Jerome Joint School District No. 261

ADMINISTRATION 6400

Principals

Principals are the chief administrators of their assigned schools. The primary responsibility of Principals is to

supervise the operation and management of their assigned schools and shall be under the direct supervision of the

Superintendent. The majority of the Principals’ time shall be spent on curriculum and staff development through

formal and informal activities, establishing clear lines of communication regarding the school rules,

accomplishments, practices, and policies with parents and teachers. Principals are responsible for management of

their staff, maintenance of the facility and equipment, administration of the educational program, control of the

students attending the school, management of the school’s budget, and communication between the school and

the community.

Evaluation of Principals

Each principal shall receive at least one (1) written evaluation to be completed by no later than June 1

st for each annual contract year of employment. Each principal evaluation shall use multiple measures that are research based and aligned to the State minimum standards based on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) and include proof of proficiency in conducting teacher evaluations using the State’s adopted model, the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching Second Edition.

The process of developing criteria and procedures for principal evaluations will allow opportunities for input from

stakeholders, including the Board, administrators, teachers, and parents and guardians.

Evaluation Objectives

The District’s Principal Evaluation Program is designed to:

1. Maintain or improve each principal's job satisfaction and morale by letting him or her know that the

Superintendent is interested in his or her job progress and personal development;

2. Serve as a systematic guide for planning each principal's further training and professional development;

3. Assure considered opinion of a principal's performance and focus maximum attention on achievement of

assigned duties;

4. Assist in determining and recording special talents, skills, and capabilities that might otherwise not be

noticed or recognized;

5. Assist in planning personnel moves and placements that will best utilize each principal's capabilities;

6. Provide an opportunity for each principal to discuss job problems and interests with the Superintendent;

and

7. Assemble substantiating data for use as a guide, although not necessarily the sole governing factor, for

such purposes as wage adjustments, promotions, disciplinary action, and termination.

Responsibility

The Superintendent shall have the responsibility for administrating and monitoring the District’s Principal

Evaluation Program and will ensure the fairness and efficiency of its execution, including:

1. Creating and implementing a plan for ongoing training and professional development and the funding

thereof for principals in the District’s Performance Evaluation Program, including evaluation standards,

forms, procedures, and processes and a plan for collecting and using data gathered from evaluation

forms. The plan will include identification of the actions, if any, available to the District as a result of the

evaluation as well as the procedure(s) for implementing each action.

2. Creating a plan for ongoing review of the District’s Principal Evaluation Program that includes stakeholder

input from teachers, Board members, administrators, parents and guardians, and other interested parties;

3. Creating a procedure for remediation for principals that receive evaluations indicating that remediation

would be an appropriate course of action;

4. Creating an individualizing evaluation rating system plan for how principal evaluations will be used to

identify proficiency and record growth over time with a minimum of four (4) rankings used to differentiate

performance of principals including:

o unsatisfactory being equal to a rating of 1;

o basic being equal to a rating of 2; and

o proficient being equal to a rating of 3;

• Distinguished being equal to a rating of 4.

5. Completing Principal Evaluation Forms annually and ensuring proper safeguards and filing of completed

forms; and

6. Completing training on the District’s Performance Evaluation Program.

Evaluation Form and Procedure

A written summative report will be completed for each principal by the Superintendent no later than June 1

st for each annual contract year of employment. A copy will be given to the principal. The original will be placed in the personnel file. This Form shall be reviewed annually and revised as necessary to indicate any significant changes in duties or responsibilities. The Form is designed to increase planning and relate performance to assigned responsibilities through joint understanding between the Superintendent and the principal as to the job

description and major performance objectives.

The Evaluation Form will identify the sources of data used in conducting the evaluation. Proficiency in conducting

observations and evaluating effective teacher performance shall be included as one (1) source of data.

Individual Professional Learning Plan

The Individual Professional Learning Plan is a form to be completed annually by all principals, vice principals, and

directors. This plan, to be completed in collaboration with the evaluator, will focus and direct the administrator’s

professional growth. The plan may be adjusted or rewritten at any time. If the Individual Professional Learning

Plan is a multi-year plan, the plan shall be reviewed annually.

Evaluation Measures and Criteria

Professional Practice

Principals must receive an evaluation in which a majority of the summative evaluation results are based on

Professional Practice. All measures within the Professional Practice portion of the evaluation must be aligned at a

minimum to the following Domains and Components:

Domain 1: School Climate - The principal promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing, and

sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional

development. The principal articulates and promotes high expectations for teaching and learning while responding

to diverse community interest and needs.

1. School Culture – The principal establishes a safe, collaborative, and supportive culture ensuring all

students are successfully prepared to meet the requirements for tomorrow’s careers and life endeavors.

2. Communication – The principal is proactive in communicating the vision and goals of the school or

District, the plans for the future, and the successes and challenges to all stakeholders.

3. Advocacy – The principal advocates for education, the District and school, teachers, parents, and

students that engenders school support and involvement.

Domain 2: Collaborative Leadership - The principal promotes the success of all students by ensuring management

of the organization, operations and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment. In

collaboration with others, uses appropriate data to establish rigorous, concrete goals in the context of student

achievement and instructional programs. The principal uses research and/or best practices in student achievement

and instructional programs. The principal uses research and/or best practices in improving the education program.

1. Shared Leadership – The principal fosters shared leadership that takes advantage of individual expertise,

strengths, and talents, and cultivates professional growth.

2. Priority Management - The principal organizes time and delegates responsibilities to balance

administrative/managerial, educational, and community leadership priorities.

3. Transparency – The principal seeks input from stakeholders and takes all perspectives into consideration

when making decisions.

iv. Leadership Renewal - The principal strives to continuously improve leadership skills through,

professional development, self-reflection, and utilization of input from others.

v. Accountability – The principal establishes high standards for professional, legal, ethical, and fiscal

accountability for self and others.

Domain 3: Instructional Leadership - The principal promotes the success of all students by facilitating the

development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported

by the school community. The principal provides leadership for major initiatives and change efforts and uses

research and/or best practices in improving the education program.

i. Innovation – The principal seeks and implements innovative and effective solutions that comply

with general and special education law.

ii. Instructional Vision – The principal insures that instruction is guided by a shared, research-based

instructional vision that articulates what students do to effectively learn.

iii. High Expectations – The principal sets high expectation for all students academically, behaviorally,

and in all aspects of student well-being.

iv. Continuous Improvement of Instruction – The principal has proof of proficiency in assessing

teacher performance based upon the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching Second Edition and

aligns resources, policies, and procedures toward continuous improvement of instructional practice

guided by the instructional vision.

v. Evaluation – The principal uses teacher/principal evaluation and other formative feedback

mechanisms to continuously improve teacher/principal effectiveness.

vi. Recruitment and Retention – The principal recruits and maintains a high quality staff.

Professional Practice

The evaluation will also include at least one (1) of the following as a measure to inform the Professional Practice

portion:

1. input received from parents or guardians;

2. input received from students;

3. input received from teachers; and/or

4. portfolios.

The District has chosen input received from parents or guardians as one of its measures to inform the Professional

Practice portion. The Board shall determine the manner and weight of parental input, student input, teacher

input, and/or portfolios on the evaluation.

Student Achievement

Part of the evaluation must be based on multiple objective measures of growth in measurable student

achievement as defined in Section 33-1001, Idaho Code. This portion of the evaluation may be calculated using

current and/or the immediate past year’s data and may use one or both years of data. Student achievement will be

considered proficient if the majority of the teachers under the supervision of this administrator met their growth

targets.

Proof of Proficiency in Teacher Evaluations

Proof of proficiency in evaluating teacher performance shall be required of all individuals assigned the

responsibility for appraising, observing, or evaluating certificated personnel performance. The individuals assigned

this responsibility shall have received training in administrator evaluations based on the statewide framework for

evaluations. The district will ensure administrators completing teacher evaluations will have ongoing training.

Communicating Evaluation Results

Each evaluation shall include a meeting between the Superintendent and principal wherein the Superintendent

will:

1. Discuss the evaluation with the principal, emphasizing strong and weak points in job performance.

Commend the principal for a job well done if applicable and discuss specific corrective action if warranted. Recommendations should specifically state methods to correct weaknesses. Set mutual goals for the principal to reach before the next performance evaluation.

2. Allow the principal to make any written comments he or she desires. Inform the principal that he or

she may turn in a written rebuttal of any portion of the evaluation within twenty-one (21) days and

outline the process for rebuttal. Have the principal sign the evaluation form indicating that he or she has been given a copy.

Rebuttals

Within twenty-one (21) days from the date of the evaluation meeting with the Superintendent the principal may

file a written rebuttal of any portion of the Evaluation Form. The written rebuttal shall state the specific content of

the Evaluation Form with which the principal disagrees, a statement of the reason(s) for disagreement, and the

amendment to the Evaluation Form requested.

If a written rebuttal is received by the Superintendent within twenty-one (21) days, the Superintendent shall

provide the principal with a written response within ten (10) working days either amending the Evaluation Form as

requested by the principal or stating the reason(s) why the Superintendent will not be amending the Evaluation

Form as requested.

If the Superintendent chooses to amend the Evaluation Form as requested by the principal then the amended copy

of the Evaluation Form will be provided to, and signed by, the principal and retained in the principal’s personnel

file.

If the Superintendent chooses not to amend the Evaluation Form as requested by the principal then the Evaluation

Form along with the written rebuttal, and the Superintendent’s response, if any, will be retained in the principal’s

personnel file.

Action

Should any action be taken as a result of an evaluation to not renew a principal’s contract the District will comply

with the requirements and procedures established by State law.

Records

Permanent records of each principal evaluation will be maintained in the principal’s personnel file. All evaluation

records, including rebuttal/appeal documentation, will be kept confidential within the parameters identified in

state and federal law regarding the right to privacy.

Reporting

Any subsequent change to the District’s evaluation plan shall be resubmitted to the State Department of Education

for approval. The District shall report the rankings of individual principal evaluations annually to the State

Department of Education.

Cross Reference Policy 6400F1 Principal Evaluation Form

Policy 6400F2 Individual Professional Learning Plan

Legal Reference: I.C. § 33-513 Professional personnel

I.C. § 33-518 Employee Personnel Files

I.C. § 33-1001 Definitions

IDAPA 08.02.02.121 Local District Evaluation Policy – School Principal

Policy History:

Adopted on: 10/24/2006

Revised on: 02/25/2014

Revised on: 12/15/2015

Revised on: 02/28/2017

Revised on: 11/28/2017

Revised on: 03/20/2018

Revised on: 01/26/2021