DP311 – Evaluation of Licensed Personnel

It is the policy of the Board to require all licensed personnel to participate in the evaluation program for the following purposes:

1. To promote the professional growth and development of educators.
2. To recognize and encourage the use of effective teaching behaviors which contribute to student progress.
3. To identify teachers according to their abilities, with the performance expectation that educators strive to receive an effective or highly effective rating.
4. To provide a basis for decisions affecting employment.

1. Definitions
   1. "Working days" means the days the educator being evaluated is under contract to work.
   2. "Career educator" means a licensed employee entitled to rely upon continued employment under the policies of the District.
   3. "Provisional educator" means any educator employed by the District who has not achieved status as a career educator, other than a Temporary employee.
   4. “Retired provisional educator” means any educator who has retired from the profession and is returning within three years to a licensed position. The employee’s status is provisional for one year.
   5. "Probationary educator" means any educator employed by the District who has been advised that his/ her performance is inadequate.
   6. "Temporary employee" means an individual who is employed by the District on a temporary basis. Temporary employees include but are not necessarily limited to the following:  substitute teachers, employees hired under contracts for one (1) year only or for less than one (1) year; employees whose positions are funded by grants and/or yearly allocated state or federal monies; and employees whose positions are authorized for no more than twelve (12) months.  A temporary employee also includes anyone who possesses a competency-based license as recommended by the local Board of Education and does not hold a level 1, 2, or 3 license as defined in Section 53A-6-103.
   7. “Jordan Performance Appraisal System (JPAS) evaluation” means the evaluation system for all groups including classroom teachers, special education teachers, speech and language pathologists, school psychologists, counselors, teacher specialists, library media, nurses, audiologists, occupational and physical therapists. The JPAS will be the evaluation of professional practices for high quality performance.
   8. "Utah Effective Teaching Standards-based Jordan Performance Appraisal System (UETS-based JPAS) evaluation" means two unscheduled observations and an interview completed using the UETS-based JPAS instrument. UETS-based JPAS is the summative evaluation tool to be used to evaluate those educators who are in a classroom setting on professional performance, student growth, and stakeholder input.
   9. “Specialized subgroup” means those educators who work in a non-classroom setting such as school psychologists, counselors, teacher specialists, library media, nurses, audiologists, occupational and physical therapist. The summative evaluations used to evaluate the performance of specialized subgroups are administered online through the Jordan Performance Learning System (JPLS).
   10. “Stakeholder input” is input from parents and students collected by appropriate data gathering methods and represents quality practice.
   11. A "summative evaluation" means evaluations that are used to make annual decisions or ratings of educator performance and may inform decisions on salary and employment.
   12. A "formative evaluation" is an evaluation that provides educators with information and assessments on how to improve their performance.
   13. "Other lines of evidence" used for evaluation may include but are not limited to documented concerns or positive written communications from parents, students or colleagues, documented deficiencies in work habits, and/or awards and recognitions for outstanding teaching performance.
   14. A "mentor" is an educator assigned by the immediate supervisor to assist a provisional educator to become effective and competent in the teaching profession.
   15. A “consulting educator” is an educator who has completed special training in coaching and assisting teachers in improving teaching skills and effectiveness. Consulting educators are assigned to educators through the Teaching and Learning Department.
   16. A “level of performance” means upon the completion of a JPAS evaluation, the educator will receive one of the four following differentiated levels of performance: highly effective, effective, emerging/minimally effective, or not effective.
2. The JPAS is the District's tool for evaluating an educator's performance.
3. The Educator Interim Evaluation is the District’s tool for conducting interim evaluations of career educators.
4. Each licensed employee shall be evaluated by his/her principal, principal's designee, or immediate supervisor.
5.  The principal and/or other licensed JPAS evaluator shall review the purposes and procedures of the evaluation program with all licensed educators at least once each contract year, and each licensed educator shall be provided a copy of the JPAS evaluation instrument.  The educator shall be notified of the evaluation process at least fifteen (15) working days prior to beginning the evaluation.  All provisional educators shall be assigned a mentor.  The mentor will assist the provisional educator in becoming effective and competent in the teaching profession.
6. Evaluation frequency
   1. Career educators shall be evaluated annually.
   2. Provisional educators shall be evaluated at least once a year. First year provisional educators will be evaluated twice during the contract year.  Second and third year provisional educators that receive a level of performance of “Highly Effective” on the first evaluation cycle will be evaluated once during the contract year.  Second and third year provisional educators that receive a level of performance that is in the “Effective, Minimally Effective, or Not Effective” range on the first evaluation cycle will be evaluated at least twice during the contract year.
   3. Probationary educators shall be evaluated when necessary but not fewer than twice each contract year.
   4. Each licensed educator may be evaluated by his/her principal, principal's designee, or immediate supervisor when necessary.
7. A UETS-based JPAS evaluation shall include two unscheduled classroom observations, an interview, and professional development meeting.
   1. Two systematic, unscheduled classroom observations shall be conducted by the principal, principal's designee or immediate supervisor using the UETS-based JPAS observation instrument.
      1. Each classroom observation shall be 30 minutes or more of observable time (as defined in the UETS-based JPAS Domains Document) and the two classroom observations shall not be conducted more than fifteen (15) working days apart. The second observation may not be conducted on the same day as the first observation. An educator may request a different observation time once during the evaluation cycle.
      2. The data collected from the first unscheduled observation is sent to the Jordan Evaluation Systems (JES) office as soon as it is completed. The data collected from the second observation and the interview is sent to the JES office to be electronically scored within five (5) working days after completing the interview.
   2. An interview between the educator and principal, principal's designee, or immediate supervisor shall be held within five (5) working days of the second classroom observation. During this interview, data are collected on indicators, which are not included in the UETS-based JPAS classroom observation.  The data collected from the classroom observations are not discussed during the interview.
   3. An individualized UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report will be produced and returned to the building administrator within five (5) working days of the receipt of the second UETS-based JPAS observation and interview form at the District Office.
   4. Within fifteen (15) working days of receipt of the UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report, the principal or immediate supervisor shall hold a professional development meeting for the educator.
      1. The UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report and other lines of evidence shall be reviewed.
      2. Goals for a professional growth plan will be identified on the back of the UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report.
      3. Professional growth activities shall be identified to assist educators whose total score on the UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report is in the level of performance of the "Not Effective" range and a timeline for demonstrating acceptable levels of improvement shall be prepared on the UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report Addendum.
      4. If the educator does not agree with any portion of the UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report, other evidence, or professional growth activities as outlined, the educator has the right to attach a report to the UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report stating his/her views.
      5. The UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report and Addendum, if any, shall be signed by both the educator and the principal, or immediate supervisor. The educator's signature indicates receipt of the report but does not necessarily signify agreement with its contents.
      6. Copies of the UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report and Addendum, if any, shall be given to the educator and principal or immediate supervisor, and the original(s) are sent to the Jordan Evaluation Systems (JES) office.
8. Additional evaluations shall be scheduled for provisional educators whose JPAS total score is in the level of performance of the "Not Effective" range. Additional evaluations shall be scheduled for career educators whose JPAS total score is in the level of performance of the "Not Effective" range.
   1. A second evaluation for provisional educators shall begin twenty (20) working days or more following the professional development meeting. The second evaluation must be completed sixty (60) working days prior to the end of the contract year.  In addition to the mentor, additional personnel resources may be used to assist the provisional educator whose total score was in the level of performance of the  “Not Effective” range on the first evaluation. Procedures outlined in item G. shall be repeated.
      1. Provisional educators whose total score is in the level of performance of the "Not Effective" range shall be given twenty (20) working days or more to improve performance and then a third evaluation shall begin. The educator shall be notified that continued employment with the District is in question.  The plan for improvement developed during the professional development meeting shall serve as the plan required in the Orderly Termination policy.  Request for an outside evaluator must be submitted in writing no later than ten (10) working days after the professional development meeting. The written request must be sent to the JES office. This second or third evaluation may be conducted by the building administrator or, at the request of the administrator or educator, may be conducted by another individual licensed in the use of the JPAS.
      2. Provisional educators whose total score remains in the level of performance of the "Not Effective" range on the third evaluation shall be subject to the provisions of Policies DP313—Provisional and Probationary Licensed Personnel, and DP316 NEG—Orderly Termination Procedures for Licensed Personnel.
   2. Career educators whose JPAS total score is in the level of performance of the "Not Effective" range shall be given access to resources to help improve performance, and a second evaluation shall begin twenty (20) working days or more following the professional development meeting. The third evaluation must be completed thirty (30) working days prior to the end of the contract year.  If this evaluation cannot be completed thirty (30) days prior to the end of the contract year, the third evaluation will begin in the next contract year as soon as policy provisions allow.  Request for an outside evaluator must be submitted in writing no later than ten (10) working days after the professional development meeting. The written request must be sent to the JES office. This second or third evaluation may be conducted by the building administrator or, at the request of the administrator or educator, may be conducted by another individual certified in the use of the JPAS.
      1. Career educators whose total score improves to the level of performance of the "Minimally Effective, Effective, or Highly Effective" range on the second evaluation have met the evaluation requirements.
      2. Career educators whose total score remains in the level of performance of the "Not Effective" range on the second evaluation shall be placed on probation in accordance with Policy DP313—Provisional and Probationary Licensed Personnel, given access to resources to help improve performance, allowed twenty (20) working days or more to improve performance, and then a third evaluation shall begin.  The educator shall be notified that continued employment with the District is in question.  The plan for improvement developed during the professional development meeting will serve as the plan required in Policy DP316 NEG—Orderly Termination Procedures for Licensed Personnel.
      3. Career educators whose total score remains in the level of performance in the "Not Effective" range on the third evaluation shall be subject to the provisions of Policy DP316 NEG—Orderly Termination Procedures for Licensed Personnel.
   3. Career educators, whose JPAS total score is in the level of performance of the "Minimally Effective" range, shall be given access to resources to help improve performance and may request an additional evaluation within ten (10) working days of receipt of the UETS-based JPAS Feedback Report. Request for an outside evaluator must be submitted in writing no later than ten (10) working days after the professional development meeting. The written request must be sent to the JES office. This evaluation may be conducted by the building administrator or, at the request of the administrator or educator, may be conducted by another individual certified in the use of the JPAS. The additional evaluation will begin at least fifteen (15) working days after the request is received in the JES office.
9. Educators whose JPAS total score is in the level of performance of “Not Effective” may not advance on the adopted salary schedule
   1. When compensation is withheld, both the educator and the principal, or immediate supervisor, will sign verifying documentation.
10. Right to review and appeal
    1. Educators have fifteen (15) calendar days following the completion of the evaluation process to request a review of the evaluation findings.
    2. Educators have the right to appeal decisions or implementations based on evaluations under Policy DP315 NEG—Grievance Procedures—Licensed.
11.  An Educator Interim Evaluation shall be conducted as an evaluation for a career educator each year a JPAS evaluation is not administered; however, a JPAS evaluation may be administered the same year an Educator Interim Evaluation is administered, if requested by the principal, principal’s designee or immediate supervisor.  The Educator Interim Evaluation shall be used by the educator and principal or immediate supervisor as a formative tool throughout the school year that the evaluation takes place.
    1. The Educator Interim Evaluation shall be available electronically.
    2. The level of performance on the Educator Interim Evaluation is the total score from the educator’s last full JPAS evaluation.
    3. The Educator Interim Evaluation will be discussed and acknowledged by both the educator and the principal or immediate supervisor by the end of the school year that the evaluation takes place. The educator’s acknowledgement does not necessarily indicate agreement with the evaluation, but acknowledges they have met with the evaluator and have received this information.
12. Evaluation records are classified as "Private Records" and shall be managed according to the provisions of Policy DP367—District Records Management.
13. Nothing in this policy shall prevent the District from taking appropriate disciplinary action for cause as provided for by Utah law, the Utah Code, Utah Administrative Rule, or District Policy DP316 NEG - Orderly Termination Procedures—Licensed.