DNA - PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: EVALUATION OF TEACHERS

FREQUENCY

Except as provided below, each TSBVI teacher must be appraised at least once during each school year (see below, LOCALLY DEVELOPED APPRAISAL PROCESS).

See Education Code 21.203; 21.352(c); 19 TAC 150.1003(a).

Appraisal Notice

A TSBVI teacher may be given advance notice of the date or time of an appraisal, but advance notice is not required. See 19 TAC 150.1003(c)

The School shall maintain a written copy of the evaluation of each teacher's performance in the teacher's personnel file. Each teacher is entitled to receive a written copy of the evaluation. After receiving a written copy of the evaluation, a teacher is entitled to a second appraisal by a different appraiser or to submit a written rebuttal to the evaluation to be attached to the evaluation in the teacher's personnel file. The evaluation and any rebuttal may be given to another school district at which the teacher has applied for employment at the request of that district. Education Code 21.352(c)

Confidentiality

A document evaluating the performance of a teacher is confidential.

Education Code 21.355

ROLE OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

A teacher who directs extracurricular activities in addition to performing classroom teaching duties shall be appraised only on the basis of classroom teaching performance and not on performance in connection with extracurricular activities. Education Code 21.353

LOCALLY DEVELOPED APPRAISAL METHOD

The School shall develop its own teacher appraisal system supported by procedures and by the processes outlined in the Texas Education Code 21.352.

The Instructional Planning Council shall:

1. Develop a local appraisal process;
2. Develop evaluation criteria, including discipline management and performance of the teachers' students; and

The appraisal process shall include:

1. At least one appraisal each year; The locally developed appraisal process shall include a "Standard Annual Appraisal" which will include a 45-minute observation period and the evaluation of teacher performance in designated instructional domains; and an "Alternative Annual Appraisal" which shall include a minimum of two "walk-through" observations per school year of at least 20 minutes each. Each teacher shall be appraised using the Standard Annual Appraisal except that a teacher is eligible to be appraised using the Alternative Annual Appraisal if:
   1. the teacher has obtained the visually handicapped endorsement except that an Orientation and Mobility Specialist is not required to obtain the visually handicapped endorsement but must be certified by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals [see 19 TAC 89.1131(e)]; and
   2. the teacher annually agrees in writing to an appraisal using the Alternative Annual Appraisal; and
   3. the teacher's three most recent appraisals, as long as the appraisals were conducted within the past five years, at TSBVI rated the teacher as at least proficient, or the equivalent, and did not identify any area of deficiency.

   A teacher who is eligible to be appraised using the Alternative Annual Appraisal shall be appraised a minimum of once every three years using the Standard Annual Appraisal.During any school year when a Standard Annual Appraisal is not required for an eligible teacher, the teacher may require that a Standard Annual Appraisal be conducted by providing written notice to the supervisor; the supervisor may require that a Standard Annual Appraisal be conducted if the teacher has a new assignment with significantly different instructional responsibilities or if the supervisor has identified a deficiency in the teacher's performance.

2. A conference between the teacher and the appraiser that is diagnostic and prescriptive with regard to remediation needed in overall performance by category; and
3. Criteria based on observable, job-related behavior, including:
   1. Teachers' implementation of discipline management procedures; and
   2. Performance of the teacher's students.

The Instructional Planning Council shall submit the appraisal process and criteria to the Superintendent, who shall submit the appraisal process and criteria to the Board with a recommendation to accept or reject. The Board may accept or reject, with comments, an appraisal process and performance criteria, but may not modify the process or criteria.

Education Code 21.352(a)(2), (b); 19 TAC 150.1009(a)

PROBATIONARY TEACHERS

Written evaluations and other evaluative information need not be considered prior to a decision to terminate a probationary contract at the end of the contract term. (See DFAB)

EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS

When relevant to decisions regarding term contracts, written evaluations of a teacher's performance, as documented to date, and any other information the administration deems appropriate, shall be considered in decisions affecting contract status.

Education Code 21.203(a)

GRIEVANCES

Complaints regarding teacher appraisal shall be addressed in accordance with DGBA.

ALTERNATIVE APPRAISERS

The list of qualified appraisers who may appraise a teacher in place of the teacher's supervisor shall be approved by the Board.

SCHEDULE LIMITATIONS

No observations shall be scheduled for:

1. The first two weeks of instruction.
2. The last day of instruction before any School Holiday.
3. The last three weeks of instruction.

Adopted: 11/13/81

Amended: 9/9/83, 5/30/86, 9/15/88, 3/22/91, 5/26/94, 11/18/94, 1/26/96, 9/26/97, 3/24/00, 11/21/03, 5/25/05

Reviewed: 3/21/03

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