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Administrative Procedure 423: TEACHER EVALUATION

Background

The Division has the expectation that all teachers will consistently meet or exceed the "Teaching Quality Standard" established by the Department of Education, as set out in Ministerial Order #016/97, a copy of which is attached as an Appendix. Teachers, Principals, Superintendent and the Board each have responsibilities to ensure the achievement of this standard. Further, as the employer, the Board expects that all teachers will actively support and comply with all Division and school initiatives, directives and policies.

Definition 

Evaluation is 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 one or more aspects of a teacher's practice exceeds, meets, or does not meet the Teaching Quality Standard.

Notice of Remediation means the written statement issued by a Principal or Superintendent to a teacher where the Principal’s report flowing from the evaluation of the teacher has determined that a teacher's practice does not meet the Teaching Quality Standard. Such a statement describes:

  • The behaviours or practices that do not meet the Teaching Quality Standard and the changes required;
  • The remediation strategies the teacher is advised to pursue, and
  • How the determination will be made that the required changes in behaviour or practice have taken place; the standards that will be applied; applicable timelines; and, the consequences of not achieving the required changes and standards, including but not limited to, the termination of a teacher's contract of employment.

Principal means a Principal as defined in the Education Act.

Superintendent means any person designated as a Superintendent by the Board, and includes any person delegated by the Superintendent to carry out any function on behalf of that person.

Supervision is the on-going process by which a Principal carries out duties and exercises educational leadership in respect to teachers and teaching as required by Administrative Procedure 422 and Section 197 of the Education Act.

Teaching Quality Standard (Ministerial Order 016/97) is the knowledge, skills and attributes representing professional competence. The Board reserves the right to add and/or specify expectations that build upon the minimum standards identified by the TQS in order to further build capacity and enhance teacher efficacy.


Procedures

  1. An evaluation of a certified teacher may be conducted:
    1. Upon the written request of the teacher;
    2. For purposes of gathering information related to a specific employment decision such as but not limited to granting a continuous contract or making a recommendation for permanent certification;
    3. For purposes of assessing the growth of the teacher in specific areas of practice;
    4. When on the basis of information received through supervision, the Principal has reason to believe that the teaching practice of the teacher may not meet the Teaching Quality Standard.

  2. A teacher shall be evaluated by their Principal or Vice-Principal. In addition, the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, or designate as determined by the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, may conduct evaluations in concert with the Principal.
    1. When initiating an evaluation, the Principal must communicate explicitly to the teacher:
      1. The reasons for and purposes of the evaluation, including reference to specific Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (KSA’s) set out in the “Teaching Quality Standard” that are in issue,
      2. The process, criteria and standards to be used,
      3. The timelines to be applied, and
      4. The possible outcomes of the evaluation.
    2. The appropriate standards for the evaluation considering both the contractual status of the teacher being evaluated and the purpose of the evaluation shall be applied.

  3. Notice of Evaluation
    1. Where the Principal determines, pursuant to the clause 1.1.4, that an evaluation of the teacher’s performance is to be undertaken, the Principal shall inform the teacher, in accordance with the requirements of clause 2.2 and shall immediately inform the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. 
    2. The procedure for issuing a Notice of Evaluation is as follows:
      1. The Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and the Principal will meet with the teacher to review the matters set out in the Notice of Evaluation.
      2. Adjustments may be made to the content of the Notice to ensure fairness.
      3. The Principal will prepare and deliver to the teacher and Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, a written account of the meeting.

  4. Evaluation Processes
    1. Evaluation of teachers who do not possess a permanent professional certificate and/or a continuing contract of employment:
      1. The evaluation team may consist of the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources or designate, and the Principal. At least two (2) formal written evaluations will be completed, with the first being completed by the end of November and the second being completed by the end of March in the current school year.
      2. Evaluations will focus on determining the degree to which the teacher possesses and applies the appropriate Knowledge, Skills and Attributes as outlined in the Appendix – Ministerial Order 016/97.
      3. The Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources shall make a recommendation pertaining to the teacher’s employment in a final report to be prepared based on the evaluations.
    2. Evaluation of teachers holding a permanent professional teaching certificate employed under a continuing contract and who are deemed to be meeting or exceeding the Teaching Quality Standard:
      1. These evaluations will be initiated by a written request from the teacher.
      2. Either the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources or the Principal, may conduct these evaluations.
    3. Evaluation of teachers whose performance may not be meeting the Teaching Quality Standard:
      1. If in the opinion of the Principal, the information received through supervision warrants an evaluation of a teacher’s performance, the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources shall be notified. 
      2. One (1) or more of the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, other designate, or the Principal shall conduct an evaluation based on no less than two (2) observations of the teacher’s teaching, and shall determine if all aspects of the teacher’s practice meet the Teaching Quality Standard.
      3. Within thirty (30) calendar days of the completion of the evaluation, the last of the evaluators under clause 4.3.2 above, shall prepare a report and shall include recommendations pertaining to the need for the teacher to remediate his/her practices (if applicable).
      4. The Principal, the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources or designate, and the teacher shall meet to discuss the evaluation. 
        1. The teacher shall be given an opportunity to append any written comments to the report, provided that such comments are received within fourteen (14) calendar days of the date the report is given to the teacher. 
        2. The evaluation, together with the teacher's comments, shall be placed in the teacher's personnel file.
      5. Where the report of the last of the evaluators under clause 4.3.3 above determines that a teacher's practice does not meet the Teaching Quality Standard, the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources shall issue a Notice of Remediation to the teacher, provided that:
        1. A Notice of Remediation shall comply with the definition provided in this Administrative Procedure.
        2. The teacher may develop a Teacher Assistance Program in consultation with the Principal and Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, which shall be incorporated into the Notice of Remediation to the extent reasonably possible and advisable in the opinion of the Principal and Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, with those provisions being specifically noted as having been generated by the teacher.
        3. The Principal, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, and other designate shall provide any reasonable assistance and/or resources as requested by the teacher.
        4. After no more than one hundred (100) school days from the issue of the Notice of Remediation, a subsequent evaluation is to be undertaken by the Principal, (if involved in the initial evaluation), and the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, to be based on not less than two (2) Observations of the teacher’s teaching.
        5. If the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources concludes that the teacher's practice now meets or exceeds the Teaching Quality Standard, a letter stating that the regular supervision cycle will resume, will be placed in the teacher’s personnel file.
        6. If the Superintendent concludes that the teacher's practice does not meet or exceed the Teaching Quality Standard, then the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources will:
          1. Offer an additional period of remediation to the   teacher, if the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources believes significant but not sufficient improvement has occurred and that such that further remediation is likely to succeed; and/or
          2. Change the teacher's assignment, if the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources is of the opinion that such a change will permit the teacher to succeed and any perceived difficulties in any area of teaching practice can be effectively eliminated by such a change; or
          3. Make a recommendation to the Superintendent to terminate the teacher's contract of employment.

  5. These procedures do not restrict:
    1. The Superintendent and/or the Principal from taking disciplinary or other action, as appropriate, where either of them have reasonable grounds for believing that the actions or practices of a teacher endangers the safety of students, constitutes a neglect of duty, a breach of trust or a refusal to obey a lawful order of the Board, or
    2. The Superintendent from taking any action or exercising any right or power under the Education Act.

Appendix

Administrative Procedure 423 Appendix A: Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (KSA) List for Teachers with an Interim Certificate

Administrative Procedure 423 Appendix B: Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (KSA) List for Teachers with a Permanent Professional Certificate

Reference

Section 18,33,52,53,196,197,204,213,214,215,218,222 Education Act

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Personal Information Protection Act

Teaching Profession Act

Certification of Teachers Regulation 3/99 (Amended A.R. 206/2001) 

Practice Review of Teachers Regulation 4/99

Student Learning – Ministerial Order 001/2013

Teaching Quality Standard – Ministerial Order 016/97 

Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy 

Guide to Education ECS to Grade 12

Practice Review of Teachers Information Bulletin 3.3.2

 

Approved: June 3, 2015

Amended: August 21, 2018

Last Updated: August 18, 2021