Supervision and Evaluation of Teachers

Regulation

1. GENERAL
   1. Teachers should actively participate in planning, evaluating, and enhancing or improving their performance on a continuous basis.
      
      
   2. Teachers are expected to meet the Teaching Quality Standard.
      
      
   3. The Principal/Certificated Supervisor shall be responsible for the supervision of the staff member's performance on an on-going basis.
      
      
   4. On-going supervision shall:
      1. provide support and guidance to staff members
      2. include observing and receiving information from any source about the quality of performance
      3. identify the behaviours or practices that for any reason may require an evaluation.
   5. Written evaluations of a teacher's performance as related to the responsibilities and performance standards of the position shall be completed:
      1. upon the written request of the teacher
      2. for the purpose of gathering information related to a specific employment decision
      3. for the purpose of assessing growth in specific areas of practice
      4. when, on the basis of information received through supervision, the principal/certificated supervisor has reason to believe that the teacher's performance may not be meeting the Teaching Quality Standard.
   6. Principals/Certificated Supervisors shall be responsible for ensuring that the teacher receives a copy of all evaluation reports and for placing the original evaluation reports on the staff member's personnel file.
      
      
   7. Written evaluations shall be treated in confidence and as such, access shall be in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
      
      
   8. A teacher may request a review of an evaluation process no later than 30 calendar days after the receipt of an evaluation report.
      1. Such a request shall be made in writing to the Superintendent of Schools.
      2. The Superintendent of Schools or a designate shall review the evaluation to determine if the process of evaluation by the Principal/Certificated Supervisor was conducted in accordance with provisions in the administrative regulations.
      3. The results of the review shall be reported to the teacher in writing, no more than 30 calendar days from the time the request for the review is received. There is no appeal from a review.
2. ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL GROWTH PLAN
   1. Teachers with a probationary or a continuing contract are responsible for developing and implementing an annual professional growth plan.
      
      
   2. Unless the teacher agrees, the content of the annual professional growth plan shall not be used as part of an evaluation process.
      
      
   3. The annual professional growth plan is the property of the teacher and may be kept in a central school file for the duration of the school year. The plan shall be returned to the teacher at the end of the school year.
      
      
   4. The annual professional growth plan shall be designed to improve practice. The plan should be meaningful and related to the teacher's current assignment and or career goals. As such, the plan shall:
      1. reflect goals and objectives based on an assessment of learning needs by the individual teacher;
      2. show a demonstrable relationship to the Teaching Quality Standard; and,
      3. take into account the education plans of the school, the District and the government.
   5. The annual professional growth plan shall be submitted in writing for review by October 30 of each school year to:
      1. the Principal/Certificated Supervisor or
      2. a group of teachers delegated by the Principal/Certificated Supervisor in consultation with the teacher.
   6. The annual professional growth plan:
      1. may be a component of a long-term, multi-year plan;
      2. may also include a planned program of supervising a student teacher or mentoring a teacher.
   7. Each annual professional growth plan shall include:
      1. a goal/objective statement(s)
      2. strategies for achieving the goal/objective
      3. indicators and or measures of the achievement of the goal/objective
      4. an estimated timeline for completion of the goal/objective.
   8. Each year, at a time specified by the Principal/Certificated Supervisor in consultation with the staff the teacher shall provide the Principal/Certificated Supervisor, or the group of teachers delegated by the Principal/Certificated Supervisor with a summary reflection on:
      1. the degree of success in achieving the goal/objective
      2. how the teacher's professional practice has improved
      3. how student learning has improved.
   9. The Principal/Certificated Supervisor or the group of designated teachers shall in consultation with the teacher, determine whether the staff member has completed the annual professional growth plan in compliance with Alberta Education and board policy.
      
      
   10. A Principal/Certificated Supervisor may identify behaviours or practices that may require an evaluation provided that the information identified is based on a source other than information in the teacher's annual professional growth plan.
3. TEACHER SUPERVISION
   1. Supervision of teachers by Principals/Certificated Supervisors and/or their designates is intended to assist teachers in meeting their professional responsibilities and to enhance teaching knowledge, skills and attributes that maximize student learning. It should be ongoing, supportive and collegial in nature.
      
      
   2. The supervision process shall:
      1. provide support and guidance to teachers
      2. include observations and information from any source about the quality of teaching a teacher provides
      3. identify behaviours that for any reason may require an evaluation.
   3. If as a result of information gathered through supervision, an ongoing concern about the teacher's behaviour or practices arises, the Principal/Certificated Supervisor or designate shall work with the teacher to redress the concern in a prompt manner.
4. TEACHER EVALUATION
   1. Evaluation of a teacher by a Principal/Certificated Supervisor may be conducted:
      1. upon the written request of a teacher
      2. for the purposes of gathering information related to a specific employment decision;
      3. for the purposes of assessing growth in specific areas of practice;
      4. when, on the basis of information received through supervision, the Principal/Certificated Supervisor has reason to believe that the teaching of the teacher may not meet the Teaching Quality Standard.
   2. A recommendation by the Principal/Certificated Supervisor regarding whether or not a teacher be issued a permanent professional teaching certificate or be offered employment under a continuing contract shall be supported by the findings of two or more written evaluations.
      
      
   3. On initiating an evaluation, the Principal/Certificated Supervisor shall:
      1. meet with the teacher and communicate explicitly:
         1. the reasons for and the purposes of the evaluation;
         2. the process, criteria and standards to be used;
         3. the timelines to be applied; and
         4. the possible outcomes of the evaluation
      2. provide a written account of the meeting to the teacher.
   4. Evaluations should consist of a minimum of two formal observations of a minimum of a full period and should be followed by a post observation conference between the Principal and the teacher.
      
      
   5. Upon the completion of a written evaluation, the Principal/Certificated Supervisor shall meet with the teacher to discuss the results of the evaluation.
5. NOTICE OF REMEDIATION
   1. Where, as the result of an evaluation, a Principal/Certificated Supervisor determines that a change in the behaviour or practice of a teacher is required, the Principal/Certificated Supervisor shall provide to the teacher a notice of remediation that:
      1. describes all behaviours and practices that do not meet the Teaching Quality Standard;
      2. describes the expectations and indicators for acceptable performance;
      3. indicates the remediation strategies the teacher is advised to pursue;
      4. describes the supervision, monitoring and evaluation strategies the Principal/Certificated Supervisor shall employ to determine whether changes in practice have taken place;
      5. describes an applicable timeline including a date of evaluation;
      6. indicates the consequences of not achieving the required changes including but not limited to the termination of a teacher's contract of employment;
      7. replaces the obligation of the teacher to develop or implement an annual professional growth plan, until such time that the teacher's behaviour or practices are deemed acceptable by the Principal/Certificated Supervisor.
   2. The evaluation report shall include a determination that the teacher's teaching meets or does not meet the Teaching Quality Standard.
      
      
   3. The Principal/Certificated Supervisor shall meet with the teacher to discuss the outcome of the evaluation.
      
      
   4. If the Principal/Certificated Supervisor determines that the teacher's teaching is meeting the Teaching Quality Standard, evaluation will cease.
      
      
   5. If the Principal/Certificated Supervisor determines that the teacher's teaching does not meet the Teaching Quality Standard, then the Principal/Certificated Supervisor shall either:
      1. provide the teacher with a revised remediation plan;
      2. consider other options in accordance with district policy and practices; or
      3. recommend to the Superintendent of Schools, the termination of the teacher's contract of employment.
   6. Should any timeline or period of time specified in the "notice of remediation" be interrupted for any reason other than a scheduled holiday or break, the timeline or period of time will be suspended for the duration of the interruption and will be reinstated on the date that the interruption ends. A revised notice of remediation shall be issued.

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