience with Evaluation was not just about a better platform—it was about the people behind the platform. The Education Advanced team's dedication, responsiveness, and willingness to go above and beyond were what truly made the difference for Shane and the district. From resolving issues quickly to being available whenever needed, the team provided a level of support that Shane hadn’t experienced before.
"The ease of use and the fantastic customer service were key. Everyone wants to help, and they resolve issues quickly."
The support provided wasn’t just about resolving problems—it was about building a partnership that ensured the district’s success.
The Product
Evaluation is a tool built to increase the efficiency of the staff evaluation process and facilitate educator growth with data. With a collaborative, web-based performance portal that's tailored to meet each district's needs, school administrators can efficiently document every step of the staff evaluation process — including walk-throughs, self-evaluations, supporting evidence, reporting, and performance analytics.
In addition, school administrators can implement and host their own locally-created or state-approved rubric including Danielson, 5D+, Thoughtful Classroom, and McREL. This enables the development of an actionable plan based on data that can be used to improve individual performance and overall trends to measure success — all while giving staff a single portal to record, document, and gather evidence and observations throughout the evaluation process.
