GCOEVALUATION OF PROFESSIONAL
STAFF MEMBERS
GCOThe objective of the teacher performance evlaution sytem is to improve insturction and maintain in instructional strengths.
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 at least fifty percent (50%) of his/her 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.
E. Formal observation means an observation of a full, uninterrupted lesson by an evaluator of a teacher which includes the post-observation conference and completion of a post-observation form.
Evaluation of Classroom Teachers
and Other Certificated Non-
administrative Staff Members
The District evaluation instrument will:
A. 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;
B. Include four (4) performance classifications, designated as highly effective, effective, developing, and ineffective.
Performance classifications for teachers shall be the same four (4) performance classifications adopted by the State Board of Education. 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 Governing Board will discuss at a public meeting its aggregate performance classifications of principals and teachers.
The District will involve its certificated teachers in the development and periodic evaluation of the 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.
B. A copy of the evaluation system shall be made available to all teachers in the District.
C. Specific training requirements for qualified evaluators, approved by the Board, will be included which may involve local or national educator training resources recommended by the Superintendent.
D. The Superintendent will recommend qualified evaluators to the Board prior to naming evaluators.
E. The Board will designate qualified evaluators.
F. Best practices for professional development and evaluator training adopted by the State Board of Education will be considered.
G. The system will include incentives for teachers in the highest performance classification.
H. The system will include a plan for the appropriate use of quantitative data of student academic progress in evaluations of all certificated teachers. The plan may make distinctions between certificated teachers who provide direct instruction to students and certificated teachers who do not provide direct instruction to students. The plan may include data for multiple school years and may limit the use of data for certificated teachers who have taught for less than two (2) complete school years.
I. The District may use an alternative performance evaluation cycle subject to the following:
1. The Governing Board shall adopt policies for an expedited performance review during the years in which a teacher is not undergoing a formal performance evaluation. The expedited performance review policies may classify teacher performance in categories that include teamwork and support for lower-performing teachers.
2. 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 to participate in the alternative performance evaluation cycle.
3. If an expedited 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.
Data collection: Evaluation will be based upon instructional observations, the teacher's cumulative teacher record and satisfactory performance of job expectations as determined by the following:
A. The expectation that a combination of more than one (1) formal and one (1) informal observation will occur prior to the completion of an evaluation. Unless a concern is noted, the principal is not required to provide written feedback to the teacher following an informal observation.
B. Informal observations of day-to-day professional activities are also part of the evaluation process. These unstructured and unannounced observations may be for a period of time limited to that needed to observe behavior relevant to the evaluation of the teacher’s performance.
C. Valid and reliable sources of student achievement data.
D. Work samples/other evidence of teacher performance, gained by review/observation, including but not limited to the following samples:
1. Lesson plans.
2. Substitute folder.
3. Grade book/record-keeping documents/essential skills.
4. Homework assignment.
5. Parent contact log.
6. Communication on student progress.
7. Grouping for instruction.
8. Discipline plan and implementation.
9. Audiovisual equipment and instructional aids usage.
10. Report cards, progress reports and computer printouts.
11. Job description responsibilities.
12. Professional enhancement plan.
13. Assigned duties.
14. Rapport with colleagues.
15. Rapport with parents.
16. Reports of rapport with students beyond the formal and informal evaluation.
The Governing Board authorizes the qualified evaluator to 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 qualified evaluator shall confer with the teacher to make specific recommendations as to the areas of improvement in the teacher's performance and to provide professional development opportunities for the certificated teacher to improve performance and follow up with the teacher after a reasonable period of time for the purpose of ascertaining that the teacher is demonstrating adequate performance.
Inadequacy of Classroom Performance
A teacher's classroom performance is inadequate if the teacher does not meet any one or more of the criteria for effective teaching as stated in the certificated evaluation criteria Section I - " Instruction," Section II - "Classroom Management and Organization" and Section III –Student Achievement Data” as determined by the evaluator through a summative evaluation. (Section IV - “Professional Standards" is not included in the definition of inadequacy of classroom performance.)
Prior approval by the Board is not required for each notice of inadequacy. The Superintendent is authorized to issue notices of inadequacy of classroom performance. When a notice is issued without prior Board approval, the Board shall be notified within ten (10) days of such issuance.
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 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 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 over-all instructional program, student progress, 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 over-all 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 Certificated
School Psychologists
The evaluation system for certificated school psychologists shall include the following:
A. Recommendations as to the areas of improvement in the performance of the certificated school psychologist if the performance warrants improvement.
B. After transmittal of an assessment, a Board designee shall confer with the certificated school psychologist to make specific recommendations as to the areas of improvement in performance.
C. The Board designee shall provide assistance and opportunities for the certificated school psychologist to improve his 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.
Adopted: July 27, 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 Support Staff Members
SANTA CRUZ VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 35.