Effective administrators are responsible for the collective success of their schools, including the learning, growth, and achievement of both students and staff. The board adopts this policy for principal performance evaluations which utilizes multiple measures that are research based and aligned to the minimum applicable state adopted standards based on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards.
Definitions
“Principal” is an employee assigned to administrative duties as a principal or vice principal, has met all of the school principal endorsement requirements for Pre-K-12, and has been issued an administrator certificate with a principal endorsement.
PURPOSE OF EVALUATIONS
The purpose for conducting administrative evaluations is to assist in identifying employee strengths and weaknesses while providing direction and support for continued learning and professional development. Evaluations may also be used to document areas of improvement and to make decisions regarding personnel actions.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR and monitoring of EVALUATION PROGRAM
The superintendent or designee will be responsible for evaluating and monitoring principal performance and ensuring the district’s principal evaluation program is implemented fairly and efficiently. The superintendent’s responsibility for the principal evaluation program will include:
1. Creating and implementing a plan that includes funding, for the ongoing training and professional development for principals, including evaluation standards, forms, procedures and processes, together with a plan for collecting and using data gathered from evaluations. Additional staff training and professional development opportunities will be provided throughout the year on an as needed basis to provide principals with the tools necessary to be effective administrators;
2. Creating a plan for ongoing review of the district’s evaluation program that includes obtaining input from teachers, administrators, parents/guardians and other interested persons;
3. Creating a procedure for remediation for principals that receive evaluations indicating that remediation would be an appropriate course of action;
4. Creating an individualized rating system for how principal evaluations will be used to identify proficiency and record growth over time with a minimum of three rankings used to differentiate performance of principals as follows:
a. Unsatisfactory = 1;
b. Basic = 2;
c. Proficient = 3;
d. Distinguished = 4
Aggregate data will be considered part of the district’s and its individual schools’ needs assessment in determining professional development offerings. The district will report the rankings of individual certificated personnel evaluations to the SDE annually for state and federal reporting purposes.
All individuals responsible for appraising, observing, or evaluating principal performance will be trained as required by the Idaho State Department of Education (SDE). Any changes to the district’s evaluation model will be approved by the board of trustees and submitted to the SDE for approval.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Principal evaluations will be based upon the following domains and components:
1. Domain 1: School Climate. An educational leader promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional development. An educational leader articulates and promotes high expectations for teaching and learning while responding to diverse community interest and needs.
- School Culture: Principal establishes a safe, collaborative, and supportive culture ensuring all students are successfully prepared to meet the requirements for tomorrow’s careers and life endeavors.
- Communication: Principal is proactive in communicating the vision and goals of the school or district, the plans for the future, and the successes and challenges to all stakeholders.
- Advocacy: Principal advocates for education, the district and school, teachers, parents, and students that engenders school support and involvement.
2. Domain 2: Collaborative Leadership. An educational leader promotes the success of all students by ensuring management of the organization, operations and resources for a safe, efficient and effective learning environment. In collaboration with others, uses appropriate data to establish rigorous, concrete goals in the context of student achievement and instructional programs. The educational leader uses research and/or best practices in improving the education program.
- Shared Leadership: Principal fosters shared leadership that takes advantage of individual expertise, strengths, and talents, and cultivates professional growth.
- Priority Management: Principal organizes time and delegates responsibilities to balance administrative/managerial, educational, and community leadership priorities.
- Transparency: Principal seeks input from stakeholders and takes all perspectives into consideration when making decisions.
- Leadership Renewal: Principal strives to continuously improve leadership skills through, professional development, self-reflection, and utilization of input from others.
- Accountability: Principal establishes high standards for professional, legal, ethical, and fiscal accountability self and others.
3. Domain 3: Instructional Leadership. An educational leader promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community. The educational leader provides leadership for major initiatives and change efforts and uses research and/or best practices in improving the education program.
- Innovation: Principal seeks and implements innovative and effective solutions that comply with general and special education law.
- Instructional Vision: Principal insures that instruction is guided by a shared, research-based instructional vision that articulates what students do to effectively learn.
- High Expectations: Principal sets high expectation for all students academically, behaviorally, and in all aspects of student well-being.
- Continuous Improvement of Instruction: Principal has proof of proficiency in assessing teacher performance based upon the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching, Second Edition. Aligns resources, policies, and procedures toward continuous improvement of instructional practice guided by the instructional vision.
- Evaluation: Principal uses teacher evaluation and other formative feedback mechanisms to continuously improve teacher/principal effectiveness.
- Recruitment and Retention: Principal recruits and maintains a high quality staff.
SOURCES OF DATA
Each principal will be required to demonstrate proficiency in conducting observations and evaluating effective teacher performance as part of his or her evaluation in addition to the following components:
Professional Practice.
All principals will receive an evaluation in which a majority of the summative evaluation results are based on Professional Practice standards aligned to the domains and components identified within the evaluation criteria section of this policy. At least one (1) of the following will be included as a measure to inform the Professional Practice portion of all principal evaluations:
- Parent/guardian input;
- Teacher input;
- Student input; and/or
- Portfolios.
Student Achievement. All administrators will receive an evaluation in which part of the summative evaluation results are based on objective measures of growth in measurable student achievement, as defined in Idaho Code §33-1001. This portion of the evaluation may be calculated using current and/or immediate past year’s data and may use one (1) or both years data, as determined by the board of trustees. Growth in student achievement may be considered as an optional measure for all other school based and district based administrators, as determined by the board.
EVALUATION PROCEDURES
To ensure that all principals are evaluated on a fair and consistent basis, each principal will be evaluated at least once annually no later than June 1 of each year. The evaluation may include a minimum of two (2) documented observations, one (1) of which will be completed prior to January 1 of each year.
Prior to the start of the school year, the principal may fill out a self-assessment and create a professional growth plan. The self-assessment and professional growth plan will be submitted to the evaluator prior to beginning of the year conference. At the beginning of the year conference, the evaluator will review and discuss the principal’s self-assessment and professional growth plan, previous student growth measures and expected student growth measures for the upcoming year, previous student achievement data, and parent/guardian input. The evaluator may notify the principal of the factors that will be utilized in measuring effectiveness.
Prior to January 1, the evaluator will conduct a documented observation and provide feedback on the principal’s performance for the year thus far. The evaluator may also review and discuss progress toward the principal’s professional growth plan and work with the principal to make adjustments accordingly.
At the end of the year, the evaluator and principal may review and discuss the principal’s professional growth plan and the achievement of set goals, student achievement data, and parent/guardian input. The evaluator may provide feedback on the principal’s performance for the year and assign a final effectiveness rating.
No contract shall be issued for the next ensuing year until such time as the principal’s formal written performance evaluation has been completed.
COMMUNICATION OF RESULTS
A copy of each written evaluation will be submitted to the principal within five (5) school days following the formal evaluation. The superintendent or designee may also schedule a meeting with the principal to review the evaluation, discuss specific corrective action if warranted, and identify goals for the principal to reach before the next performance evaluation. The principal will be notified during the meeting of the right to file a written rebuttal/appeal of any portion of the evaluation consistent with this policy.
Administrator personnel evaluations will be considered permanent records and will be maintained in each administrator’s personnel file. All evaluation records will be kept confidential as required by state and federal law. The rankings of individual certificated personnel evaluations will be reported annually to the SDE as required for state and federal reporting purposes.
PERSONNEL ACTIONS AND REMEDIATION
The following actions may result from the evaluation process if determined to be appropriate:
- A letter of reprimand;
- Renewal of employment contract;
- A period of probation consistent with district policy and Idaho law;
- Reassignment;
- Immediate discharge (where a period of probation is not required as determined below);
- Renewal of the employment contract under a continued probationary status; and/or
- Non-renewal of employment contract.
A letter of reprimand may be issued at any time, with or without a formal evaluation. Any recommendation to place an employee on a period of probation, discharge the employee immediately, discharge the employee upon termination of the current contract, or reemploy the employee at the end of the contract term under a continued probationary status contract must be approved by the board of trustees.
Principals placed on probation will receive remediation designed to provide direction and support for improved employee performance. Additionally, principals who are placed on probation may request and/or be assigned a peer mentor.
The evaluator will work with the principal to identify and address the areas of concern, the remediation objectives, the criterion that will be used to measure the progress sought, support resources, provisions for adequate supervision and evaluation of performance during the probationary period, and timelines. Removal from probation will depend on the successful achievement of the articulated goals. During the probationary period, the evaluator will conduct additional observations as needed to ensure the effectiveness of the remediation measures on the principal’s performance.
Nothing in this policy shall be read to impact the district’s right to immediately, without an evaluation or period of probation, discipline an employee up to and including immediate discharge for reasons other than unsatisfactory service. An employee who is placed on probation, immediately discharged, or not reemployed is entitled to full due process rights as provided by Idaho Code §§33-513 through 33-515.
APPEAL
When disagreement exists regarding the results of the evaluation, the affected employee is entitled to attach a rebuttal to his or her evaluation which states the specific content of the evaluation with which the principal disagrees, the reason(s) for disagreement, and the amendment to the evaluation requested. Such rebuttal/appeal must be received within seven (7) days from the date of the evaluation meeting. The superintendent will provide the principal with a written response within ten (10) working days either amending the evaluation as requested or stating the reasons why the request is rejected. If the superintendent amends the evaluation as requested, the amended copy of the evaluation will be provided to, and signed by, the principal and retained in the principal’s personnel file. If the superintendent declines to amend the evaluation as requested, the evaluation, together with the written rebuttal/appeal and the superintendent’s response, if any, will be retained in the principal’s personnel file.
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LEGAL REFERENCE:
Idaho Code Sections
74-101, et seq. – Records Exempt from Disclosure
33-513 – Professional Personnel
33-518 – Employee Personnel Files
33-1001 – Definitions
IDAPA – Rules Governing Uniformity
08.02.02.007 – Definitions
08.02.02.015.03 – Administrator Certificate
08.02.02.121 – Local District Evaluation Policy – School Administrator
ADOPTED: January 13, 2025
AMENDED: