Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 005 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Division 23 - Legal Services ***
Rule 005.23.13-007 - Rules Governing the Leader Excellence and Development System
Universal Citation: AR Admin Rules 005.23.13-007
Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024
1.0 PURPOSE
1.01 The purpose of these rules is to
establish the requirements and procedures concerning the evaluation and
development of public school building and district-level leader
performance.
2.0 REGULATORY AUTHORITY
2.01 These rules shall
be known as the Arkansas Department of Education Rules Governing The Leader
Excellence and Development System.
2.02 These rules are enacted pursuant to the
authority of the State Board of Education under Ark. Code Ann. §§
6-11-105,
6-15-1402,
6-17-704,
6-17-705,
6-17-2801 through
6-17-2809,
6-20-2305,
25-15-201 et seq. and Act 709 of
2013.
3.0 LEGISLATIVE INTENT AND PURPOSE
3.01 The
State Board of Education notes that it is the intent of the Arkansas General
Assembly to provide a system for school districts to evaluate public school and
school district administrators that weights an evaluation on student
performance and growth to the same extent as provided for teachers under the
Teacher Excellence and Support System.
3.01.1
Provide a cohesive process that includes clear expectations to guide building-
or district-level leader preparation, induction, and continued professional
development in Arkansas school districts, open-enrollment public charter
schools, and the Arkansas Correctional School;
3.01.2 Guide and sustain excellent leadership
performance that ensures the improvement of teaching and learning;
3.01.3 Assist higher education programs in
developing the content and requirements of degree programs that prepare
prospective building- or district-level leaders; and
3.01.4 Provide a process that includes
instruments to be used by reflective practitioners to promote their
professional growth.
3.02
The purposes of these rules are, without limitation, to:
4.0 DEFINITIONS
4.01 "Artifact" means a documented piece of
evidence chosen by the building- or district-level leader being evaluated, the
evaluator, or both, that relates to the evaluation rubric.
4.02 "Building- or district-level leader"
means an individual employed by an educational agency who performs the role of
a building- or district-level administrator or an equivalent role, including an
administrator licensed by the State Board of Education, an unlicensed
administrator, or an individual on an Administrator Licensure Completion Plan.
"Building- or district-level leader does not include:
4.02.1 A superintendent; or
4.02.2 Unless the school district,
open-enrollment public charter school, or Arkansas Correctional Schools elects
to include them in LEADS, deputy superintendents, associate superintendents,
and assistant superintendents.
4.03 "District-level" means agency-wide level
when used in reference to an open-enrollment public charter school or the
Arkansas Correctional School.
4.04
"Educational agency" means an Arkansas public school district, an
open-enrollment public charter school, or the Arkansas Correctional
School.
4.05 "Evaluation" means the
process under these rules used to:
4.05.1
Assess with evidence what a building- or district-level leader should know and
be able to do as measured by the standards and functions of an evaluation
framework; and
4.05.2 Promote
building- or district-level leader's professional growth.
4.06 "Evaluation framework" means a
standardized set of building- or district-level leader evaluation standards and
functions that provide the overall basis for an evaluation.
4.07 "Evaluation rubric" means a set of
performance functions for each building- or district-level leader evaluation
standards in the evaluation framework.
4.08 "Inquiry Category" is a category in
which the building- or district-level leader consistently demonstrates
progressing, proficient, and/or exemplary performance on standards and
functions in the LEADS rubric.
4.09
"Intensive Category" is a category in which a building- or district-level
leader receives a rating of not meeting standards on the summative evaluation
rubric according to the following guidelines:
4.09.1 The building- or district-level leader
receives an overall rating of not meeting standards on any of the six (6)
standards identified in Appendix A to these rules; and/or
4.09.2 The building- or district-level leader
receives a rating of not meeting standards and/or not progressing on the
majority of functions in any of the standards.
4.10 "LEADS" means the Arkansas Leadership
Excellence and Development System.
4.11 "Novice Category" is a category in which
a building-level leader will be placed for three (3) years if the
building-level leader is a first-time administrator.
4.12 "Probationary" is a category in which
the building- or district-level leader will be placed if required under an
educational agency's policy adopted under the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act, Ark.
Code Ann. §
6-17-1501 et seq., for one (1) year
if the building- or district-level leader:
4.12.1.1 Has transitioned to the educational
agency from another educational agency where he or she had previous building-
or district-level leadership experience; or
4.12.1.2 Has transitioned within a school
from one building- or district-level leader position to
another;
4.13 "Problem of
practice" is identified in a professional growth plan as a gap between current
performance and desired performance of a school or educational agency based on
a review of school or district data.
4.14 "Statewide assessment of student
achievement" means a statewide benchmark exam, end-of-course assessment, or a
summative assessment of student achievement administered through:
4.14.1 The Arkansas Comprehensive Testing,
Assessment, and Accountability Program Act, Ark. Code Ann. §
6-15-401 et seq.; or
4.14.2 A program of Common Core assessments
administered under rules of the State Board of Education.
4.15 "Summative evaluation" means an
evaluation of a building- or district-level leader's performance that evaluates
all applicable standards and functions of the evaluation framework that
supports:
4.15.1 Improvement in the building-
or district-level leader's leadership practices, student learning, and teacher
growth; and
4.15.2 An educational
agency's employment decision concerning the building- or district-level
leader.
4.16
"Superintendent" includes a position in an educational agency that is
equivalent to the position of superintendent in a school district.
5.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION
5.01 Beginning in
the 2014-2015 school year, an educational agency, as defined in these rules,
shall implement the Arkansas Leader Excellence and Development System (LEADS)
for building- or district-level leaders employed by it.
5.02 Each evaluation under LEADS shall be in
writing.
5.03 A building- or
district-level leader shall participate in LEADS and collaborate in good faith
with the evaluator to develop the building- or district-level leader's
professional growth plan.
5.03.1 A failure to
comply with Section 5.03 of these rules may be reflected in the building- or
district-level leader's evaluation.
5.04 A school district or open-enrollment
public charter school may be deemed to have met the requirements of Sections
5.01 and 5.02 of these rules if:
5.04.1 The
school district or open-enrollment public charter school has received authority
to continue to use a nationally recognized system of teacher evaluation and
support other than the Teacher Excellence and Support System under Section 8 of
the Rules Governing the Teacher Excellence and Support System; and
5.04.2 In the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school
years used a nationally recognized system of building- or district-level leader
evaluation and development that is substantially similar to LEADS. In order for
a school district or open-enrollment public charter school to continue to use
an alternate, nationally recognized system of building- or district-level
leader evaluation and development that is substantially similar to LEADS beyond
the 2013-2014 school year, the school district or open-enrollment public
charter school shall submit the following in writing to the Arkansas Department
of Education, Assistant Commissioner for Human Resources and Licensure, by
April 1, 2014:
5.04.2.1 The name of the
alternate, nationally recognized system of building- or district-level leader
evaluation and development; and
5.04.2.2 A brief description of the
alternate, nationally recognized system of building- or district-level leader
evaluation and development, including an explanation of how it is substantially
similar to LEADS.
5.04.2.3 The
Arkansas Department of Education Assistant Commissioner for Human Resources and
Licensure shall, by May 1, 2014, approve or deny the continued use of the
alternate, nationally recognized system of building- or district-level leader
evaluation and development beyond the 2013-2014 school year.
6.0 BUILDING OR DISTRICT-LEVEL LEADER EVALUATION PROCESS
6.01 Building or District-level Leader
Professional Growth Plan
6.01.1 A building-
or district-level leader shall complete or revise a professional growth plan
based on the standards and functions determined during the initial meeting with
the superintendent or designee under Section 6.03 of these rules.
6.01.2 The building- or district-level leader
should review multiple sources of data to determine a building or district
problem of practice.
6.01.3 The
building- or district-level leader shall indicate in his or her professional
growth plan:
6.01.3.1 The school's or
educational agency's problem of practice and goal(s);
6.01.3.2 The leadership strategies to address
the identified problem;
6.04.3.3
Results indicators (staff and students); and
6.01.3.4 Sources of data to be
monitored.
6.01.4 The
building- or district-level leader shall determine the action steps needed to
implement the leadership strategies identified in his or her professional
growth plan.
6.01.5 The building-
or district-level leader shall submit a copy of his or her completed
professional growth plan to the superintendent or designee.
6.02 Formative Assessment
Conferences
Throughout the year, a superintendent or designee shall conduct formative assessment conferences with all building- and district-level leaders evaluated under the LEADS system. Formative assessments should be based on a building-or district-level leader's individual needs as shown by evidence presented from the professional growth plan and evaluation rubric.
6.03 Summative Evaluation
6.03.1 The superintendent or designee shall
complete the evaluation rubric for summative evaluation at the end of each year
for a building- or district-level leader who is in a novice, a probationary, or
an intensive category.
6.03.2 The
superintendent or designee shall complete the evaluation rubric for summative
evaluation minimally once every three (3) years for a building-or
district-level leader who is in an inquiry category.
6.03.3 The building- or district-level leader
shall provide evidence of effective practice for each function identified on
the appropriate evaluation rubric, using relevant artifacts for each standard
and function on which the building- or district-level leader is evaluated as
applicable to the building-or district-level leader's position.
6.03.4 The superintendent shall make a
recommendation concerning a building-or district-level leader's employment
based on:
6.03.4.1 The level of performance
based on the performance functions and standards of the evaluation
rubric;
6.03.4.2 The evidence of
teacher performance and growth applicable to the building- or district-level
leader; and
6.03.4.3 The building-
or district-level leader's progression on his or her professional growth
plan.
6.03.5 The
superintendent shall place the evaluation rubric for summative evaluation in
the personnel file of the building- or district-level leader:
6.03.5.1 Annually if the building- or
district-level leader is in the novice, probationary, or intensive category,
and
6.03.5.2 Once every three (3)
years for a building- or district-level leader in the inquiry
category.
6.03.6 During
a period in which a summative evaluation is not required, the superintendent or
designee may conduct an evaluation that is lesser in scope than a summative
evaluation but uses the portions of the evaluation framework and evaluation
rubrics that are relevant to the evaluation.
6.04 Intensive Support
6.04.1 If at a time other than an evaluation
conducted under LEADS a superintendent believes or has reason to believe that
(a) a building- or district-level leader is having difficulties or problems
meeting the expectations of the educational agency or its administration and
(b) that the problems could lead to termination or nonrenewal of contract, the
superintendent shall:
6.04.1.1 Bring in
writing the problems or difficulties to the attention of the building- or
district-level leader involved; and
6.04.1.2 Document the efforts that have been
undertaken to assist the building- or district-level leader to correct whatever
appears to be the cause for potential termination or nonrenewal.
6.04.2 When a building- or
district-level leader's performance is unsatisfactory in any one (1) standard
or the building- or district-level leader is not progressing in a majority of
the functions of an evaluation rubric, the superintendent shall identify and
document the inadequate performance and move the building- or district-level
leader into the intensive category.
6.04.3 If a building- or district-level
leader is placed in the intensive category, the superintendent or designee
shall:
6.04.3.1 Establish the time period for
the intensive category.
6.04.3.1.1 The period
of time specified by the superintendent or designee for the intensive category
shall afford the building- or district-level leader an opportunity to
accomplish the goals of and complete the tasks assigned in the intensive
category.
6.04.3.1.2 The intensive
category shall not last for more than two (2) consecutive semesters unless the
building- or district-level leader has substantially progressed and the
superintendent or designee elects to extend the intensive category for up to
two (2) additional consecutive semesters.
6.04.3.2 Provide a written notice to the
building- or district-level leader that the building- or district-level leader
is placed in the intensive category. The notice shall state that if the
building- or district-level leader's contract is renewed while the building- or
district-level leader is in the intensive category, the fulfillment of the
contract term is subject to the building- or district-level leader's
accomplishment of the goals established and completion of the tasks assigned in
the intensive category;
6.04.3.3
Develop a clear set of goals and tasks that correlate to:
6.04.3.3.1 The professional growth plan;
and
6.04.3.3.2 Evidence-based
research concerning the evaluation function or standard that forms the basis
for the intensive category; and
6.04.3.4 Ensure the building- or
district-level leader is offered the support that the superintendent or
designee deems necessary for the building- or district-level leader to
accomplish the goals developed and complete the tasks assigned while the
building- or district-level leader is in the intensive category.
6.04.4 At the end of the specified
period of time for the intensive category, the superintendent or designee
shall:
6.04.4.1 Evaluate whether the building-
or district-level leader has met the goals developed and completed the tasks
assigned for the intensive category; and
6.04.4.2 Provide written notice to the
building- or district-level leader that the building- or district-level leader
either:
6.04.4.2.1 Is removed from the
intensive category; or
6.04.4.2.2
Has failed to meet the goals and complete the tasks of the intensive
category.
6.04.5 If a building- or district-level
leader does not accomplish the goals and complete the tasks established for the
intensive category during the period of the intensive category, the
superintendent shall review the documentation of the intensive
category.
6.04.6 Upon review and
approval of the documentation, the superintendent shall recommend termination
or nonrenewal of the building- or district-level leader's contract.
6.04.6.1 If the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act of
1983, Ark. Code Ann. §
6-17-1501 et seq., is applicable to
the building- or district-level leader's contract, a recommendation for
termination or nonrenewal of a building- or district-level leader's contract
under these rules shall be made under the authority granted to a superintendent
for recommending termination or nonrenewal under the Teacher Fair Dismissal
Act.
6.04.6.2 These rules do not
preclude a superintendent from recommending the termination or nonrenewal of a
building- or district-level leader's contract that is based all or in part on
any lawful reason under the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act.
7.0 INCORPORATION INTO EDUCATIONAL AGENCY CONTRACTS AND POLICIES
7.01 The policy adopted by educational agency
boards of directors to implement site-based decision making under Ark. Code
Ann. §
6-13-1305, shall address
building-or district-level leader evaluations and development under
LEADS.
7.02 Every building- or
district-level leader contract renewed or entered into for the 2014-2015 school
year and thereafter is subject to and shall reference these rules.
APPENDIX A
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Arkansas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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