Evaluation of Certificated Personnel
The RISE Charter School has a firm commitment to performance evaluation of RISE Charter School personnel, through the medium of a formalized system. The primary purpose of such evaluation is to assist personnel in professional development, in achieving RISE Charter School goals, and to assist with decisions regarding personnel actions. This policy applies to certificated personnel, but the RISE Charter School shall differentiate between non-instructional and pupil instructional personnel. The Executive Director is hereby directed to create procedures that differentiate between certificated non-instructional and certificated pupil instructional personnel in a way that aligns with the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching Second Edition to the extent possible and aligns to the pupil staff’s applicable national standards.
Each certificated staff member shall receive at least one written evaluation to be completed by no later than June 1st for each annual contract year of employment and shall use multiple measures that are research based and aligned to the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching Second Edition domains and components. The evaluation of certificated personnel shall annually include a minimum of two documented observations, one of which shall be completed prior to January 1st. In situations where certificated personnel are unavailable for two documented classroom observations, due to situations such as long-term illness, late year hire, etc., one documented classroom observation is acceptable.
Objectives
The formal performance evaluation system is designed to:
1. Maintain or improve each employee's job satisfaction and morale by letting him or her know that the supervisor is interested in his or her job progress and personal development;
2. Serve as a systematic guide for supervisors in planning each employee's further training;
3. Assure considered opinion of an employee's performance and focus maximum attention on achievement of assigned duties;
4. Assist in determining and recording special talents, skills, and capabilities that might otherwise not be noticed or recognized;
5. Assist in planning personnel moves and placements that will best utilize each employee's capabilities;
6. Provide an opportunity for each employee to discuss job problems and interests with his or her supervisor; and
7. Assemble substantiating data for use as a guide, although not necessarily the sole governing factor, for such purposes as wage adjustments, promotions, disciplinary action, and termination.
Responsibility
The Executive Director or his or her designee shall have the overall responsibility for the administration and monitoring of the Performance Evaluation Program and shall ensure the fairness and efficiency of its execution, including:
1. Distributing proper evaluation forms in a timely manner;
2. Ensuring completed evaluations are returned for filing by a specified date;
3. Reviewing evaluations for completeness;
4. Identifying discrepancies;
5. Ensuring proper safeguards and filing of completed evaluations;
6. Creating and implementing a plan for ongoing training for evaluators and certificated personnel on the RISE Charter School’s evaluation standards, forms, and processes and a plan for collecting and using data gathered from evaluations;
7. Creating a plan for ongoing review of the RISE Charter School’s Performance Evaluation Program that includes stakeholder input from teachers, Board Members, administrators, parents/guardians, and other interested parties;
8. Creating a procedure for remediation for employees that receive evaluations indicating that remediation would be an appropriate course of action; and
9. Creating an individualized evaluation rating system for how evaluations will be used to identify proficiency and record growth over time with a minimum of four rankings used to differentiate performance of certificate holders including: unsatisfactory being equal to a rating of 1; basic being equal to a rating of 2; proficient being equal to a rating of 3; and distinguished being equal to a rating of 4.
The Immediate Supervisor is the employee's evaluator and is responsible for:
1. Continuously observing and evaluating an employee's job performance including a minimum of two documented observations annually for certificated personnel, one of which shall be completed prior to January 1st of each year;
2. Holding periodic counseling sessions with each employee to discuss job performance;
3. Completing Performance Evaluations as required; and
The individuals assigned this responsibility shall have received training in conducting evaluations based on the statewide framework for evaluations within the immediate previous five years of conducting any evaluations.
Written Evaluation
A written summative evaluation will be completed for each certificated employee by June 1st. A copy will be given to the employee. The original will be retained by the Immediate Supervisor. The evaluation should be reviewed annually and revised as necessary to indicate any significant changes in duties or responsibilities. The evaluation is designed to increase planning and relate performance to assigned responsibilities through joint understanding between the evaluator and the employee as to the job description and major performance objectives.
The written evaluation will identify the sources of data used in conducting the evaluation. Aggregate data shall be considered as part of the RISE Charter School and individual RISE Charter School needs assessment in determining professional development offerings.
Evaluation Measures
Observations: Periodic classroom observations will be included in the evaluation process with a minimum of two documented observations annually for certificated personnel, one of which shall be completed prior to January 1st. In situations where certificated personnel are unavailable for two documented classroom observations, due to situations such as long-term illness, late year hire, etc., one documented classroom observation is acceptable.
Professional Practice: A majority of the evaluation of certificated personnel will be comprised of Professional Practice based on the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching Second Edition. The evaluation will include at least one of the following as a measure to inform the Professional Practice portion: input received from parents/guardians, input received from students, and/or portfolios. The RISE Charter School has chosen all of the above as its measure(s) to inform the Professional Practice portion. The Board shall determine the manner and weight of parental input, student input, and/or portfolios on the evaluation.
Student Achievement: Instructional staff evaluation ratings must, in part, be based on measurable student achievement as defined in Section 33-1001, Idaho Code, applicable to the subjects and grade ranges taught by the instructional staff. All other certificated staff evaluations must include measurable student achievement or student success indicators as applicable to the position. This portion of the evaluation may be calculated using current and/or the immediate past year’s data and may use one or both years’ data. Growth in student achievement may be considered as an optional measure for all other school-based and RISE Charter School-based staff, as determined by the Board.
Charlotte Danielson Framework: The evaluation will be aligned with minimum State standards and based upon the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching Second Edition and will include, at a minimum, the following general criteria upon which the Professional Practice portion will be based. Individual domain and component ratings must be determined based on a combination of professional practice and student achievement as specified above.
1. Planning and Preparation
A. Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy;
B. Demonstrating Knowledge of Students;
C. Setting Instructional Outcomes;
D. Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources;
E. Designing Coherent Instruction; and
F. Designing Student Assessments.
2. Classroom Learning Environment
A. Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport;
B. Establishing a Culture for Learning;
C. Managing Classroom Procedures;
D. Managing Student Behavior; and
E. Organizing Physical Space.
3. Instruction and Use of Assessment
A. Communicating with Students;
B. Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques;
C. Engaging Students in Learning;
D. Using Assessment in Instruction; and
E. Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness.
4. Professional Responsibilities:
A. Reflecting on Teaching;
B. Maintaining Accurate Records;
C. Communicating with Families;
D. Participating in a Professional Community;
E. Growing and Developing Professionally; and
F. Showing Professionalism.
Meeting with the Employee
Counseling Sessions: Counseling sessions between supervisors and employees may be scheduled periodically. During these sessions, an open dialogue should occur which allows the exchange of performance oriented information. The employee should be informed of how he or she has performed to date. If the employee is not meeting performance expectations, the employee should be informed of the steps necessary to improve performance to the desired level. Counseling sessions should include, but not be limited to, the following: job responsibilities, performance of duties, and attendance. A memorandum for record will be prepared following each counseling session and maintained by the supervisor.
Communication of Results: Each evaluation shall include a meeting with the affected employee to communicate evaluation results. At the scheduled meeting with the employee, the supervisor will:
1. Discuss the evaluation with the employee, emphasizing strong and weak points in job performance. Commend the employee for a job well done if applicable and discuss specific corrective action if warranted. Set mutual goals for the employee to reach before the next performance evaluation. Recommendations should specifically state methods to correct weaknesses and/or prepare the employee for future promotions.
2. Allow the employee to make any written comments he or she desires. Inform the employee that he or she may turn in a written rebuttal/appeal of any portion of the evaluation within seven days and outline the process for rebuttal/appeal. Have the employee sign the evaluation indicating that he or she has been given a copy and initial after supervisor’s comments.
No earlier than seven days following the meeting, if the supervisor has not received any written rebuttal/appeal, the supervisor will forward the original evaluation in a sealed envelope, marked “Personnel-Evaluation” to the Executive Director, or the designee, for review. The supervisor will also retain a copy of the completed form.
Rebuttals/Appeal
Within seven days from the date of the evaluation meeting with their supervisor, the employee may file a written rebuttal/appeal of any portion of the evaluation. The written rebuttal/appeal shall state the specific content of the evaluation with which the employee disagrees, a statement of the reason(s) for disagreement, and the amendment to the evaluation requested.
If a written rebuttal/appeal is received by the supervisor within seven days, the supervisor may conduct additional meetings or investigative activities necessary to address the rebuttal/appeal. Subsequent to these activities, and within a period of ten working days, the supervisor may provide the employee with a written response either amending the evaluation as requested by the employee or stating the reason(s) why the supervisor will not be amending the evaluation as requested.
If the supervisor chooses to amend the evaluation as requested by the employee then the amended copy of the evaluation will be provided to, and signed by, the employee. The original amended evaluation will then be forwarded to the Executive Director, or the designee, for review in a sealed envelope, marked Personnel-Evaluation. The supervisor will also retain a copy of the completed form.
If the supervisor chooses not to amend the evaluation as requested by the employee then the evaluation along with the written rebuttal/appeal, and the supervisor’s response, if any, will be forwarded to the Executive Director, or the designee, for review in a sealed envelope, marked Personnel-Evaluation. The supervisor will also retain a copy of the completed evaluation including any rebuttal/appeal and responses.
Action
Each evaluation will include identification of the actions, if any, available to the RISE Charter School as a result of the evaluation as well as the procedure(s) for implementing each action. Available actions include, but are not limited to, recommendations for renewal of employment, non-renewal of employment, probation, and others as determined. Should any action be taken as a result of an evaluation to not renew an individual’s contract, the RISE Charter School will comply with the requirements and procedures established by State law.
Records
Permanent records of each certificated personnel’s evaluation and any properly submitted rebuttal/appeal documentation will be maintained in the employee’s personnel file. All evaluation records, including rebuttal/appeal documentation, will be kept confidential within the parameters identified in State and federal law regarding the right to privacy.
Reporting
Any subsequent changes to the RISE Charter School’s evaluation plan shall be resubmitted to the State Department of Education for approval. The RISE Charter School shall report the summative rankings, the number of components rated as unsatisfactory, whether a majority of the certificated personnel’s students met their measurable student achievement or growth targets or student success indicators as well as what measures were used, and whether an individualized professional learning plan is in place for all certificated personnel evaluations, annually to the State Department of Education.
Legal References:
I.C. § 33-1001 Foundation Program — State Aid — Apportionment – Definitions
IDAPA 08.02.02.120 Local District Evaluation Policy -- Instructional Staff and Pupil Service Staff Certificate Holders
Policy History
Adopted on: July 12, 2021
Revised on:
Reviewed on: