Educator Evaluation Information 09-10

As part of federal requirements for states receiving funding under Phase 2 of the State Fiscal Stabilization Funds Program, all school districts in New Jersey are providing information to the public on the procedures they use to evaluate teachers and principals. The information presented below will help you understand the Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission’s policies and procedures for evaluating teachers and principals. 

Description of the Teacher Evaluation System

The Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission employs an evaluation model that is eclectic based on the student populations we service.  The evaluation models  examine the NJ Professional Standards for Teachers as well as other recommended components of formalized evaluation processes.  These frameworks identify critical domains of Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Student Behaviors and Instructional Needs and Instruction and Professional Responsibilities of effective teaching.   The HCESC evaluates each educator based on a variety of methods.  The methods include classroom observations, teacher portfolios, pre and post conferencing, and other relevant artifacts. Tenured teachers are evaluated once a year while non- tenured teachers are evaluated three times a year.

*Confidentiality concerns: To protect the confidentiality of individual evaluations, districts are not required to provide a district-level statistical summary of teacher evaluation outcomes in those cases where there are fewer than 10 teachers in an entire district.  Similarly, districts are not required to provide a school-level statistical summary of teacher evaluation outcomes if there are fewer than 10 teachers in a school.

Description of the Principal Evaluation System

The Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission certified principals are evaluated in accordance with state laws and regulations, as well as HCESC Board policy and regulations. Principal evaluations reference the New Jersey Professional Standards for School Leaders and contain the following evidence: Portfolio/work samples, school climate indicators, self-leadership assessment/evaluation, school/community communications, student performance/achievement outcomes, documented, completed teacher evaluations, goal setting, progress and completion reporting.  These narrative assessments also take into consideration the population of students that the HCESC serves.

Evaluations are narrative and include opportunities for pre and post conferencing. The narrative includes comments, commendations, recommendations, goals-progress and completion, and a summative statement. Performance evaluation is informed through the written paragraphs and includes specific, as well as summative performance evaluation.

All Principals are evaluated formally once a year. Results inform the following areas: professional development, individual Professional Growth Plans, tenure decisions, recommendation for continued employment, selection of specific roles or duties, and principal placements.

* Confidentiality concerns: To protect the confidentiality of individual evaluations, districts are not required to provide a district-level statistical summary of principal evaluation outcomes in those cases where there are fewer than 10 principals in a district.