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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
school districts; personnel evaluations
Purpose
Replaces the State Board of Education (SBE) model framework and guidelines for teacher and principal evaluation instruments with requirements for teacher and principal evaluation systems established by school district governing boards (governing boards) and charter schools.
Background
Statute directs the SBE to adopt a model framework and provide guidance to school districts and charter schools for a teacher and principal evaluation instrument that includes quantitative data on student academic progress that accounts for between 33 and 50 percent of the evaluation outcomes. Teachers and principals are placed into one of four performance classifications based on the evaluations: 1) highly effective; 2) effective; 3) developing; and 4) ineffective (A.R.S. § 15-203).
Based on the model framework adopted by the SBE, governing boards and charter schools establish a performance evaluation system for certificated teachers that results in at least one evaluation each school year and adopt definitions for the statutory performance classifications (A.R.S. §§ 15-203 and 15-537). A governing board must also adopt principal evaluation policies that describe: 1) the principal evaluation instrument; 2) alignment of professional development opportunities with principal evaluations; 3) incentives for principals in the two highest performance classifications; 4) multiyear contracts; 5) incentives to work at schools assigned a D or F letter grade; and 6) transfer and contract processes for principals in the two lowest performance classifications (A.R.S. § 15-341).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
SBE
1. Removes the requirements that SBE adopt:
a) a model framework for a teacher and principal evaluation instrument;
b) guidelines for school districts and charter schools to use in evaluation instruments; and
c) best practices for professional development and evaluator training.
2. Removes SBE authority to adjust the model framework to align with state assessment or data changes, and removes requirements that the model framework:
a) account for between 33 and 50 percent of evaluation outcomes using quantitative data on student academic progress; and
b) include the four performance classifications.
Governing Boards and Charter Schools
3. Replaces the requirement that governing boards and charter schools establish a teacher performance evaluation system that meets SBE requirements with the requirement that governing boards and charter school governing bodies (charter governing bodies) establish a system that:
a) is designed to improve teacher performance and improve student achievement;
b) accounts for between 20 and 33 percent of the evaluation outcomes using quantitative data on student academic progress; and
c) includes the four performance classifications of highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective.
4. Replaces the requirement that principal performance evaluation systems must meet SBE requirements and be used to annually evaluate principals with the requirement that governing boards and charter governing bodies adopt principal evaluation policies that:
a) are designed to improve principal performance and improve student achievement;
b) require quantitative data on student academic progress to account for between 20 and 33 percent of the evaluation outcomes;
c) include the four performance classifications of highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective;
d) describe the principal performance evaluation methods, including the data used to measure student performance and job effectiveness; and
e) describe the formula used to determine evaluation outcomes.
5. Removes the requirement that governing board policies describe:
a) the principal evaluation instrument and four performance classifications;
b) alignment of professional development opportunities with principal evaluations;
c) incentives for principals in the two highest performance classifications;
d) multiyear contracts;
e) incentives to work at schools assigned a D or F letter grade; and
f) transfer and contract processes for principals in the two lowest performance classifications.
6. Specifies that a charter school teacher evaluation system must result in at least one evaluation of each teacher by a qualified evaluator each school year.
7. Specifies that charter school principal evaluation policies must be adopted in a public meeting and after the governing body provides opportunities for public discussion on the proposed policies.
8. Removes the requirement that school districts and charter schools adopt definitions for performance classifications in a public meeting and apply the classifications to the evaluation instruments in a manner designed to improve principal and teacher performance.
9. Removes the requirement that governing boards discuss aggregate teacher and principal performance classifications at least annually at a public meeting.
Miscellaneous
10. Resolves conflicting versions of A.R.S. § 15-203 by repealing the version reflecting Laws 2018, Chapter 111 and transferring, to the version reflecting Laws 2018, Chapter 315, a provision allowing substitute teachers to use time spent demonstrating primary teaching responsibility in a classroom toward capstone experience for a standard teaching certificate.
11. Changes the definition of performance classifications to mean classifications adopted by a governing board.
12. Corrects internal references relating to the Classroom Site Fund.
13. Makes technical and conforming changes.
14. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Decreases, to between 20 and 33 percent, the extent to which quantitative data must account for evaluation outcomes.
2. Removes the requirement that student academic progress data be based on assessments.
3. Requires the governing board-established evaluation systems to include the four performance classifications.
Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives
1. Replaces the requirement that charter schools establish teacher evaluation systems that meet SBE requirements with the requirement that charter governing bodies establish a system that:
a) is designed to improve teacher performance and improve student achievement;
b) accounts for between 20 and 33 percent of the evaluation outcomes using quantitative data on student academic progress; and
c) includes the four performance classifications of highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective.
2. Requires charter governing bodies to adopt, in a public meeting and after opportunities for public discussion, principal evaluation policies that:
a) are designed to improve principal performance and improve student achievement;
b) require quantitative data on student academic progress to account for between 20 and 33 percent of the evaluation outcomes;
c) include the four performance classifications of highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective;
d) describe the principal performance evaluation methods, including the data used to measure student performance and job effectiveness; and
e) describe the formula used to determine evaluation outcomes.
3. Reinstates the application of charter holder principal evaluation requirements to each charter school's instructional leader whose primary responsibility is to oversee the school's academic performance and the specification that evaluation requirements do not apply to a charter holder officer, director, member or partner.
4. Makes technical and conforming changes.
Senate Action House Action
ED 2/19/19 DPA 8-0-0 ED 3/18/19 DPA 10-3-0-0
3rd Read 3/5/19 29-0-1 3rd Read 4/30/19 56-3-1
Prepared by Senate Research
April 30, 2019
JO/LB/gs