D-100-AR: Certificated Staff Growth, Supervision and Evaluation
References:
- D-100; D-100-BR
- Education Act: sections 18,196,197,215,222
- A-150 Discrimination and Harassment
- B-150, Appeal of Matters Affecting the Education of Students
- Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy
- School Authority Accountability Policy
- An Integrated Framework to Enhance the Quality of Teaching in Alberta, A Policy Position Paper, Alberta Education 1996
- Teaching Quality Standard
- Leadership Quality Standard
- Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard
- Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
DEFINITIONS FROM ALBERTA EDUCATION POLICY
1. A professional practice standard identifies the competency requirements for members of a profession.
2. Evaluation means the formal process of gathering and recording information or evidence over a period of time and the application of reasoned professional judgment by a principal or superintendent in determining whether the teacher meets, or does not meet the Professional Practice Standard applicable to their designated position.
3. Teacher means:
3.1 a teacher as defined in the Education Act
4. Principal means:
5. a principal as defined in the Education Act; Superintendent means:
5.1 Superintendent or designee in respect to fulfilling obligations under section 222 of the Education Act, or for purposes of making recommendations under the Certification of Teachers Regulations.
6. Staff member will be defined as the teacher or administrator being evaluated.
7. Supervision means the ongoing process by which a principal or superintendent carries out duties with respect to teachers and teaching required under section 197 and 222 of the Education Act, and exercises educational leadership.
8. Professional Growth means the career-long learning process whereby certificated staff annually develops and implements a plan to achieve professional learning objectives or goals that are consistent with the Professional Practice Standards
9. Teaching Quality Standard refers to the authorized competencies and indicators and any additional standards or indicators consistent with the Teaching Quality Standard and the mission of the school authority.
10. Leadership Quality Standard refers to the authorized competencies and indicators and any additional standards and indicators consistent with the Leadership Quality Standard and the mission of the school authority
11.Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard refers to the authorized competencies and indicators and any additional standards and indicators consistent with the Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard and the mission of the school authority
12. Notice of Remediation means the written statement issued by a principal or superintendent to a teacher where the supervisor has determined that a teacher does not meet the professional practice standard applicable to the teacher’s designated position, and such a statement describes:
12.1 the behaviors or practices that do not meet the Teaching, Leadership or Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard and the changes required;
12.2 the remediation strategies the teacher is advised to pursue; and
12.3 how the determination will be made that the required changes in behavior or practice have taken place, applicable timelines, and the consequences of not achieving the required changes including, but not limited to, termination of a teacher's contract of employment. Division and school administrators are expected to be familiar with Alberta Education policies and regulations related to certificated staff growth, supervision, and evaluation.
GROWTH
Professional Growth Plan development is determined through use of a collaborative process involving the teacher, principal, or superintendent.
1. A teacher or administrator employed by the board under a probationary or continuing contract is responsible for developing and implementing an annual professional growth plan. This responsibility extends to a teacher employed on a temporary contract of 110 days or more.
2. The annual professional growth plan is to:
2.1 reflect goals and objectives that are specific and measurable, and based on the staff member's assessment of their learning needs;
2.2 show a demonstrable relationship to the Teaching, Leadership or Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard; and
2.3 take into consideration the education plans of the school, the division, Alberta Education, and the division's mission statement.
3. The professional growth plan may:
3.1 include a planned program of mentoring a teacher or supervising a student teacher;
3.2 be a component of a long term, multi-year plan.
4. Teacher annual professional growth plans are submitted to the principal or designate for review or approval and may be modified to enhance effectiveness as required. Administrators submit their annual growth plans to the superintendent or designate for review or approval. The deadline for submission of annual professional growth plans is November 1st except in cases when employment began after September 15th. For these staff members, the deadline for submitting annual professional growth plans is 60 days from their start date of employment.
5. A written culminating report to the annual professional growth plan is to be presented to the superintendent, principal, or designate by May 30th for review or approval.
6. The content of annual professional growth plans are not part of a summative evaluation without the teacher's consent.
7. Administrators are to review and retain the completed annual growth plans and return them to staff members prior to the end of the school year.
SUPERVISION
8. The ongoing supervision of staff by administrators is to include:
8.1 providing support and guidance geared toward facilitating professional growth
8.2 observing and receiving information from a variety of sources about the quality of staff performance;
8.3 identifying behaviors or practices that may require evaluation; and
8.4 identifying behaviors or practices that are exemplary.
EVALUATION
The purpose of evaluation is to provide clear, specific feedback to staff that validates strengths and identifies areas for growth or improvement as related to professional practice.
9. Evaluation of a staff member will be conducted:
9.1 on at least two occasions when recommending a teacher be issued a permanent professional certificate or
continuous designation; and
9.1.1 on at least one occasion the superintendent or designation will complete an observation which may lead
to a future evaluation.
9.2 during the probationary years of a new administrative appointment:
9.2.1 on at least one occasion the superintendent or designation will complete an observation which may lead to a future evaluation; and
9.2.2 formal evaluation with recommendation is completed during the second year of the probationary period.
10. Evaluation of a staff member may be conducted:
10.1 upon written request by the staff member;
10.2 for the purpose of gathering information related to a specific employment decision;
10.3 for the purpose of assessing growth in specific areas of practice; and
10.4 when, on the basis of information received through supervision, the superintendent, principal, or designate has reason to believe the staff member's performance may not meet the applicable professional practice standard.
11. Prior to initiating an evaluation, the superintendent, principal, or designate is to meet with the staff member and communicate explicitly in writing:
11.1 the reason(s) and purposes of the evaluation;
11.2 the process, criteria, and standards to be used;
11.3 the timelines to be applied; and
11.4 the possible outcomes of the evaluation, including appeal procedures.
12. The evaluation process is to include multiple observations based on the criteria established in #11 of this policy and conferencing related to these observations.
13. Upon completion of an evaluation, the superintendent, principal, or designate is to provide the staff member with a copy of the completed evaluation report containing descriptive assessments in the performance areas specified which may include areas of strength, directions for growth and recommendations.
14. Where, as the result of an evaluation, the superintendent, principal, or designate determines that a change in the behavior or practice of a staff member is required, the evaluator is to provide the staff member with a written notice of remediation and may stipulate that the remediation strategies stated in that notice replace the obligation of the staff member to develop and implement an annual professional growth plan.
15. The onus is on the teacher to remediate and correct any practices, which do not meet the applicable professional practice standard, but upon request of the teacher, the superintendent will make available personnel to provide assistance.
16. A staff member who disagrees with an evaluation may submit a written response to the evaluator or appeal the evaluation to the superintendent following the procedures outlined.
17. An administrator who disagrees with the superintendent's evaluation may submit a written response to the superintendent or appeal the evaluation to the board following the procedures outlined in Policy B-150.
APPEAL PROCEDURES
18. A staff member, who is not an administrator, who disagrees with an evaluation may appeal it to the superintendent as follows:
18.1 Submit a written letter of appeal to the superintendent within two weeks of receiving the evaluation report. Specific concerns related to the evaluation must be detailed in the letter.
18.2 Within two weeks of receipt of the appeal, the superintendent or designate will establish a procedure for reviewing the evaluation. This will include:
18.2.1 a review of the staff member's file;
18.2.2 a meeting with the staff member, evaluator, and other administrative staff as appropriate;
18.2.3 additional observation(s) and evaluation of the staff member by the superintendent or a designate administrator;
18.2.4 a review of documentation presented by the staff member and administrator pertinent to the appeal; and
18.2.5 a review of other information related to the evaluation report or process.
18.3 Upon completion of the review, the superintendent or designate shall indicate in writing, observations and recommendations regarding the appeal.
18.4 The decision of the superintendent is final.
OTHER
19. This policy does not restrict:
19.1 the superintendent from taking disciplinary or other action as deemed appropriate, where there are reasonable grounds for believing that the actions or practices of a teacher or administrator endanger the safety of students, constitute a neglect of duty, a breach trust, or a refusal to obey a lawful order of the school board; or
19.2 the board or superintendent from taking any action or exercising any right or power under the Education Act.