GCOEVALUATION OF PROFESSIONAL
STAFF MEMBERS
GCOThe process and purpose 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 staff.
Definition of Terms
In this policy:
● Certificated teacher means a person who holds a certificate from the State Board of Education to work in the school 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 his time to classroom teaching.
● Inadequacy of classroom performance means the definition of inadequacy of classroom performance adopted by the Governing Board.
● Performance classifications means the four (4) performance classifications for teachers and principals under the law and defined by the State Board of Education.
● 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.
Certain elements in an effective evaluation process shall be emphasized:
● Evaluation shall be a cooperative endeavor between evaluator and evaluatee.
● Open communication shall be considered essential.
● 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.
● Evaluation shall be continuous, flexible, and sensitive to need for revision.
● 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.
● Evaluation shall be considered one aspect of effective management, rather than a discrete entity.
● Effective evaluation depends on accurate information; therefore, input from all appropriate sources shall be used.
● Evaluation(s) shall be based on, but not limited to, the following:
■ Student learning is the primary focus of the teacher's professional time.
■ Job expectations within the District.
■ Instruments for assessment of teacher performance.
■ Student achievement data.
■ Personal observation.
Evaluation of Classroom Teachers
and Other Certificated Non-
administrative Staff Members
The District evaluation instrument will utilize the required elements of the model framework for a teacher and principal evaluation instrument adopted by the State Board of Education that includes quantitative data on student academic progress that accounts for between thirty-three percent (33%) and fifty percent (50%) of the evaluation outcomes. The model framework shall 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 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 teacher performance evaluation system. The following elements will be a part of the evaluation system:
● 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.
● A copy of the evaluation system shall be given to each teacher in the District.
● 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.
● The Board shall receive from the Superintendent recommendations for qualified evaluators prior to naming evaluators.
● The best practices for professional development and evaluator training adopted by the State Board of Education shall be followed by evaluators.
● The Board will designate qualified evaluators by name or position at a Board meeting each year.
● The system will include incentives for teachers in the highest performance classification.
● The system will include a plan for the appropriate use of quantitative data of student academic progress in evaluations of all certificated teachers.
The Governing Board waives 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. Both teacher and evaluator must sign an agreement if the second observation is to be waived.
Either the qualified evaluator or another Board designee 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 purposes of ascertaining that the teacher is demonstrating adequate performance.
Inadequacy of Classroom Performance
Definitions
Continuing Teachers. A continuing teacher's classroom performance is inadequate if the teacher receives a rating of ineffective (emerging) in one (1) or more elements in the teacher's formal observation score. A teacher's classroom performance is also inadequate if the teacher receives a rating of developing (applying) in three (3) or more of the elements in the teacher's formal observation score.
Probationary Teachers. A probationary teacher's classroom performance is inadequate if the teacher receives a rating of ineffective (emerging) in one (1) or more of the elements in the teacher's formal observation score. A teacher's classroom performance is also inadequate if the teacher receives a rating of developing (applying) in five (5) or more of the elements in the teacher's formal observation score.
A teacher whose evaluation is used as criterion for establishing compensation and who disagrees with the evaluation may make a written appeal. The teacher shall have the burden of proof in the appeal. The appeal shall go to the Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee(s).
Procedures
A teacher whose overall rating is ineffective (emerging) or developing (applying) shall be issued a notice of inadequacy of classroom performance.
A notice of inadequacy shall be used after the first observation and before completion of a formal evaluation if the observation indicates that the teacher's performance is inadequate. The teacher will be provided with an improvement plan and an opportunity to correct the inadequacies before the second formal observation.
Prior approval by the Board is not required for each notice of inadequacy. The Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee 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) school 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 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 School 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:
● Recommendations as to areas of improvement in the performance of the certificated school psychologist if the performance warrants improvement.
● After transmittal of an assessment, a Board designee shall confer with the certificated school psychologist to make specific recommendations as to areas of improvement in performance.
● 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 determined.
● 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: August 27, 2013
LEGAL REF.:
A.R.S.
15-203
15-502
15-503
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:
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