603 CMR 35.00

Evaluation of Educators

These regulations replace the current Regulations on Evaluation of Teachers and Administrators and accompanying Principles of Effective Teaching and Principles of Effective Administrative Leadership, as adopted in 1995.

Section:

35.01: Scope and Purpose
35.02: Definitions
35.03: Standards and Indicators of Effective Teaching Practice
35.04: Standards and Indicators of Effective Administrative Leadership Practice
35.05: Evaluation of Administrators under Individual Employment Contracts
35.06: Evaluation Cycle
35.07: Evidence Used in Evaluation
35.08: Performance Level Ratings
35.09: Peer Assistance and Review
35.10: Implementation and Reporting
View All Sections

Most Recently Amended by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: February 28, 2017.

35.04: Standards and Indicators of Effective Administrative Leadership Practice

School committees shall establish evaluation systems and performance standards for the evaluation of administrators that include all of the principles of evaluation, set forth in 603 CMR 35.00. School committees may supplement the standards and indicators in 603 CMR 35.04 with additional measurable performance standards consistent with state law and collective bargaining agreements where applicable. The district shall adapt the indicators based on the role of the administrator to reflect and allow for significant differences in assignment and responsibilities. The district shall share the performance standards with all administrators.

(1) Instructional Leadership Standard: Promotes the learning and growth of all students and the success of all staff by cultivating a shared vision that makes effective teaching and learning the central focus of schooling.

(a) Curriculum Indicator: Ensures that all teachers design effective and rigorous standards-based units of instruction consisting of well-structured lessons with measurable outcomes.
(b) Instruction Indicator: Ensures that instructional practices in all settings reflect high expectations regarding content and quality of effort and work, engage all students, and are personalized to accommodate diverse learning styles, needs, interests, and levels of readiness.
(c) Assessment Indicator: Ensures that all teachers use a variety of formal and informal methods and assessments to measure student learning, growth and understanding, and also make necessary adjustments to their practice when students are not learning.
(d) Evaluation Indicator: Provides effective and timely supervision and evaluation in alignment with state regulations and contract provisions, including:
1. Ensures educators pursue meaningful, actionable, and measurable professional practice and student learning goals.
2. Makes frequent unannounced visits to classrooms and gives targeted and constructive feedback to teachers.
3. Exercises sound judgment in assigning ratings for performance.
4. Reviews alignment between judgment about practice and data about student learning, growth, or achievement when evaluating and rating educators and understands that the supervisor has the responsibility to confirm the rating in cases where a discrepancy exists.
(e) Data-informed Decision-making Indicator: Uses multiple sources of evidence related to student learning, including state, district, and school assessment results and growth data, to inform school and district goals and improve organizational performance, educator effectiveness, and student learning.
(f) Student Learning Indicator: Demonstrates expected impact on student learning based on multiple measures of student learning, growth, and achievement, including student progress on common assessments and statewide student growth measures where available.

(2) Management and Operations Standard: Promotes the learning and growth of all students and the success of all staff by ensuring a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment, using resources to implement appropriate curriculum, staffing, and scheduling.

(a) Environment Indicator: Develops and executes effective plans, procedures, routines and operational systems to address a full range of safety, health, emotional, and social needs of students.
(b) Human Resources Management and Development Indicator: Implements a cohesive approach to recruitment, hiring, induction, development, and career growth that promotes high quality and effective practice.
(c) Scheduling and Management Information Systems Indicator: Uses systems to ensure optimal use of time for teaching, learning and collaboration.
(d) Laws, Ethics and Policies Indicator: Understands and complies with state and federal laws and mandates, school committee policies, collective bargaining agreements, and ethical guidelines.
(e) Fiscal Systems Indicator: Develops a budget that supports the district's vision, mission and goals; allocates and manages expenditures consistent with district/school level goals and available resources.

(3) Family and Community Engagement Standard: Promotes the learning and growth of all students and the success of all staff through effective partnerships with families, community organizations, and other stakeholders that support the mission of the school and district.

(a) Engagement Indicator: Actively ensures that all families are welcome members of the classroom and school community and can contribute to the classroom, school, and community's effectiveness.
(b) Sharing Responsibility Indicator: Continuously collaborates with families to support student learning and development both at home and at school.
(c) Communication Indicator: Engages in regular, two-way, culturally proficient communication with families about student learning and performance.
(d) Family Concerns Indicator: Addresses family concerns in an equitable, effective, and efficient manner.

(4) Professional Culture Standard: Promotes success for all students by nurturing and sustaining a school culture of reflective practice, high expectations, and continuous learning for staff.

(a) Commitment to High Standards Indicator: Fosters a shared commitment to high standards of teaching and learning with high expectations for achievement for all, including:
1. Mission and Core Values: Develops, promotes, and secures staff commitment to core values that guide the development of a succinct, results-oriented mission statement and ongoing decision-making.
2. Meetings: Plans and leads well-run and engaging meetings that have clear purpose, focus on matters of consequence, and engage participants in a thoughtful and productive series of conversations and deliberations about important school matters.
(b) Cultural Proficiency Indicator: Ensures that policies and practices enable staff members and students to contribute to and interact effectively in a culturally diverse environment in which students' backgrounds, identities, strengths, and challenges are respected.
(c) Communications Indicator: Demonstrates strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
(d) Continuous Learning Indicator: Develops and nurtures a culture in which all staff members are reflective about their practice and use student data, current research, best practices and theory to continuously adapt instruction and achieve improved results. Models these behaviors in the administrator's own practice.
(e) Shared Vision Indicator: Successfully and continuously engages all stakeholders in the creation of a shared educational vision in which every student is prepared to succeed in postsecondary education and careers, and can become responsible citizens and community contributors.
(f) Managing Conflict Indicator: Employs strategies for responding to disagreement and dissent, constructively resolving conflict, and building consensus throughout a district/school community.

Regulatory Authority:
603 CMR 35.00: M.G.L. c.69, §1B; c.71, §38

Disclaimer:
For an official copy of these regulations, please contact the State House Bookstore, at 617-727-2834 or visit Massachusetts State Bookstore.

Last Updated: October 25, 2017