ARTICLE 9.00 - PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
SECTION 9.01: PURPOSES
SECTION 9.02: DEFINITIONS
SECTION 9.03: SUMMATIVE EVALUATION
SECTION 9.04: PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPTION (PGO)
SECTION 9.05: PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 9.06: PROBATION
SECTION 9.07: PERFORMANCE EVALUATION CRITERIA AND EVALUATION FORMS
SECTION 9.08: GRIEVANCE LIMITATION
The purposes of this performance evaluation process shall be:
1. To improve the educational program by improving the quality of instructional and support services;
2. To recognize areas of strength and to assist the professional employee in identifying areas of performance that need improvement and to promote professional growth; and
3. To provide information to assist in decisions regarding appropriate assignment of employees, including recommendations for non-renewal of contracts for those employees who fail to meet minimum standards relative to the adopted performance criteria.
Annual goal-setting conference shall mean the annual meeting in which the evaluator and employee meet to discuss the Professional Reflection Form.
Certificated Performance Criteria shall mean the criteria (teaching responsibilities) used to measure the performance of the employee.
Evaluator shall mean the supervisory employee assigned by the District to evaluate the employee. The Superintendent shall determine who the evaluator of each employee shall be by the start of school. The evaluator may request additional assessment by other supervisory employees.
Formal Observation shall mean a scheduled, pre-arranged observation lasting at least thirty (30) minutes.
Informal Observation shall mean a drop-in observation, with no written response expected unless the uniqueness of the observation suggests it or the evaluator observes something that may be a performance issue.
Observation Cycle shall mean a pre-conference, observation post-conference.
Performance Evaluation shall mean the entire process of establishing goals, monitoring performance, and providing an annual evaluation report. Snohomish School District has two processes: Summative and Professional Growth.
Professional Reflection Form shall mean the form the employee completes and submits to the evaluator one (1) day prior to the annual goal-setting conference.
Summative Evaluation Report shall mean the report prepared at least annually which indicates the degree to which the employee has met the Certificated Performance Criteria.
Professional Growth Planning Conference shall mean the annual meeting in which the employee and evaluator meet to discuss the Professional Growth Annual Planning Form.
Professional Growth Verification Form shall mean the form used to officially indicate satisfactory completion/progress on goals associated with the Professional Growth Option.
SECTION 9.03: SUMMATIVE EVALUATION
A. Philosophy
Summative Evaluation is the Snohomish School District 's primary evaluative process. Using the instructional criteria as indicated on the Professional Reference Form, the employee and evaluator will identify strengths and areas for professional improvement.
B. Employee Responsibilities
1. The employee shall complete the Professional Reflection Form.
2. One (1) day prior to the annual goal-setting conference, the employee shall submit to his/her evaluator the completed Professional Reflection Form.
3. The employee and administrator shall meet and discuss the completed reflection form.
4. The employee will sign two (2) copies of the Summative Evaluation Report.
C. Evaluator Responsibilities
1. The evaluator shall schedule an annual goal-setting conference to meet and discuss the employees Professional Reflection Form.
2. The evaluator shall schedule a minimum of two (2) Observation Cycles with all employees assigned to the Summative Evaluation Process.
3. The evaluator shall complete a post-conference within five (5) work days of each observation.
4. The evaluator shall complete the Observation report forms within three (3) work days following each post-conference.
5. No later than five (5) days prior to the last day of school, the evaluator will complete the Summative Evaluation Report.
SECTION 9.04: PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPTION (PGO)
A. Philosophy
The Professional Growth Option is a locally bargained process that is a voluntary program granted by state law. PGO focuses on improvement of teaching skills, content knowledge, techniques, and abilities. With the approval of the evaluator, this option is available to employees with four (4) or more years of satisfactory District evaluations. PGO will encourage professional growth through goal setting, will involve the employee and evaluator in cooperative discussions and planning, and will encourage collegial interaction for the accomplishment of goals. Building and district goals will provide the framework for individual employee goal setting.
B. Employee Responsibilities
1. Prior to the annual Professional Growth Planning Conference described in Section 9.04 below, the employee shall:
a. Complete the Professional Reflection Form.
b. Complete a draft of the Professional Growth Annual Planning Form.
2. After the Professional Planning Conference, the employee is responsible for working to meet his/her goals per the Professional Growth Option Annual Planning Form.
C. Evaluator Responsibilities
1. The Professional Growth Planning Conference will occur no later than forty-five (45) school days after the beginning of the school year.
2. The evaluator will meet a minimum of twice during the school year, once each semester, with the employee to confer on the Professional Growth Option Annual Planning Form. This will be noted on the Professional Growth Verification Form.
3. The evaluator will offer input and assistance, and may provide guidance and coaching to the employee.
4. The evaluator may conduct informal or formal observations.
5. No later than five (5) days before the end of the school year, the employee and the administrator will meet to complete the Professional Growth Verification Form.
6. The evaluator may move the employee from the Professional Growth Option to the Summative Evaluation process, provided that the decision is made and communicated to the employee in writing, including the reason for the decision, no later than March 1.
D. Shared Employee/Evaluator Responsibilities
1. The employee and evaluator will meet to cooperatively finalize the Professional Growth Option Plan at the conference described in Section 9.04. C. 1.
2. The employee and evaluator will engage together in learning-focused conversation during the course of the school year.
3. The employee and evaluator will meet to analyze and discuss employee-gathered evidence related to the accomplishment of the established annual growth goals and to complete the Annual Professional Growth Planning Form.
4. No later than five (5) days before the end of the school year, the employee and the administrator will meet to complete the Professional Growth Verification Form. At this meeting, the employee will share the multiple sources used in the self-assessment of his/her Professional Growth Option.
E. Other Provisions
1. The completion of the Professional Growth Option may be accomplished over a two (2) year period.
2. One or more of the following sources shall be used by the employee in developing the PGO: (a) peer review and evaluation; (b) input by parents; (c) input by students; (d) personal and/or professional goals; (e) school district goals; (f) building goals (g) self-assessment; (h) personal academic records; (i) school district evaluations.
SECTION 9.05: PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - GENERAL PROVISIONS
A. Prior to the beginning of the evaluation process, a building level group meeting with the evaluator and the employees will take place to explain the procedure to be used in the evaluation process. An explanation shall be given on the procedures and observation to be used in the evaluation process.
B. Observations and evaluations shall be based on the criteria and indicators outlined in this Article. Other objective and verified information dealing with the degree to which the employee meets responsibilities which are required for the position may be used, provided the employee is given an opportunity to present his/her account of the issue before reliance on the information for evaluation purposes takes place.
C. Certificated employees who work as a classroom teacher and in an instructional support role will be evaluated in each position. Certificated employees working in the same capacity in more than one (1) building shall not undergo more than one (1) annual evaluation process. That evaluation process will include input from all supervisors of the employee.
D. Observations
1. There shall be at least two (2) prearranged observations of each employee, and at least one (1) of the evaluation observations will be at least thirty (30) minutes in length. Total observation time for an employee shall be at least sixty (60) minutes, with a total of at least thirty (30) minutes for new employees within ninety (90) days of active employment.
2. An individual pre-observation conference shall be held before each formal observation. The purpose of this pre-observation conference is to identify and discuss the purpose of the observation and to discuss such matters as the professional activities to be observed, their content, objectives, strategies, and how they align with District curriculum and assessment and how the observation relates to the employee's Reflection Form.
3. A post-observation review conference between the employee and the evaluator will be held within five (5) of the employee's working days.
4. The supervisor will document all formal observations. Following the post-conference, a written summary of the observation and conference will be provided to the employee within three (3) working days, using the Observation Report Form. The employee shall have the right to affix a written statement to any such summaries. These summaries shall serve as worksheets for the subsequent completion of the Summative Evaluation Report.
5. Observations in addition to the two (2) required prearranged observations may be held at any time during the performance of assigned duties, provided that such observations are based upon the Certificated Performance Criteria. Such additional observations may be conducted at the discretion of the evaluator or may be prearranged by mutual agreement. Such additional observations must also be documented using the Observation Report Form if such observations are used as any basis for the Summative Evaluation Report. If there is an area of concern based upon any such informal observation, the employee shall be notified in writing.
6. The evaluation process must be completed for all employees no later than five (5) days prior to the last day of the school year. The employee will sign two (2) copies of the Summative Evaluation Report or PGO Verification Form. The signature acknowledges only that the employee has received the evaluation report and has had its contents explained by the evaluator. The employee may affix written comments to the final report at his/her discretion.
7. When a time limit contained in this Article ends on a non-contract day, the time limit shall be extended to the next contract day.
8. An Observation Cycle and Summative Evaluation will be completed for each provisional employee within ninety (90) calendar days after the beginning of the school year or ninety (90) days after the commencement of employment for new employees.
9. Non-provisional employees shall be notified of probationary status. Probationary status shall last sixty (60) school days and shall commence no earlier than October 16. No employee shall be notified of probationary status unless an observation cycle has been completed identifying areas of unsatisfactory performance.
10. Employees whose contracts are not to be renewed shall be served with notice of probable cause of non-renewal as required by law.
11. A request for hearing must be filed with the President or Secretary of the Board of Directors within ten (10) days of receipt of a notice of probable cause for non-renewal of contract.
The final evaluation process shall be completed no later than five (5) days before the end of the school year.
Probation shall be in accordance with the provisions of RCW 28A.405.100.
Provisional employees shall be specifically excluded from the probation procedure, provided, before non-renewing any provisional employee for alleged performance deficiencies, the evaluator shall have provided the employee with an improvement plan and made good faith efforts to assist the employee in remediating said deficiencies.
SECTION 9.07: PERFORMANCE EVALUATION CRITERIA AND EVALUATION FORMS
The criteria and indicators to be used for the evaluation of teachers and support personnel shall be those identified on the applicable evaluation forms. All evaluation forms referred to in this Article 9.00 shall be agreed to by the District and Association and shall be considered as incorporated into this Agreement.
SECTION 9.08: GRIEVANCE LIMITATION
Only the evaluation procedure outlined in this Article shall be subject to the grievance procedure contained in Article 12.00.