Observation expertise is more important now, not less.
As AI tools flood K-12, the field needs leaders who can tell the difference between a prompt that retrieves and a question that reveals. AI is reshaping every aspect of school leadership, and how instructional leaders provide feedback is no exception. That is the skill Tepper & Flynn has been building for 16 years, long before AI entered the conversation.
"The biggest barrier: trust is built on competence and character. Feedback fails without the skill to see clearly and say it well — and it fails without a culture safe enough to hear it honestly. AI doesn't remove either requirement. It raises the stakes on getting both right."— Tepper & Flynn
Fast isn't enough. Every observation puts your credibility on the line — which is exactly why the Vetting Tool exists.
The Tepper & Flynn Vetting Tool™
No AI-drafted observation reaches a teacher without a human decision point first — the Feed Forward Framework™ is what that checkpoint is built on.
Obzerv.ai drafts the observation narrative straight from what was seen in the classroom, matched against your district's performance standards. The Tepper & Flynn Vetting Tool™ then checks that AI draft line by line — flagging vague claims that aren't backed by cited evidence, tone that reads as judgment rather than feedback, and language that doesn't map to the Feed Forward Framework™'s 4 competencies — and suggests rephrasings and areas requiring insight and judgment before the observation reaches the teacher.
Draft Feedback Review Snapshot — a vetted draft, side-by-side with the evidence that backs it.
The Quick Vet report shown here is what that check looks like on a real draft: the specific claims it flagged, the rephrasings it suggests, and the evidence the observer weighs before finalizing what reaches the teacher.
"The Vetting Tool shows you one move. The Lab builds the habit."
See how the Feed Forward Learning Lab™ builds the skill →Generate. Vet. Extend.
The Tepper & Flynn cycle for using AI in feedback — a draft is never the final word, professional judgment is.
Free tools for leaders, right now
Four quick guides for instructional leaders navigating AI in feedback and observation — free to download, no email required.
Marry Strengths
Explore strengths and limitations of AI and key leadership moves so feedback is more accurate, focused, and growth-oriented.
Download →Portrait of a Graduate meets AI literacy
How does AI literacy connect to your district's vision for graduates? We're building frameworks to help districts answer that question, aligning what students need to know about AI with what leaders need to know to coach it.