Setting Observation Frequency
Every staff member in Aprenta has an observation frequency level that indicates how often they should be observed. Frequency levels are a planning tool -- they don't automatically create or schedule observations, but they drive the Prioritized List on the Home page to help you decide who to observe next.
Frequency Levels
Aprenta provides five frequency levels, listed from highest to lowest priority:
Level | Weight | When to Use |
Consistently | Highest | New teachers, teachers on improvement plans, or anyone who needs intensive coaching support |
Often | High | Teachers working on specific instructional goals or transitioning to a new grade/subject |
Occasionally | Medium | Solid teachers who benefit from periodic check-ins and feedback |
Rarely | Low (default) | Experienced, high-performing teachers who need minimal observation |
Never | Excluded | Staff who should not appear on the prioritized list at all (e.g., administrative-only roles, staff on leave) |
New staff members default to Rarely when they are first added.
How Frequency Affects Prioritization
Aprenta uses frequency levels as a key input to the Prioritized List on the Home page. Each frequency level carries a different weight in the prioritization formula:
Consistently carries the highest base weight
Often and Occasionally carry progressively lower weights
Rarely carries a negative base weight, pushing those staff members toward the bottom
Never excludes the person from the prioritized list entirely
The prioritization algorithm also factors in how long it has been since each person was last observed. A teacher set to "Consistently" who hasn't been observed in several weeks will rise higher in the list than one who was just observed yesterday. See Prioritizing Staff for Observations for full details.
Where to Set Frequency
You can set or change a person's observation frequency level in two places:
From the Add/Edit Person Panel
Go to the People page
Click + Person to add a new member, or click an existing member and choose Edit from the three-dot menu
In the panel, find the Observation Frequency Level dropdown at the bottom of the form
Select the desired level
Click Save or Update
From the Prioritized List on the Home Page
Go to the Home page (the Administrator tab)
In the Prioritized List on the left side, find the staff member
Click the frequency level dropdown next to their name -- it's color-coded by level
Select the new frequency level -- the change saves automatically
The color coding on the Prioritized List makes it easy to scan your staff at a glance:
Level | Color |
Consistently | Red |
Often | Orange |
Occasionally | Yellow |
Rarely | Gray |
Never | Light gray |
Tips for Setting Frequency
Start of school year -- Review and set frequency levels for all staff. New teachers and those with new assignments typically warrant "Consistently" or "Often."
After a coaching cycle -- Adjust frequency down for teachers who have met their goals and up for those who need continued support.
Mid-year check -- Use the Prioritized List to see if your actual observation patterns match your intended frequencies. If teachers set to "Consistently" haven't been observed recently, they'll appear at the top of the list.
Staff on leave or in non-teaching roles -- Set to "Never" so they don't appear in your prioritized list and distract from active planning.
Paraprofessionals and counselors -- Consider whether classroom observations apply. Some districts observe all instructional staff; others focus only on lead teachers.
Filtering the Prioritized List by Frequency
On the Home page's Prioritized List, you can filter to show only staff at a specific frequency level. Use the frequency dropdown in the header area (to the right of the search bar) to select a level like "Consistently" or "Often." Select "All" to see every frequency level.
This is useful when you want to focus your planning on a specific tier -- for example, reviewing just your "Consistently" teachers to make sure they're being observed frequently enough.