Kelly Espinosa
Principal reduces teacher evaluation time by 93%
Reallocates hours to observe more classrooms and boost teacher growth
Kelly Espinosa
93%
Reduction in evaluation writing time
4x
More classroom observations possible
87.5%
Reduction in time spent creating coaching plans
Enrollment
520
Bio
Philadelphia School District elementary school focused on developing high-achieving learners
Challenges
Time-consuming teacher evaluations and coaching plans limiting principal's classroom presence
Outcomes
Drastically reduced administrative workload with improved coaching quality
About Her School
Kelly's school is in Philadelphia and is led by Principal Kelly Espinosa, who manages operations while prioritizing instructional leadership. The school focuses on developing high-achieving learners and improving teacher effectiveness. Kelly collaborates with instructional coaches Melanie and Marc to support teacher development throughout the building.
The Challenge
Kelly is required to complete four teacher evaluations weekly, but finds the process time-consuming and frustrating, taking at least 30 minutes per evaluation plus additional time for coaching plans. Her role is complicated by constant interruptions throughout the day, as she juggles being "head of instruction" while also handling operations, facilities, and various student needs, making it nearly impossible to find uninterrupted time for thoughtful evaluations. "I literally will do everything else to avoid typing them up. I can't stand it. It's the least favorite part of my job," explained Kelly when describing her evaluation process.
The Solution
SwiftScore's Eval tool helped Kelly quickly transform observation notes into comprehensive teacher evaluations with minimal editing. The system converts observation notes into detailed evaluations aligned with school priorities, generates specific feedback including "glows" (strengths) and "grows" (areas for improvement), creates actionable coaching plans with specific steps for teacher improvement, and stores evaluation data to track teacher growth over time.
Kelly appreciated the feedback quality and specificity. For a writing lesson observation, the tool identified growth areas like: "Instead of recall-based questions, incorporate higher-order thinking questions" and suggested examples such as "How can you use evidence to build a strong point in your essay?" Kelly noted the automatically generated coaching plan provided "bite-sized and specific" improvements broken into manageable weekly steps.

Results

Kelly was amazed by the tool's effectiveness, stating "I don't know how you guys got it that good." She praised its ability to generate precise, actionable feedback directly connected to her observation notes. The resulting coaching plans were immediately implementable, offering teachers "bite-sized" and "specific" guidance for professional development.

Kelly Espinosa headshot
Kelly Espinosa
Philadelphia School District
"I would be knocking down your door saying, 'Where's SwiftScore?' If the district won't pay for it, I'll pay for it myself."
When asked how disappointed she would be if the tool were taken away, Kelly replied emphatically, "I would be knocking down your door saying, 'Where's SwiftScore?' If the district won't pay for it, I'll pay for it myself."
93% reduction in evaluation writing time - from 30 minutes to 2-3 minutes per teacher
87.5% reduction in coaching discussion time - from 2 hours to 15 minutes per teacher
Increased principal classroom presence and visibility throughout the school
With SwiftScore, Kelly can now focus on what matters most: instructional leadership and supporting teacher growth.
Case Study