GCOEVALUATION OF PROFESSIONAL
STAFF MEMBERS
GCOThe Governing Board charges the administration of the District to develop a certificated staff member performance evaluation system, with the advisement and participation of the certificated employees, that will comply with A.R.S. §15-537.
The purpose of the system is to improve instruction and to maintain instructional strengths in pursuit of educational excellence throughout all District programs.
The Certificated Evaluation System is to be implemented according to clear and precise guidelines that are established and set forth in the evaluation document and have been reviewed with and disseminated to all responsible personnel.
The process of evaluation for certificated professional staff members shall lead to improvement of the quality of instruction and the strengthening of the abilities of the professional certificated employee.
Certain elements in an effective evaluation process shall be emphasized:
A. Evaluation shall be a cooperative endeavor between evaluator and evaluatee.
B. Open communication shall be considered essential.
C. The agreed-upon purpose of evaluation shall be to work toward common goals for the improvement of education. This shall include attention to student and staff success, which shall include all certificated staff members.
D. Evaluation shall be continuous, flexible, and sensitive to need for revision.
E. The result of evaluation(s) shall be courses of action for the improvement of instruction. These courses of action shall be set in motion by specific recommendations mutually reviewed by the evaluator and the evaluatee.
F. Evaluation shall be considered one aspect of effective management for the evaluator, rather than a discrete task.
G. Effective evaluation depends on accurate information; therefore, input from all appropriate documentation sources shall be used.
H. Input from sources such as annual surveys of staff, students, parents or community shall be used to inform the evaluation process.
I. Evaluation(s) shall be based on, but not limited to:
1. Student learning is the primary focus of the teacher's professional time.
2. Job expectations related to assignment.
3. Evaluation instruments for assessment.
4. Observation(s).
Evaluation of Classroom Certificated
Staff Members and Other Certificated
Non-administrative Staff Members
The District teacher performance evaluation system will be designed to improve teacher performance and improve student achievement and include quantitative data on the academic progress for all students, which shall account for between twenty percent (20%) and thirty-three percent (33%) of the evaluation outcomes. The teacher performance evaluation system shall include four (4) performance classifications designated as highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective as adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to A.R.S. 15-203. The teacher performance evaluation system includes guidelines for school districts and charter schools to use in their evaluation instruments.
Definition of Terms
In this policy:
A. Certificated teacher means a person who holds a certificate from the State Board of Education to work in the schools of this state and who is employed under contract in a position that requires certification, except a psychologist or an administrator devoting less than fifty percent (50%) of their time to classroom teaching.
B. Inadequacy of classroom performance means the definition of inadequacy of classroom performance adopted by the Governing Board.
C. Performance classifications means the four (4) performance classifications for teachers and principals adopted by the Governing Board.
D. Qualified evaluator means a school principal or other person who is trained to evaluate teachers and who is designated by the Governing Board to evaluate certificated teachers.
The performance classifications are to be applied to the evaluation instruments in a manner designed to improve principal and teacher performance. At least annually, the School District Governing Board shall discuss at a public meeting its aggregate performance classifications of principals and teachers.
In accordance with state law, the District shall involve its certificated teachers in the development and periodic evaluation of the certificated teacher performance evaluation system. The following elements will be a part of the evaluation system:
A. It will meet the requirements prescribed in statute and provide at least one (1) evaluation of each certificated teacher by a qualified evaluator each school year or as prescribed below.
B. A copy of the evaluation system shall be given to each certificated teacher in the District.
C. The Governing Board shall receive from the Superintendent recommendations for qualified evaluators prior to naming evaluators.
D. The Governing Board will designate qualified evaluators by name or position at a Governing Board meeting each year.
The District may use an alternative performance evaluation cycle subject to the following:
A. The Governing Board shall adopt policies for an alternative performance review during the years in which a teacher is not undergoing a formal performance evaluation. The alternative performance review policies shall classify teacher performance in categories that may include: classroom learning environment, quality of instruction, academic achievement, student social-emotional well-being, leadership (including teamwork and support for lower-performing teachers and/or new teachers), and personal professional development.
B. The Governing Board shall allow only teachers who have been evaluated and designated in the highest performance classification for at least three (3) consecutive years by the same school district to participate in the alternative performance evaluation cycle.
C. If an alternative performance review under this subsection determines that the teacher is not in the highest performance classification, the teacher shall be removed from the alternative performance evaluation cycle and be reviewed on the established evaluation system.
The Governing Board may waive the requirement of a second classroom observation for a continuing teacher whose teaching performance based on the first classroom observation places the teacher in one (1) of the two (2) highest performance classifications for the current school year, unless the teacher requests a second observation.
The Board shall describe performance improvement plans for teachers designated in the lowest performance classification and dismissal or nonrenewal procedures pursuant to Section 15-536 or 15-539 for teachers who continue to be designated in the lowest performance classification.
The Board's dismissal or nonrenewal procedures shall require that the District issue the preliminary notice of inadequacy of classroom performance no later than the second consecutive year that the teacher is designated in one (1) of the two (2) lowest performance classifications unless the teacher is in the first or second year of employment with the District or has been reassigned to teach a new subject or grade level for the preceding or current school year.
Inadequacy of Classroom
Performance
A certificated teacher's classroom performance is inadequate if, during the final annual evaluation cycle:
A. the certificated teacher receives a rating of "ineffective" pursuant to A.R.S. §15-203 in one (1) or more of the overall ratings for Standards II, III or IV set forth in the District's Certificated Evaluation System; or
B. the continuing certificated teacher receives a rating of "developing" pursuant to A.R.S. §15-203 in three (3) or more of the Competency Statements in any combination of Standards II, III and IV set forth in the District's Certificated Evaluation System; or
C. the certificated teacher receives a summary rating with more than half of the total competency ratings in either the "ineffective" or "developing" category or receives more than half of the total competency ratings in the combined "ineffective" or "developing" categories; or
D. the certificated teacher receives an overall summary rating score on the Certificated Teacher Performance Rating Summary that is in either of the bottom two (2) classifications, "ineffective" or "developing," for two (2) consecutive years; or
E. the certificated teacher fails to achieve the defined improvement goals within the defined time parameters delineated on a Performance Improvement Plan.
Prior approval by the Governing Board is not required for each notice of inadequacy. The Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources is authorized to issue notices of inadequacy of classroom performance, subject to approval by the Superintendent. When a notice is issued without prior Governing Board approval, the Governing Board shall be notified within five (5) days of such issuance.
Performance Improvement Plans, Dismissal and/or
Nonrenewal Procedures for Teachers Designated
in the Lowest Performance Classification
Information regarding performance improvement plans, dismissal and/or nonrenewal procedures may be found in Regulation GCO-R, Evaluation of Professional Staff Members.
Evaluation of Principals, Other Administrators
and Psychologists
The District shall establish a system for the evaluation of the performance of principals, other school administrators, and psychologists. The District will seek advice from District administrators and psychologists and others (e.g., Coordinators of Diversity and Inclusion and Social/Emotional Wellness) in the development of this performance evaluation system.
Evaluation of Principals
The Governing Board shall adopt policies that:
A. are designed to improve principal performance and improve student achievement.
B. include the use of quantitative data on the academic progress for all students, which shall account for between twenty percent (20%) and thirty-three percent (33%) of the evaluation outcomes.
C. include four (4) performance classifications, designated as highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective.
D. describe both of the following:
1. the methods used to evaluate the performance of principals, including the data used to measure student performance and job effectiveness.
2. the formula used to determine evaluation outcomes.
The evaluation system for the evaluation of the performance of principals may include the overall instructional program, student progress, social/emotional well-being, climate and culture of the school environment, personnel, curriculum and facilities. Principals will be given a review of evaluation procedures prior to beginning the process.
Subject to statutory limitations, the Board shall make available the evaluation and performance classification pursuant to A.R.S. 15-203 of each principal in the District to school districts and charter schools that are inquiring about the performance of the principal for hiring purposes.
Evaluation of Other Administrators
The format for the evaluation system for other administrators (other than the Superintendent) will be developed under the leadership of the Superintendent, focusing on the responsibilities and outcomes which support the overall instructional program and needs of the District. Evaluation procedures, timelines, and methods to be used for the communication of evaluation results will be reviewed with each employee prior to beginning the process.
Evaluation of Psychologists
The evaluation system for certificated school psychologists shall include the following:
A. Recommendations as to areas of improvement in the performance of the certificated school psychologist if the performance warrants improvement.
B. After transmittal of an assessment, the designated administrator shall confer with the certificated school psychologist to make specific recommendations as to areas of improvement in performance.
C. The designated administrator shall provide assistance and opportunities for the certificated school psychologist to improve his/her performance and shall follow up after a reasonable period of time for the purpose of ascertaining that adequate performance is being demonstrated.
D. Appeal procedures for certificated school psychologists who disagree with the evaluation of their performance, if the evaluation is for use as criteria for establishing compensation or dismissal.
Contracts of Certificated Employees
The Governing Board may transmit and receive contracts of certificated employees in an electronic format and may accept electronic signatures on those contracts. The Superintendent will develop procedures for the implementation of this discretionary process.
The Governing Board may adopt requirements that require electronic signatures to be followed by original signatures within a specified time period.
Adopted: October 13, 2021
LEGAL REF.:
A.R.S.
15-153
15-203
15-502
15-503
15-512
15-536
15-537
15-537.01
15-538
15-538.01
15-539 et seq.
15-544
15-549
15-918.02
15-977
A.A.C.
R7-2-605
CROSS REF.:
GBEB - Staff Conduct
GCB - Professional Staff Contracts and Compensation
GCF - Professional Staff Hiring
GCJ - Professional Staff Noncontinuing and Continuing Status
GCK - Professional Staff Assignments and Transfers
GCMF - Professional Staff Duties and Responsibilities
GCQF - Discipline, Suspension, and Dismissal of Professional Staff Members
GDO - Evaluation of Classified Staff Members
JLDAA - Student Mental Health and Social/Emotional Wellness