Kentucky is one of three states that were singled out in an opinion piece written by Bill Gates that appeared in the Washington Post this week.

In the piece, which focuses on educator effectiveness systems, Gates contends: “What the country needs are thoughtfully developed teacher evaluation systems that include multiple measures of performance, such as student surveys, classroom observations by experienced colleagues and student test results.”

Kentucky is currently field testing its Professional Growth and Effectiveness System (PGES). The system, which relies on multiple measures, including student voice and classroom observations, will be piloted statewide during the 2013-14 school year.

“States such as Connecticut, Delaware and Kentucky are showing leadership in creating feedback and evaluation systems that reflect the patience and involvement of teachers and administrators,” Gates wrote in his opinion piece. “This is what’s required to build the kind of infrastructure that stands the test of time.”

The full opinion piece can be found here.