GCO-RA GCO-RA REGULATION
EVALUATION OF PROFESSIONAL
STAFF MEMBERS
Evaluators
The Superintendent will compile an updated listing of those who have successfully completed the District required evaluator training and submit this list of newly trained evaluators prior to the first scheduled staff observation by an evaluator to the Governing Board for designation as qualified evaluators. The evaluator shall be responsible for the final written and official statement of evaluation, which shall be in writing, and a copy shall be transmitted to the certificated teacher within five (5) days after completion of the evaluation. [A.R.S. 15-537]
The Superintendent shall implement the specific training requirements for qualified evaluators prescribed by the Governing Board.
Best practices for professional development and evaluator training adopted by the State Board of Education should be referenced by the Superintendent periodically as the State Board has the authority to periodically make adjustments to align with the model framework for teacher and principal evaluations with assessment data changes at the state level.
Classroom Observations by Evaluator:
● The teacher performance evaluation system shall include at least two (2) formal classroom observations of the certificated teacher demonstrating teaching skills in a complete and uninterrupted lesson by the qualified evaluator. However, the evaluator 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.
● There shall be at least sixty (60) calendar days between the first and last observations.
● Preliminary notice of inadequacy may follow the first formal observation.
● The last formal observation may follow the issuance of a preliminary notice of inadequacy of classroom performance, the completion of any correction plan and be used to determine whether the teacher has corrected inadequacies and has demonstrated adequate classroom performance.
● An observation shall not be conducted within two (2) instructional days of any scheduled period in which school is not in session for one (1) week or more.
● Informal or additional formal observations may be made at the discretion of the administrator.
Procedural Steps in the Process of Evaluation:
● The evaluation procedures shall be reviewed at each school. At the beginning of the school year, the principal shall meet with the school's faculty for the purpose of orienting the teachers to the total evaluation system. This requirement may be waived for returning faculty if no changes have been made the evaluation system or Governing Board policies related to the evaluation of teachers. All new teachers must be given a review of evaluation procedures prior to the teacher's evaluation.
● Within ten (10) business days after each formal observation, the qualified evaluator observing the teacher shall provide written feedback to the teacher and a copy shall be retained for the principal's file. A third copy shall be placed in the teacher's personnel file and made available to authorized District officers and employees and as otherwise provided by law.
● The results of an annual evaluation shall be in writing, or provided in electronic format to the certificated teacher and a copy shall be transmitted or provided in an electronic format to the certificated teacher within five (5) business days after completion of the evaluation.
● A 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.
● The certificated teacher may initiate a written reaction or response to the evaluation. The official evaluation shall be reduced to writing and signed by both the teacher and the evaluator. The teacher's signature shall not mean concurrence. The teacher shall be allowed ten (10) calendar days to write and submit any comments, which shall be attached to the evaluation.
● Copies of the evaluation report and performance classification of a certificated teacher retained by the Governing Board and the Department of Education are confidential, do not constitute a public record and shall not be released to any person except to those stipulated in A.R.S. 15-537 which allows release to certain prescribed parties, including school districts and charter schools that inquire about the performance of the teacher for prospective employment purposes.
● A school district or charter school that receives information about a certificated teacher from the evaluation report and performance classification shall use this information solely for employment purposes and shall not release to or allow access to this information by any other person, entity, school district or charter school for employment purposes.
Preliminary Notice of Inadequacy of Classroom Performance:
● A teacher whose classroom performance has been evaluated as being inadequate shall be given a preliminary notice of inadequacy of classroom performance if the teacher may be dismissed or nonrenewed because of the inadequacy. The notice will inform the teacher that the teacher has at least forty-five (45) instructional days in which to overcome the inadequacies. The notice shall specify the nature of the inadequacy with such particularity as to furnish the teacher an opportunity to correct the inadequacies and maintain adequate classroom performance as defined by the Governing Board.
● The Superintendent is authorized to issue preliminary notices of inadequacy of classroom performance without prior Board approval. The Superintendent will notify the Board of such issuance within ten (10) days of such issuance.
● The preliminary notice of inadequacy of classroom performance shall be accompanied by a correction plan designed to help the teacher correct inadequacies and demonstrate adequate classroom performance.
Nonrenewal/Dismissal of Certificated Employees:
● The Board shall authorize, as necessary, and send notice to teachers who will not be reemployed for the ensuing school year.
● The written notice of intention to dismiss or not to reemploy shall include a copy of any valid evaluation pertinent to the charges made.
● Notice of the Board's intention not to reemploy a probationary teacher shall be made by delivering it personally to the teacher or by sending it by registered or certified mail to the teacher at the teacher's place of residence, as recorded in the District's records. The notice shall incorporate a statement of reasons for not reemploying the teacher.
● If a teacher does not correct inadequacies and demonstrate adequate classroom performance following the preliminary notice of inadequacy of classroom performance accompanied by a correction plan and the statutory time allocated for such improvement has elapsed, a written notice of intention to dismiss or not to reemploy may be issued.
● The Governing Board shall give any certificated teacher notice of intention to dismiss or not to reemploy if such intention is based on charges of inadequacy of classroom performance. The Governing Board or its authorized representative at least forty-five (45) instructional days before such notice, shall give the teacher written preliminary notice of inadequacy of classroom performance, specifying the nature thereof with such particularity as to furnish the teacher an opportunity to correct inadequacies and maintain adequate classroom performance. A notice of the Governing Board's intention to dismiss or not to reemploy for inadequacy of classroom performance shall not be issued until the District has completed an observation at the conclusion of a performance improvement plan.
● In the case of a continuing teacher, if the teacher does not demonstrate adequate classroom performance within the allotted time the Board may dismiss the teacher as provided by statute.