The purpose and effect of this rule development is to provide implementing procedures and criteria for the submission, review and approval by the Department of Education of school district systems for personnel evaluation under Section 1012.34, ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:
6A-5.030 Instructional Personnel Assessment Systems
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose and effect of this rule development is to provide implementing procedures and criteria for the submission, review and approval by the Department of Education of school district systems for personnel evaluation under Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes. This rule also addresses procedures and requirements for monitoring and reporting system status and impact on student learning growth, instructional practice and school leadership practice. Rule revisions will implement changes to Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes, as prescribed in the Student Success Act (SB 736) of 2011. Changes will include a title change, the inclusion of school administrator evaluation systems, and technical updates to the existing rule to reflect current citations and other conforming language.
SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: District instructional personnel and school administrator evaluation systems.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1001.02, 1012.34 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1001.42(18), 1006.281, 1012.22(1)(c), 1012.34, 1012.98 FS.
A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATES AND TIMES: February 14, 2013, 9:00 a.m., EST; February 14, 2013, 4:00 p.m., EST; February 25, 2013, 4:00 p.m.; EST; February 25, 2013, 4:00 p.m., CST (local time)/(5:00 p.m., EST); February 26, 2013, 4:00 p.m., EST; February 26, 2013, 4:00 p.m., EST; and February 28, 2013, 4:00 p.m., EST.
PLACE: February 14th, 9:00 a.m. - Via webinar and conference call: To join the webinar go to: https://suncom.webex.com/suncom/j.php?ED=168775342&UID=1312048082&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D, to join the conference call only: 1 [phone], Passcode 606 078 54, anyone wishing to attend in person: Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Room 1721, Tallahassee, FL, 32399-0400; February 14th, 4:00 p.m.-Via webinar and conference call: To join the conference webinar go to: https://suncom.webex.com/suncom/j.php?ED=168775512&UID=1312049842&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D, to join the conference call only: 1(866)804-6924, Passcode 662 157 58, anyone wishing to attend in person: Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Room 1721, Tallahassee, FL, 32399-0400; February 25th, 4:00 p.m. - Broward College-Central Campus, Bldg 22, Room 136, 3501 S.W. Davie Road, Davie, FL 33314; February 25th, 4:00 p.m., CST (local time)/(5:00 p.m. EST), Gulf Coast State College, Gibson Lecture Hall, 5230 West U.S. Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401; February 26th, 4:00 p.m., Florida Gulf Coast University, Sugden Resort & Hospitality Management Bldg, Room #110, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565; February 26th, 4:00 p.m., Florida State College at Jacksonville, Advanced Technology Center, Room T-140, 401 W. State Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202; and February 28th, 4:00 p.m., Valencia College, 8600 Valencia College Lane, Criminal Justice Institute Bldg, Room 152, Orlando, FL 32825. Workshops for this rule are being held in conjunction with workshops for Rule 6A-5.0411, F.A.C.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT IS: Kathryn Hebda, Deputy Chancellor for Educator Quality, Florida Department of Education, Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1502, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-0400, [phone]. Public comments concerning this rule development can be made at [e-mail] or https://app1.fldoe.org/rules/default.aspx or by contacting: Lynn Abbott, Agency Clerk, Department of Education, [phone] or e-mail [e-mail]

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT IS:

 

(Substantial rewording of Rule 6A-5.030 follows. See Florida Administrative Code for present text.)

6A-5.030 District Instructional Personnel and School Administrator Evaluation Assessment Systems.

Pursuant to Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes, this rule provides implementing procedures and criteria for the submission, review and approval of district instructional personnel and school administrator evaluation systems. This rule also addresses procedures and requirements for monitoring and reporting system status and impact on student learning growth, instructional practice and school leadership practice.

(1) Definitions.

(a) “Contemporary research” means professional research studies and meta-analyses that provide reliable evidence of the impact of instructional and leadership practices on student learning growth and on effective instructional and leadership practices. Research findings are considered “contemporary” when conducted within the last ten years or where the continued validity of less recent findings is supported by research conducted within the last ten years.

(b) “Deliberate practice” means the research-based method for personnel to increase instructional or leadership expertise through a series of planned activities, reflection, and collaboration. In the evaluation system, deliberate practice is the selection of a limited number of indicators or practices, improvement on which is measured during an evaluation period.

(c) “Domains” are the broad distinguishable areas of professional knowledge and practice that are priorities for a performance evaluation.

(d) “Evaluation” means an assessment of an individual's performance over a period of time based on evidence from multiple sources that reflects the performance level of the individual’s work. Pursuant to Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes, an evaluation is based on three "criteria," which are

1. Performance of Students,

2. Instructional Practice for instructional personnel or Leadership Practice for school administrators, and

3. Professional and Job Responsibilities.

(e) “Evidence” means the employee’s observed practices, behaviors, artifacts, and resulting student or other outcome data that represent an individual’s performance on the indicators, domains and criteria in the evaluation system.

(f) An “indicator” is a description of a specific behavior or strategy. Groups of indicators in an evaluation system are used to define specific performance expectations for a domain or an Accomplished Practice.

(g) “Learning targets” are student outcome goals established for a classroom teacher of a course not associated with a statewide assessment and for which the district has not selected an assessment under Section 1008.22(8), Florida Statutes. Learning targets are based upon the goals of the school improvement plan and are approved by the school principal. Learning targets established for evaluation purposes may be the same as those established in the teacher’s individual professional development plan under Section 1012.98, Florida Statutes.

(h) “Newly hired by the district” means the first year in which instructional personnel are employed by the district in a full-time instructional position. Such personnel are “newly hired” for their first year of employment in a district regardless of their prior work experience elsewhere.

(i) “Observation” means the monitoring actions in evaluation systems that contribute observed evidence of performance or the impact of performance on others. Evidence collected through observation is used for formative feedback and contributes to the summative evaluation rating. Observations may be formal or informal, and announced or unannounced. Observations may be contributed by supervisors, mentors, or peers who are trained in the evaluation system. The length of time of an observation event and the type of school activity observed may vary and is determined by the evidence of practice that is sought.

(j) “Performance level” means the summative rating of performance for an evaluation. There are four performance levels: highly effective; effective; needs improvement, or, for teachers in the first three years of employment, developing; and unsatisfactory.

(k) "Performance standards" are the cut points used to classify performance on a domain, a criterion area listed in paragraph (1)(d), or a performance level listed in paragraph (1)(i).

(l) “Proficiency levels” are the formative determinations of how well an employee performs on an individual indicator in the instructional or leadership practice criterion of an evaluation system.

(m) "Research-based framework" means an approach used in an evaluation system to assess and provide feedback on either instructional practice or leadership practice. A research-based framework is based on contemporary research as defined in this rule and includes implementation procedures designed to support the successful use of the framework for evaluation and continuous improvement.

(n) “Rubric” means a set of criteria or descriptions of practice used to distinguish among proficiency levels or classify performance.

(2) Submission Process.

(a) Documentation of a district’s evaluation system shall be submitted electronically to the Department’s Division of Educator Quality for review and approval to the address [e-mail]. Documentation includes handbooks, manuals, forms, and such district policies and regulations that the district uses to inform employees and evaluators of the procedures and content of the district's evaluation system. With the evaluation system the district must submit a cover letter that provides the page number(s) where each element listed in subsection (3) of this rule is addressed in the evaluation system documentation. If more than one document is included in the submission, the district should note the title of the document, as well as the page number. The district should not submit documents that do not address content in subsection (3).

(b) The time period for submission shall be posted on the website www.fldoe.org/profdev/pa.asp and shall allow a district a minimum of sixty (60) days notice to submit the evaluation system.

(c) Districts shall submit an evaluation system for review and approval when an existing evaluation system is amended to address changes in statute or rule or when a previously approved system is substantially modified as defined in subsection (6) of this rule.

(d) When a district modifies its evaluation system less than substantially, the district shall inform the Division of Educator Quality within thirty (30) calendar days. The district will submit such modifications to [e-mail].

(3) Content of Approved Evaluation Systems. To receive approval of its evaluation system, the school distict must submit evidence of the following requirements:

(a) Performance of Students.

1. For all personnel: The percentage of the evaluation system that is based on the Performance of Students criterion. The district must indicate whether and, if so, under what circumstances, the district is exercising the option to reduce the percentage of the evaluation based on performance of students as allowed in specific circumstances in Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes.

2. For classroom teachers of courses associated with state assessments under Section 1008.22, Florida Statutes: Verification that state assessment data and the associated learning growth formula approved pursuant to Section 1012.34(7), Florida Statutes, are used in the evaluation of teachers assigned to teach the courses associated with a state assessment. After a learning growth formula is approved by the Commissioner of Education under Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes, for use in evaluation systems, it is adopted as a rule of the State Board of Education. Rule 6A-5.0411, F.A.C., is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

3. For classroom teachers of courses not associated with state assessments:

a. The district-determined student assessment for each course that is used for personnel evaluations from those implemented by the district under Section 1008.22(8), Florida Statutes.

b. The method of calculating student learning growth or performance for each assessment in sub-subparagraph (3)(a)3.a.

c. Whether state assessment data for the assigned students are also included in the personnel evaluation and the percentage relationship of state assessment results and local assessment results.

d. How student performance results are calculated for classroom teachers whose course load is a combination of courses associated with state assessments and those that are not.

e. The scoring system and cut points that will apply to student performance results.

4. For instructional personnel who are not classroom teachers: the percentage of the evaluation that is based upon state assessment results of the students assigned to the individual. If the percentage is less than 50, the district must document the percentage between 30 and 50 that is used and describe the additional student outcome measures that are included in addition to the state assessment results. The description must include the scoring system and performance standards associated with these measures.

5. For school administrators: student learning growth based on statewide assessment results as calculated by the learning growth formula pursuant to Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes. A district may also include measures of student proficiency using statewide assessment data and may use results from local assessments or student outcomes based on factors from the school grading system appropriate for the school. If additional student performance data are included, the district must explain how the additional measures comprise the Performance of Students criterion of the individual’s evaluation and provide the scoring system and performance standards associated with these measures.

6. For classroom teachers newly hired by the district, the student performance assessment data, calculation methods, and performance standards that will be applied in the first evaluation.

7. Confirmation of including current year student performance data in each individual’s summative rating for that school year. For evaluation systems implemented in the 2011-12 or 2012-13 school years, the years of student growth data that will be included in the evaluation must be specified in addition to the current year data. Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, for all personnel, at least three years of student performance data must be used in the evaluation when available. If less than three years of data are available, all available years of data must be used.

8. For classroom teachers of courses not associated with state assessments and for which no district assessment has been selected, a description of the learning targets that are employed for evaluation of student learning growth for each type of teacher and the procedures for implementing learning targets at the school level.

9. For instructional personnel whose Performance of Students criterion is not otherwise described in the evaluation system, an indication of whether the superintendent will assign student growth results from state assessments of an instructional team to the individual's evaluation. If instructional team data are assigned, the district should describe the instructional positions whose evaluations will include the instructional team's data and the positions included in the instructional team.

(b) Instructional Practice. The items in paragraph (3)(b) must only be submitted for approval of a district's instructional personnel evaluation system. A completed instructional practice criterion will include the following:

1. A crosswalk from the district's selected contemporary research or research-based framework to the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices demonstrating that the district’s evaluation system contains indicators based upon each of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices.

2. For classroom teachers, observation instrument(s) that include indicators, organized by domains, based on each of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices in Rule 6A-5.065, F.A.C. The district must provide documentation of how indicators and/or domains are prioritized to present evidence that the evaluation system is designed to support effective instruction and student learning growth.

3. For non-classroom instructional personnel, observation instrument(s) that include indicators, organized by domains, based on each of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices in Rule 6A-5.065, F.A.C.; the national standards, if any exist, for that category of personnel; and the job duties related to student support for the position. The district must provide documentation of how indicators and/or domains are prioritized to present evidence that the evaluation system is designed to support effective instruction and student learning growth.

4. Procedures for conducting observations and collecting data and other evidence of instructional practice, including any special procedures for classroom teachers who are newly hired by the district.

5. Processes for providing feedback to the individual being evaluated, including a description of how the feedback will be timely and will promote the continuous quality improvement of professional skills, and how results from the evaluation system will be used for individual professional development.

6. A rubric(s) for distinguishing among proficiency levels in the instructional practice indicators.

7. The scoring and weighting system that will apply to instructional practice indicators and domains, the percentage of the final evaluation that is based upon the Instructional Practice criterion, and the performance standards associated with this criterion.

(c) Leadership Practice. The items in paragraph (3)(c) must only be submitted for approval of a district's school administrator evaluation system. A completed leadership practice criterion will include the following:

1. A crosswalk from the district’s selected contemporary leadership practice research base or research-based framework to the Florida Principal Leadership Standards.

2. Observation or other data collection instrument(s) that include indicators, organized by domains, based on each of the Florida Principal Leadership Standards in Rule 6A-5.080, F.A.C., and additional elements provided in Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes: the effectiveness of classroom teachers in the school, the administrator’s appropriate use of evaluation criteria and procedures, recruitment and retention of effective and highly effective classroom teachers, and improvement in the percentage of instructional personnel evaluated at the highly effective or effective level. The district must provide documentation of how indicators and/or domains are prioritized to present evidence that the evaluation system is designed to support effective instruction and student learning growth.

3. Procedures for observing and collecting data and other evidence of leadership practice.

4. Processes for providing feedback to the individual being evaluated, including a description of how the feedback will be timely and will promote the continuous quality improvement of professional skills, and how results from the evaluation system will be used for individual professional development.

5. Rubrics for distinguishing among proficiency levels in the leadership practice indicators.

6. The scoring and weighting system that will apply to leadership practice indicators and domains, and the percentage of the final evaluation that is based upon the Leadership Practice criterion.

(d) Professional and Job Responsibilities. Professional and job responsibilities required by the State Board are contained within the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices in Rule 6A-5.065, F.A.C., the Code of Ethics in Rule 6B-1.001, F.A.C., and the Principles of Professional Conduct in Rule 6B-1.006, F.A.C. If the district chooses to include additional professional and job responsibilities, indicators of performance must be provided, along with the method of determining proficiency for each indicator, the scoring process, the percentage of the final evaluation that is based upon the Professional and Job Responsibilities criterion, and the performance standards associated with this criterion. A district may include its indicators for Professional and Job Responsibilities within its Instructional Practice criterion.

(e) Multiple Data Sources. The district must document that multiple data sources or measures are employed that inform evaluation decisions, meaning the result is based on more than two sources of data. Data sources include, but are not limited to, evidence of student learning growth on more than one assessment as allowable under paragraph (3)(a), instructional practice documented by more than one observer, deliberate practice, parental input, peer input and student input. For each additional data source used, the district must provide the method of determining proficiency, the scoring process, the percentage of the criterion or final evaluation that is based upon the data, and any performance standards associated with the data.

(f) Summative Evaluation. The documentation shall include the summative evaluation form(s) and scoring and weighting systems that define how each of the criteria are calculated, classified and combined, and the performance standards used to determine the summative performance level rating. The district must include in its calculations any performance standards established by the state as applicable to specified personnel in Rule 6A-5.0411, F.A.C. Districts must use for summative ratings the four performance levels provided in Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes and in Paragraph (1)(j) of this rule.

(g) Statement of purpose. A statement of purpose should be provided consistent with the purpose for evaluation systems as expressed in Section 1012.34(1), Florida Statutes.

(h) Input Mechanisms.

1. Documentation must verify that the evaluator is someone with a supervisory relationship to the employee and identify positions who qualify to be evaluators for instructional personnel and for school administrators.

2. For instructional personnel and school administrators, a mechanism for parents to provide input into employee evaluations where appropriate, and a description of the district’s criteria for use of such parental input.

3. If included by a district, a description of the opportunity for instructional personnel to provide input into a school administrator’s performance evaluation.

4. Identification of any additional positions or persons, if any, who will provide input to an individual's evaluation (for example, assistant principals, peers, district staff, department heads, grade level chairpersons, or team leaders).

(i) Training. The district must provide for training programs that are based upon, but are not limited to, guidelines provided by the Department in subsection (9) of this rule to ensure that all employees subject to an evaluation system are informed on evaluation criteria and processes before the evaluation takes place, and that all individuals with evaluation responsibilities and those who provide input toward evaluation understand the proper use of the evaluation criteria and procedures.

(j) Additional optional district procedures. In addition to the optional procedures defined throughout subsection (3), the following procedures may be employed by districts in the evaluation system:

1. Identification of teaching fields, if any, for which special evaluation procedures and criteria are necessary. Documentation shall list the positions identified, the process used to identify them, and the special procedures to be employed.

2. Use of a peer assistance process. Peer assistance may include, but is not limited to, mentoring, collegial teams, and support programs for educators at all levels of performance. If employed by the district, documentation shall include the peer assistance process and qualifications for persons providing peer assistance.

3. A process for amending evaluations, if data from the current school year are received within 90 days after the close of the school year. A district is not required to finalize an evaluation by the close of the school year.

4. For districts utilizing Performance of Students procedures for classroom teachers of courses not associated with state assessments and for which no district assessment has been implemented, a description of the actions and timelines the district will complete to ensure these procedures are no longer needed by the deadline provided in Section 1012.34(7)(e), Florida Statutes.

(4) Initial review process.

(a) The Department shall review the documentation submitted by the district pursuant to paragraph (2)(a) of this rule to determine whether the district has submitted a complete evaluation system that can be considered for approval.

(b) The Department shall provide each school district a written notice within thirty (30) days of receipt of the evaluation system that identifies omitted elements that must be submitted before review of the complete evaluation system can begin.

(5) Approval process. The Department shall provide written notification of the approval status to the school district superintendent within ninety (90) days of the date the written notice in paragraph (3)(b) of this rule is provided to the district. The approval status designations and the effect of these designations are as follows:

(a) Approved. An approved system meets all criteria found in subsection (3) of this rule. A district may implement the evaluation system(s) after receiving notification of Department approval.

(b) Conditionally Approved. Evaluation systems shall be designated conditionally approved if the school district’s evaluation system meets the requirements listed in paragraphs (3)(a), (b), (c), and (f), but fails to satisfy one or more of the other requirements listed in subsection (3). The school district’s system designated as conditionally approved shall be revised so that it is in full compliance with all requirements for evaluation systems, and resubmitted to the Department for review and approval. Notice of conditional approval shall contain the time period when the revised evaluation system shall be submitted and shall allow a district a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days to resubmit. Upon receiving notice of conditional approval, the district may implement all approved portions of the evaluation system.

(c) Denied. A school district evaluation system shall be denied if the school district’s evaluation system does not meet the requirements of paragraphs (3)(a), (b), (c), and (f) of this rule. A school district’s system that is designated as conditionally approved shall be denied, if the requirements for an approved designation are not met within sixty (60) days of the Department’s written notice granting the conditionally approved status. A district may seek an extension of time if the district demonstrates that extenuating circumstances caused a delay. The Commissioner may grant an extension of thirty (30) days. A district may not implement a denied evaluation system until the system is approved or conditionally approved.

(d) Approval rescinded. A district’s evaluation system will maintain its approved status, until evidence is found, either through monitoring conducted under subsection (7) or a modified system submitted by the district under subsection (6), that the system is no longer compliant with this rule. If, based on monitoring conducted under subsection (7) of this rule, a district is found to be implementating elements listed in paragraphs (3)(a), (b), (c), or (f), in a manner not compliant with its approved system and this rule, the system shall be designated as denied. A system found to be noncompliant with other elements listed in subsection (3) shall result in an approval status of conditionally approved.

(6) District modifications to an Approved Evaluation System. Modifications to an approved evaluation system may be made by the district at any time.

(a) A substantially modified evaluation system shall be submitted to the Department for approval using the procedures in subsection (2) of this rule and shall not be implemented prior to Department approval and approval by the district school board. An evaluation system is “substantially modified” when:

1. A different research framework is adopted as the basis for the system;

2. Scoring and weighting methods are changed;

3. Rubrics defining performance levels or proficiency levels are changed;

4. Evaluation measures or metrics are added or deleted from the system;

5. Student assessments or cut points for the assessments are changed;

6. Processes for observation or feedback are changed; or

7. There are changes in the personnel who may contribute evidence to be used in evaluations.

(b) An evaluation system that has been modified less than substantially shall be submitted to the Department for review using the procedures in subsection (2) of this rule. These modifications shall not be implemented prior to receipt of written notice from the Department confirming that the evaluation system has not been substantially modified. The Department shall provide the district written notice within twenty-one (21) days of the Department’s receipt of the modified system.

(7) Implementation Monitoring. Districts and the Department shall implement quality control monitoring that identifies the impact of evaluation systems on student learning growth and quality improvements in instructional and administrative services.

(a) The district’s monitoring system shall use data from its evaluation system and other sources as necessary to determine, at a minimum, the following:

1. The effectiveness of the evaluation system(s), including instruments, feedback, student data and performance standards, on improvement of student learning growth, instrucational practice and school leadership;

2. Evaluator accuracy and inter-rater reliability;

3. Accuracy and consistency of feedback;

4. Consistency and fidelity of implementation of evaluation system(s) at school and district levels;

5. Consistency and fidelity of implementation of assessments that are used to measure student growth and performance for evaluation purposes;

6. Alignment of evaluation indicators with contemporary research-based practices associated with improving student learning growth and the quality of instructional, administrative, and supervisory services;

7. Use of evaluation data to identify individual professional development and district professional development priorities consistent with the requirements of Section 1012.98, Florida Statutes, and Rule 6A-5.071, F.A.C.;

8. Use of evaluation data to inform school and district improvement plans.

(b) The Department shall monitor each district’s implementation of the evaluation systems based on the following elements and procedures.

1. The Department will review each district's evaluation system implementation based on the following:

a. The elements listed in the district's monitoring process in paragraph (7)(a);

b. District use of monitoring data to improve instructional and administrative evaluation systems.

2. Five-year continuous improvement monitoring cycle.

a. The Department shall monitor each school district for compliance with Section 1012.34, Florida Statutes, and this rule at least once every five years. The Department shall notify each district at least sixty (60) days prior to a monitoring visit that the visit will occur. The cycle of review shall commence in the 2014-15 school year.

b. Thirty (30) days prior to the district’s scheduled monitoring visit, the district shall submit a report of the results its annual monitoring of its evaluation systems pursuant to paragraph (7)(a) during the preceding five years.

c. The monitoring visit shall include the Department’s review of the results of the district's annual monitoring and the district’s implementation of the requirements for evaluation systems specified in subsection (3) of this rule. The Department shall provide the district with a report of the results of the monitoring, which includes the continued approval designation for the evaluation systems and any strengths and areas of noncompliance identified. Upon receipt of the report from the Department, the district will conduct itself in accordance with the requirements and timelines based on the approval designation as provided in subsection (5) of this rule.

(8) Reporting.

(a) All evaluation systems approved pursuant to this rule shall be posted on the district’s website within thirty (30) days of approval of the evaluation system. The current URL of the district’s posted documentation shall be provided to the Department by submitting the URL to [e-mail], and the Department will post the URL on its website, www.fldoe.org/profdev/pa.asp. The district website posting shall provide access to the content of the system included in subsection (3) of this rule.

(b) The District’s annual report on the status of evaluation system implementation required by Section 1012.34(1)(a), Florida Statutes, shall address the monitoring results listed in subsection (6) of this rule.

(9) Guidelines for training of evaluators. Evaluators provide recurring feedback to guide growth in proficiency using the district’s evaluation system and also provide summative performance ratings. Districts should consider the following elements in designing training for those who function as evaluators in any of the district’s instructional or administrator evaluation systems:

(a) The instructional research and framework on which the evaluation system is based. Each research-based framework is associated with particular approaches to instruction or leadership. The research aligned with the district framework is a useful source of deeper understanding of how to implement strategies correctly and in appropriate circumstances. Evaluators can provide better feedback to sub-ordinates when they understand the research framework.

(b) Processes to improve rate accuracy and inter-rater reliability. Evaluators in the district should be able to provide subordinates similar feedback and ratings so that there is consistent use of the evaluation system across the district. This is promoted by training on the following:

1. The indicators in the evaluation system used to identify the knowledge, skills, and expected outcomes that are identified as district evaluation system priorities.

2. The rubrics or descriptions used to distinguish proficiency levels and appropriate sources and types of evidence associated with levels of proficiency.

3. Rater reliability processes for verifying that evaluators and other raters meet district expectations in observing evidence for indicators and using the rubrics to classify proficiency levels.

(c) Specific, actionable, and timely feedback processes. Evaluator observations promote improvement when results are conveyed to employees in a specific, actionable, and timely manner. Training on how to do so in a clear and productive manner is essential.

(d) Conference protocols and forms, including requirements for meetings and maintenance of records.

(e) Processes and procedures for implementing the evaluation system:

1. Acceptable sources of evidence and how it may be collected, submitted and retained;

2. Timeframes for procedures and record keeping;

3. Scoring rules and calculations;

4. Use of forms and instruments.

(f) Student growth measures: The district’s requirements regarding use of student assessment data and an explanation of the methods used to calculate growth or achievement in the district’s evaluation system.

(g) Sources of information about the evaluation system: How evaluators and employees can access manuals, forms, and other documents regarding the evaluation process.

(h) Procedures for training employees on the evaluation process.

(i) Additional metrics: Training on the use, evidence collection and evaluation of additional metrics used to supplement the instructional or leadership practice portion of the evaluation.

(j) Resources and procedures for employees to access assistance.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1012.34, 229.053, 231.29 FS. Law Implemented 1001.42(18), 1006.281, 1012.12(1)(c), 1012.34, 1012.98, 230.23(5)(c), 231.29 FS. History–New 6-19-0, Formerly 6B-4.010, Amended_________.