108A Administrator Appraisal Process Delaware Performance Appraisal System (DPAS II)

In this regulation, the following words and terms shall have the following meaning:

2.0 Definitions

"Annual Appraisal Cycle" means the administrator appraisal process that occurs each year.

"Credentialed Administrator" means the individual, not always the supervisor of the administrator, who has successfully completed the foundational DPAS II training and credentialing assessment in accordance with Section 10.0.

"Department" means the Delaware Department of Education.

"DPAS II Guide for Administrators" means the manual created by the Department that contains the prescribed forms, detailed procedures, evaluation criteria and other relevant documents that are used to implement the appraisal process. The DPAS II Guide for Administrators may also be referred to collectively as "Guide."

"Goal-Setting Conference" means a meeting that occurs between the administrator and the Credentialed Administrator at the beginning of the Annual Appraisal Cycle, which typically is in the summer or fall.

"Improvement Plan" means the plan that an administrator and Credentialed Administrator mutually develop in accordance with Section 8.0.

"Mid-Year Conference" means a meeting that occurs between the administrator and the Credentialed Administrator as part of the Annual Appraisal Cycle, which typically occurs midway through the school year.

"Summative Evaluation" or “Evaluation” means the final evaluation at the conclusion of the Annual Appraisal Cycle.

"Working day" means a day when the employee would normally be working in that district or charter school.

3.0 Annual Appraisal Cycles

3.1 All administrators shall receive a yearly appraisal in all 5 Appraisal Components, including Student Improvement, that includes a minimum of 1 Goal-Setting Conference, 1 Mid-Year Conference and 1 Summative Evaluation each year.

3.1.1 The Goal-Setting Conference shall include establishing goals for the year and discussing areas of support, as described in the DPAS II Guide for Administrators.

3.1.2 The Mid-Year Conference shall include a discussion of progress toward goals and areas of support, as described in the DPAS II Guide for Administrators.

3.2 The Annual Appraisal Cycle shall be led by the administrator's Credentialed Administrator and may include other supports and opportunities for feedback from the administrator's Credentialed Administrator or other Credentialed Administrators, as outlined in the DPAS II Guide for Administrators. A superintendent or head of charter school shall be evaluated by members of the local board of education or charter school board of directors who have successfully completed the DPAS II foundational training and credentialing assessment in accordance with Section 10.0.

4.0 DPAS II Guide for Administrators

4.1 All districts and charter schools shall use the manual titled DPAS II Guide for Administrators as developed and as may be amended by the Department in collaboration with administrators, which shall include representatives from Delaware School Boards Association (DSBA) and Delaware Association of School Administrators (DASA) to implement the appraisal system.

4.1.1 The Guide shall contain at a minimum the following:

4.1.1.1 Specific details about each of the 5 Appraisal Components pursuant to subsection 5.1, including the Appraisal Criteria within each Component that form the basis for ratings.

4.1.1.2 All forms or documents needed to complete the requirements of the Annual Appraisal Cycle.

4.1.1.3 Specific procedures to implement the Annual Appraisal Cycle, including information on the required Goal-Setting Conference, Mid-Year Conference and Summative Evaluation as well as other recommended supports and opportunities for feedback.

4.1.1.4 Guidance related to evidence collection, including relevant definitions, samples of quality evidence and other resources.

5.0 Appraisal Components and Appraisal Criteria

5.1 The following 5 Appraisal Components, including Appraisal Criteria specified for each in the Guide, shall be the basis upon which the performance of an administrator shall be evaluated by the Credentialed Administrator:

5.1.1 Component 1: Leadership for Purpose and Improvement: Focuses on the administrator's actions to develop, advocate, and enact systems aligned to the mission, vision, and core values of the school or district, including the alignment to the school or district success plans to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

5.1.2 Component 2: Leadership for Self and Others: Focuses on the administrator’s actions to act ethically and strive for enacting systems that promote the equity of educational opportunities and culturally responsive practices for each student’s academic success and well-being.

5.1.3 Component 3: Leadership for Student Success: Focuses on the administrator's actions to enact intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment within an environment that is inclusive, caring, and supporting to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

5.1.4 Component 4: Leadership for the Learning Community: Focuses on the administrator’s actions to systematically develop the professional capacity of teachers, staff, and personnel, as well as meaningfully engaging families and community members in ways that promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

5.1.5 Component 5: Student Improvement: Students collectively demonstrate appropriate levels of student growth as benchmarked against standards to be set by the Secretary based on input from stakeholder groups. For the purpose of this regulation, "student growth" means the change in student achievement data for an individual student between 2 points in time and may include other measures that are as rigorous and comparable across classrooms. For non-tested grades and subjects, student achievement data means alternative measures of student learning and performance, such as student scores on pre-tests and end-of-course tests; student performance on English language proficiency assessments; and other measures of student achievement that are rigorous and comparable across classrooms, developed in partnership with the Delaware Association of School Administrators (DASA) and the Delaware School Boards Association (DSBA) and approved by the Department. For tested grades and subjects, student achievement data means student scores on the State assessment system and, as appropriate, other measures of student learning, such as those specified for non-tested grades and subjects, provided they are rigorous and comparable across classrooms.

6.0 Summative Evaluation Ratings

6.1 Appraisal Components 1 through 4 shall be assigned a rating of “Distinguished”, “Accomplished”, “Emerging”, or “Developing” on the Summative Evaluation. Component 5: Student Improvement shall be assigned a rating of “Highly Effective”, “Effective”, “Needs Improvement”, or “Ineffective” on the Summative Evaluation. The rating for each of the 5 Appraisal Components shall reflect the standards as described in the DPAS II Guide for Administrators.

6.1.1 Each Component rating shall be equal to an assigned point value. A “Distinguished” Component rating shall earn 4 points, an “Accomplished” Component rating shall earn 3 points, an “Emerging” Component rating shall earn 2 points, and a “Developing” Component rating shall earn 1 point. No partial points shall be awarded.

6.1.2 Once all Component ratings are assigned, a Summative Evaluation rating is determined by the sum of all 5 Components.

6.1.3 Satisfactory performance on a component of the evaluation is a rating equivalent to "Distinguished" or "Accomplished." The Credentialed Administrator may deem a rating equivalent to "Emerging" as satisfactory performance on a component of the evaluation based on the length of time in a position, change in assignment, or previous ratings.

6.1.4 Unsatisfactory performance on a component of the evaluation is a rating equivalent to "Developing." The Credentialed Administrator may deem a rating equivalent to "Emerging" as unsatisfactory performance on a component of the evaluation based on the length of time in a position, change in assignment, or previous ratings.

6.2 The Summative Evaluation shall also include 1 of 4 overall ratings: “Distinguished”, “Accomplished”, “Emerging”, or “Developing”.

6.2.1 “Distinguished” means that the administrator has earned a sum of 19 or 20 Component rating points.

6.2.2 “Accomplished" means that the administrator has earned a sum of 14 to 18 Component rating points.

6.2.3 “Emerging" means that the administrator has earned a sum of 9 to 13 Component rating points.

6.2.4 “Developing" means that the administrator has earned a sum of 5 to 8 Component rating points.

6.2.5 Satisfactory performance on the overall evaluation is a rating equivalent to "Distinguished" or "Accomplished." The Credentialed Administrator may deem an overall evaluation rating equivalent to "Emerging" as satisfactory performance based on the length of time in a position, change in assignment, or previous ratings.

6.2.6 Unsatisfactory performance on the overall evaluation is a rating equivalent to "Developing." The Credentialed Administrator may deem an overall evaluation rating equivalent to "Emerging" as unsatisfactory performance based on the length of time in a position, change in assignment, or previous ratings.

7.0 Pattern of Ineffective Administrative Performance

For the purpose of this regulation, and as required by 14 Del.C. §1270B(b), "pattern of ineffective practice" means at least 2 consecutive ratings of “Developing” or 3 consecutive ratings that are a combination of “Emerging” and “Developing” on the most recent Summative Evaluations of an administrator using the DPAS II process and shall be deemed as a pattern of ineffective administrative performance.

15 DE Reg. 1596 (05/01/12)

8.0 Supports for Improvement

8.1 An Improvement Plan shall be developed for an administrator who receives an overall rating of “Developing” on the Summative Evaluation or a rating of Needs Improvement or Ineffective on Component 5: Student Improvement in Section 5.0 on the Summative Evaluation regardless of the overall rating.

8.1.1 An Improvement Plan may also be developed if an administrator's performance during the Annual Appraisal Cycle is unsatisfactory, as outlined in the DPAS II Guide for Administrators.

8.1.2 The Improvement Plan shall be developed cooperatively by the administrator and the administrator's Credentialed Administrator. If the plan cannot be cooperatively developed, the administrator's Credentialed Administrator shall have the authority and responsibility to determine the plan as specified in subsection 8.1 above.

8.1.3 The administrator shall be held accountable for the implementation and completion of the Improvement Plan.

8.1.4 Upon completion of the Improvement Plan, the administrator and the administrator's Credentialed Administrator shall sign the documentation that determines the satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance of the plan.

8.2 Leadership priorities shall be developed for an administrator who receives an overall rating of “Emerging” on the Summative Evaluation or a rating of “Developing” or “Emerging” in Component 1, Component 2, Component 3, or Component 4. Leadership priorities shall be completed as outlined in the DPAS II Guide for Administrators. For the purpose of this regulation, leadership priorities mean a document for annually recording specific areas of leadership practices where improvement would contribute to overall growth as a leader and to improved student outcomes.

15 DE Reg. 1596 (05/01/12)

9.1 An administrator may challenge any rating on the Summative Evaluation, either an Appraisal Component Rating or the Overall Rating, or an administrator may challenge unsatisfactory performance identified by the administrator's Credentialed Administrator during the Annual Appraisal Cycle, pursuant to subsection 8.1.1. To initiate a challenge, an administrator shall submit additional information specific to the point of disagreement in writing within 15 working days of the date of administrator's receipt of the Summative Evaluation. Such written response shall become part of the appraisal record and shall be attached to the Summative Evaluation. All challenges together with the record shall be forwarded to the supervisor of the Credentialed Administrator, if any.

9.0 Challenge Process

9.1.1 Within 15 working days of receiving the written challenge, the supervisor of the Credentialed Administrator shall review the record which consists of all documents used in the appraisal and the written challenge, meet with the administrator, and issue a written decision.

9.1.2 If the challenge is denied, the written decision shall state the reasons for denial.

9.1.3 The decision of the supervisor of the Credentialed Administrator shall be final.

10.0 Credentialing Administrators

10.1 Credentialing processes and assessments shall be established and conducted by the Department and developed in collaboration with school and district level administrators.

10.2 Credentialed Administrator credentials for the utilization of each of the DPAS II Guides are earned upon successful completion of the credentialing assessment. Credentialed Administrators credentials are valid for 5 years from the date of issue. Credentialed Administrators may seek to renew their credentials within 24 months prior to the expiration date. If the educator does not renew the educator's credentials, the educator shall not complete DPAS II.

10.2.1 Completion of a foundational DPAS II training shall allow Credentialed Administrators to conduct administrator evaluations until the credentialing assessment is established and implemented for Credentialed Administrators.

10.2.2 Upon the initial implementation of the credentialing assessment, the Department shall establish a time period during which the assessment will be offered at least 3 times in order to provide multiple opportunities for an individual to earn the credential. Once available, an administrator shall have the opportunity to take the assessment at least 3 times. Administrators shall earn their credential during 1 of those opportunities before continuing their work. If administrators do not earn a credential, they will not be permitted to conduct administrator evaluations, but, in order to earn their credential, shall have the opportunity to take the assessment again during the next time period that such a credentialing assessment is offered.

11.0 Credentialed Administrator Training

11.1 Training opportunities shall be offered annually and shall include techniques for observation and conferencing and a review of the DPAS II Guide for Administrators. Activities in which participants practice implementation of DPAS II procedures may be included.

11.2 Credentialed Administrators shall complete a DPAS II training developed by the Department upon notice to superintendents and heads of charter schools from the Department subsequent to substantive changes to an applicable DPAS II Guide for Administrators.

12.0 Waiver of DPAS II Provisions

12.1 In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1270B(f), a school district or charter school may submit an application to the Department for a waiver of the provisions of the DPAS II. The waiver request shall be based on a locally developed evaluation process that meets all of the requirements in subsections 12.1.1 through 12.1.4.

12.1.1 The applicant's evaluation process is demonstrated to be the product of the collective bargaining process pursuant to 14 Del.C. Ch. 40 and community review.

12.1.2 The applicant's evaluation process is as rigorous and as educationally sound as DPAS II.

12.1.3 The applicant's evaluation process provides for evaluating administrator performance by measuring student growth using multiple measures over the course of a curricular year.

12.1.4 The applicant's evaluation process contains a mechanism for certifying evaluators and for quality control.

12.2 The school district or charter school shall submit the application and supporting documentation to the Department's Educator Excellence Workgroup by March 1.

12.3 The Department will review the application to determine if it is complete. If the application is incomplete, the school district or charter school may resubmit the application. If the application is complete, the Department will determine whether to grant the application based on the rubric in the application.

12.4 The Department may grant an application for a waiver for up to 3 years.

12.5 If the school district or charter school is granted a waiver, and the waiver expires, the school district or charter school shall submit a new application in order for the Department to grant another waiver.

The Department shall annually monitor implementation of DPAS II for administrators.

13.0 DPAS II Monitoring