Section 50.300  Plan Components Required for the Evaluation of Principals and Assistant Principals

Each school district shall implement a performance evaluation plan for its principals and assistant principals no later than September 1, 2012.  (See Sections 24A-15 and 34-8 of the School Code.)  Assistant principals employed by CPS shall not be subject to the performance evaluations system established under Article 24A of the School Code and this Part.

a)         A school district may choose to develop its own performance evaluation plan or adopt or adapt the State model authorized under Section 24A-7 of the School Code. 

1)         The plan shall consider the principal's or, as applicable, assistant principal's specific duties, responsibilities, management and competence as a principal or assistant principal.  (Sections 24A-15(c)(1) and (c-5)(1) and 34-8 of the School Code)

2)         The plan shall consider the principal's or, as applicable, assistant principal's strengths and weaknesses, with supporting reasons.  (Sections 24A-15(c)(2) and (c-5)(2) and 34-8 of the School Code)

3)         The plan shall consider the performance goals developed pursuant to Sections 10-23.8a and 34-8.1 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/10-23.8a and 34-8.1] for any principal or, as applicable, assistant principal who has a performance-based contract.

b)         The plan shall identify the person who will evaluate the principal or assistant principal.  For a principal who also serves as the district superintendent, the evaluator shall be appointed by the local board of education, and the board's appointment shall not be the person whose performance as principal is being evaluated.  The evaluator so appointed shall hold a current and valid professional educator license endorsed for superintendent issued under Article 21B of the School Code and have completed the prequalification process and any retraining, as applicable, required under Section 24A-3 of the School Code or Subpart E of this Part.

c)         The plan shall provide for the completion of the evaluation (i.e., collection of data and information on student growth and conducting observations) no later than March 1 annually for a principal or assistant principal (Section 24A-15 of the School Code) for school districts located outside of the City of Chicago, or by July 1 annually for a principal employed by CPS. (See Section 34-8 of the School Code.)

d)         At the start of the school term (i.e., the first day students are required to be in attendance), the school district shall provide a written notice (either electronic or paper) to each principal and, as applicable, assistant principal that a performance evaluation will be conducted, or, if the principal or assistant principal is hired or assigned to the position after the start of the school term, then no later than 30 days after the contract is signed or the assignment is made.  The written notice shall include:

1)         a copy of the rubric to be used to rate student growth and professional practice of the principal or assistant principal; and

2)         a summary of the manner in which student growth and professional practice measures to be used in the evaluation relate to the performance evaluation ratings of "excellent", "proficient", "needs improvement", and "unsatisfactory".

e)         On or before October 1 of each year, the qualified evaluator and principal or assistant principal shall meet to set the student growth measurement models and targets to be used.  If the qualified evaluator and principal or assistant principal fail to agree on the student growth measures and targets to be included, then the qualified evaluator shall determine the goals to be considered.

f)         On or before October 1 of each year, the qualified evaluator and principal or assistant principal shall establish professional growth goals, which shall be based on the results of the performance evaluation conducted in the previous school year, if any.  If the qualified evaluator and principal or assistant principal fail to agree on the professional growth goals to be included, then the qualified evaluator shall determine the goals to be considered.

g)         When the performance evaluation is completed, the qualified evaluator shall meet with the principal or assistant principal to inform the principal or assistant principal of the rating given for the student growth and professional practice components of the evaluation and of the final performance evaluation rating received, and discuss the evidence used in making these determinations.  The qualified evaluator shall discuss the strengths demonstrated by the principal or assistant principal and identify specific areas of growth.

(Source:  Amended at 38 Ill. Reg. 19741, effective September 29, 2014)