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Administrative Procedure

AP-710 — Teacher Growth, Supervision, and Evaluation

Section Seven: Personnel and Employee Relations
Effective Date: October 5, 2015 Last Reviewed: August 23, 2021

Background

Teacher growth, supervision and evaluation processes in the Division are designed to ensure that quality teaching occurs when the teacher's ongoing analysis of the context, and the teacher's decisions about which pedagogical knowledge and ability to apply, result in optimum learning for all students. This administrative procedure provides a framework for administrators and teachers to work together to ensure all teachers meet Alberta's Teaching Quality Standard (TQS) throughout their employment with the Division. Section 197 of the Education Act defines principal responsibilities related to this administrative procedure.

Definitions

Administrator means a teacher who is a superintendent, assistant superintendent, principal, vice principal or assistant principal.

Evaluation means the formal process of gathering and recording information or evidence over a period of time and the application of reasoned professional judgment by an administrator in determining whether one or more aspects of the teaching of a teacher exceeds, meets or does not meet the Teaching Quality Standard. Formal evaluation includes a pre-conference, observation, and a post-conference with feedback.

Supervision means the on-going process by which administrators establish professional learning environments where teachers in their various professional roles can engage in critical self-reflection, identify challenges to effective practice, explore solutions and establish plans for continuous growth and improvement, in accordance with section 197 of the Education Act and as required by the Leadership Quality Standard (LQS).

Teacher Professional Growth means the career-long learning process whereby a teacher annually develops and implements a plan to achieve professional learning objectives or goals that are consistent with the Teaching Quality Standard.

Teaching Quality Standard (TQS) means the authorized competencies and indicators and any additional Division standards or descriptors consistent with the Teaching Quality Standard and the mission of the school authority.

Procedures

  1. The Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Administrative Procedure will comply with provincial regulations as well as Grasslands' related policies, guidelines, and procedures.
  2. The administrator shall develop an Instructional Leadership for Exemplary Teaching (ILET) plan for the supervision of teachers in his/her school and such a plan shall be shared with teachers at the beginning of the year. The ILET plan will be submitted to the superintendent, or designate, by September 30th. The ILET plan will be formally discussed as part of superintendents' instructional leadership reviews.
  3. As career-long learners, all teachers employed by Grasslands School Division are expected to accept responsibility for professional growth. Teachers have the responsibility of critically self-reflecting upon professional practice and seeking improvement as part of a continuing process.
  4. There will be ongoing supervision of all teachers in Grasslands School Division while in the performance of their professional duties. All teachers are required to participate in ongoing supervision to ensure quality teaching meet the expectations of the TQS and in order to optimize student learning.
  5. Evaluation of a teacher in Grasslands School Division will occur in the following circumstances:
    1. Upon the written request of the teacher;
    2. For the purpose of gathering information related to a specific employment decision;
    3. For the purposes of assessing the growth of the teacher in the specific areas of practice; or
    4. When, on the basis of information received through supervision, the principal has reason to believe that the teaching of the teacher is not meeting the Teaching Quality Standard as defined later in this administrative procedure.
  6. Subsequent to an evaluation, the teacher has the right of review. A request for a review by the superintendent must be made in writing within ten days of the receipt of the evaluation.
  7. Information obtained as a result of the processes involved in teacher growth, supervision and evaluation will be managed in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act.

Growth

  1. All teachers employed by Grasslands School Division on an interim or temporary contract of eight months or longer, a probationary contract, or a continuing contract, shall complete during each school year, an annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan that:
    1. Reflects goals and objectives based on a self-assessment of learning by the individual teacher;
    2. Shows a demonstrable relationship to the Teaching Quality Standard; and
    3. May take into consideration the education plans of the school, Grasslands School Division, and Alberta Education.
  2. School divisions and/or schools are not restricted in developing their own staff development plan in which the school division and/or school may require teachers to participate.
  3. An Annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan:
    1. Includes the following;
      1. Assessment of professional learning needs,
      2. Professional learning goals,
      3. Strategies to obtain each goal,
      4. A timeline for implementation, and
      5. The intended method of assessing goal attainment
    2. May be a component of a multi-year plan; and
    3. May consist of a planned program of supervising a student teacher of mentoring a teacher.
  4. All teachers employed by Grasslands School Division must make available for review and discussion the annual Teacher Professional Growth Plans to their administrator by September 30 of each school year. Any modifications to the plan made by the teacher due to changes in identified needs or circumstances shall be communicated to the administrator at the time of the changes.
  5. The administrator shall review the plan and in consultation with the teacher make a finding as to whether the teacher has completed the annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan in accordance with Growth Procedures 1, 2, and 3.
  6. The teacher's annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan shall be kept in the possession of the teacher. A copy of the annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan may, with the teacher's permission, be kept by the administrator.
  7. The teacher shall implement his/her annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan and shall collaborate with the principal in evaluating the progress of that implementation.
  8. By June 15th of that school year, the administrator shall submit to the superintendent, or designate, written verification that each teacher has developed and implemented a professional growth plan for the current school year.
  9. If a review under Growth Procedure 4 finds that the teacher has not completed and implemented an annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan as required, the teacher shall be subject to discipline as determined by the superintendent.
  10. Unless a teacher agrees, the content of an annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan shall not be the source of any issue that forms part of the evaluation process of a teacher.

Supervision

  1. Supervision of teachers shall be an ongoing process of instructional leadership carried out by the administrator. Teacher supervision includes but is not limited to instructional leadership activities such as:
    1. Discussing and reviewing annual professional growth plans;
    2. Recognizing the teacher's success and achievement in meeting the Teaching Quality Standards;
    3. Ongoing communication with teachers about quality teaching and optimal learning;
    4. Frequently observing teaching practice and providing feedback, support and guidance to teachers;
    5. Receiving information from any source about the quality of teaching practice that a teacher provides to students;
    6. Working together to review and interpret a wide range of data that may inform improved teaching practice;
    7. Participating in collaborative learning opportunities with teachers; and
    8. Acquiring information regarding the teacher's participation in any aspect of the activities of the school.
  2. Information gathered through supervision about a teacher's practices or behaviours may be used to identify challenges to effective practice that may require more investigation, enhanced supervision and supports, or may require evaluation.

Evaluation

Teachers on Probationary Contracts

  1. After a teacher enters into a Probationary contract with Grasslands School Division, he/she shall receive written notifications that evaluations will take place during the term of the probationary contract. An evaluation will be done by the principal and a second one by the superintendent's central office designate.
  2. Each evaluator shall provide a written notice of evaluation to the teacher. A copy of such notifications must be kept in the individual teacher's personnel file. Each evaluator will discuss with the teacher, prior to formal observation, the following aspects of the written notification:
    1. The reasons and purposes for the evaluation;
    2. Process, criteria and standards to be used in the evaluation;
    3. Timelines to be applied; and
    4. Possible outcomes of the evaluation.
  3. The following shall be included in each evaluation process:
    1. A minimum of two formal classroom observations based upon established criteria:
      1. A scheduled observation of which is to be completed by November 30 (January 31); and
      2. At least one other unscheduled observation by April 1.
    2. Pre-visitation conference where the teacher will respond to the four key questions of the Grasslands' Instructional Framework for Exemplary Teaching:
      1. What do we want the students to know and be able to do? (essential outcomes);
      2. How will we know if each student has learned? (assessment);
      3. What instructional practices will I choose? (lesson design/instructional strategies); and
      4. How do we respond when a student is not learning or has already learned it? (intervention/differentiation).
    3. Review of evidence and artifacts related to teaching practice:
      1. planning documents;
      2. assessment and evaluation/reporting documents;
      3. student work and performance; and
      4. other agreed upon sources.
    4. Post-visitation conferences where observations and assessments are communicated.
  4. Where the evaluator has concerns about a teacher's ability to meet the competencies as identified in the TQS, he or she will give the teacher a written summary of those concerns within seven days of the observation.
  5. Formal written reports shall be presented to the teacher after the conclusion of the evaluation processes conducted by the principal and by the superintendent's central office designate. Principals shall submit signed copies of their formal written report by May 1st to the superintendent's central office designate. The reports will include a conclusion as to whether or not the teachers' practices and behaviours have met the expectations outlined in the TQS for teachers possessing the certificate under which the teacher is teaching (interim or permanent).

Teachers on Temporary or Interim Contracts

For teachers on interim contracts of eight months or longer, the evaluation process will be the same as for teachers on probationary contracts.

For teachers on temporary contracts of eight months or longer:

  1. The principal will conduct a minimum of one formal classroom observation based upon established criteria:
    1. A scheduled observation
    2. Pre-visitation conference where the teacher will respond to the four key questions of the Grasslands' Instructional Framework for Exemplary Teaching:
      1. What do we want the students to know and be able to do? (essential outcomes);
      2. How will we know if each student has learned? (assessment);
      3. What instructional practices will I choose? (lesson design/instructional strategies); and
      4. How do we respond when a student is not learning or has already learned it? (intervention/differentiation).
    3. Review of evidence and artifacts related to teaching practice:
      1. planning documents;
      2. assessment and evaluation/reporting documents;
      3. student work and performance; and
      4. other agreed upon sources.
    4. Post-visitation conferences where observations and assessments are communicated.
  2. A second formal observation will be done by the superintendent's central office designate.
  3. A written summary of these observations will be provided to the teacher prior to the end of their contract.

Teachers Eligible for Permanent Certification (2 years successful teaching, 2 evaluations reports)

  1. The teacher shall receive written notification of the evaluation by the superintendent's central office designate who shall communicate with the teacher, prior to formal observation, the following aspects:
    1. The reasons and purposes for the evaluation;
    2. Process, criteria and standards to be used in the evaluation;
    3. Timelines to be applied; and
    4. Possible outcomes of the evaluation.

A copy of the notice of evaluation will be kept in the individual teacher's personnel file.

  1. The following shall be included in the evaluation process:
    1. At least one scheduled classroom observation by the principal, and one scheduled observation by the superintendent designate, based upon established criteria;
    2. Pre-visitation conference where the teacher will respond to the four key questions of the Grasslands' Instructional Framework for Exemplary Teaching:
      1. What do we want the students to know and be able to do? (essential outcomes);
      2. How will we know if each student has learned? (assessment);
      3. What instructional practices will I choose? (lesson design/instructional strategies); and
      4. How do we respond when a student is not learning or has already learned it? (intervention/differentiation).
    3. Review of evidence and artifacts related to teaching practice:
      1. planning documents;
      2. assessment and evaluation/reporting documents;
      3. student work and performance; and
      4. other agreed upon sources.
    4. Post-visitation conferences where the teacher will share critical reflections of their progress related to Teaching Quality Standard competencies and indicators, and where the evaluator will share observations and feedback.
  2. A recommendation by the superintendent that a teacher be issued a permanent professional teaching certificate must also be supported by the findings in two or more formal evaluation reports of the teacher. The evaluations done for teachers on probationary contracts may be used for this purpose.

Teachers on Continuing Contracts

  1. Evaluation of a teacher on a continuous contract will only occur:
    1. as a result of a teacher request; or
    2. as required for a recommendation concerning permanent certification; or
    3. for the purposes of gathering information related to a specific employment decision; or
    4. when the principal has, through supervision, reason to believe that the teacher is not meeting the Teaching Quality Standards.
  2. Prior to the commencement of the evaluation process:
    1. If initiated by the teacher, a request in writing must be provided to the principal requesting that an evaluation be completed.
    2. If initiated by the principal, a written notice of evaluation must be provided to the teacher. A copy of such notification must be kept in the individual teacher's personnel file. It shall include:
      1. the reasons and purposes for the evaluation;
      2. the process, criteria and standards to be used in the evaluation;
      3. the timelines to be applied; and
      4. the possible outcomes of the evaluation.
  3. The principal shall convene a meeting with the teacher subsequent to notification and prior to formal observation to prepare an Evaluation Plan. The following shall be included by principals as part of the evaluation process:
    1. Multiple observations based upon established criteria; and
    2. Post visitation conferences where observations and assessments are communicated.
  4. A formal written report shall be presented to the teacher after the conclusion of the evaluation and a copy shall be sent to the superintendent. The report shall either conclude that the standard has been met and the teacher should return to supervision or it has not been met in specific areas and remediation is necessary.
  5. Where remediation is necessary to raise the quality of the teacher's instruction to an acceptable level, the teacher shall receive a written Notice of Remediation that shall describe:
    1. The behaviours and practices that do not meet the teaching quality standard and the changes required;
    2. The remediation strategies the teacher is advised to pursue;
    3. The assistance that will be provided; and
    4. How the determination will be made that the required changes in behaviour or practice have taken place, applicable timelines, and the consequences of not achieving the required changes including, but not limited to, termination of a teacher's contract of employment.
  6. The superintendent's central office designate shall perform two or more observations to assess the performance level.
  7. A report will be written and presented to the teacher specifying a recommendation to:
    1. Return to supervision; or
    2. Extend the remediation timeline; or
    3. Terminate the contract.

A copy of the report shall be submitted to the superintendent.

  1. The superintendent, upon receipt of the designates' report, shall take whatever action he/she believes is required.
  2. Once informed of the actions of the superintendent of schools, the teacher may request in writing, within ten working days, a review.
  3. If the recommendation is for termination of contract, the process outlined in the Education Act shall apply.
  4. This policy does not restrict:
    1. A principal from taking disciplinary action or other action as appropriate, where the principal has reasonable grounds for believing that the actions or practices of a teacher endangers the safety of students, constitutes a neglect of duty, a breach of trust or a refusal to obey a lawful order of the school authority; or
    2. The Board or superintendent from taking action or exercising any right or power under the Education Act.