Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 200 - Board of Education
Chapter 20 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education
Subchapter 20 - Educator Quality and Certification
Part 3 - Educator Evaluation Systems Standards
Section 200-RICR-20-20-3.4 - Standards

1. District administrators, teachers, and support professionals develop and sustain a common understanding of expectations for educator quality through a detailed system for educator evaluation that clearly communicates the purposes, procedures and policies for evaluation, acceptable levels of performance for individual educators and groups of educators, and the ways in which evaluation information will be collected and used.

2. The system clearly identifies the ways in which evaluation data are used to demonstrate each of the four levels of effectiveness and the actions (such as professional development, retention, incentives, removal) that result from each rating.

3. Educator evaluation emphasizes the professional practice, impact on student learning, demonstration of professional responsibilities, and requisite content knowledge for all Rhode Island Educators. An educator's overall evaluation of effectiveness is primarily determined by evidence of impact on student growth and academic achievement.

4. Educator evaluation is integrated with and supportive of district initiatives and the district's strategic plan. The district and its schools integrate objectives that support the achievement of district initiatives, school improvement plans, and district plans into the evaluation system in ways that assure that the evaluation of district educators supports the attainment of these objectives.

1. Educator evaluation systems establish a cyclical process that includes the collection and analysis of information about an educator's performance, the establishment of individual goals for professional development based on the analysis, and the improvement of performance as a result of that professional development.

2. Educator evaluation systems assure that all educators receive detailed feedback on their performance and recommendations for professional growth.

3. Educator evaluation systems create expectations that educators analyze their own professional practice by considering feedback from supervisors, colleagues, students, and parents/guardians, confer with supervisors about their performance and use recommendations for professional growth in developing professional development goals.

4. Educator evaluation systems collect and analyze data about individual professional development needs and identify patterns within schools and across the district to inform the development of a coherent district staff development plan.

1. Evaluation systems establish a cyclical process to collect and analyze data on the collective effectiveness of groups of educators (such as departments, teams, programs, schools, district) and use the data to establish common goals for professional development based on the analysis and to improve performance as a result of that professional development.

2. Educator evaluation systems collect and analyze data about collective professional development needs of groups of educators and identify patterns across departments, teams, programs, schools and the district to inform the development of a coherent district staff development plan.

3. Evaluation systems include a process to identify individual and groups of district educators who demonstrate exemplary professional practice, impact on student learning, and/or professional responsibilities and who contribute in measurable ways to district improvement. The district identifies ways to recognize and capitalize on their talents through differentiated roles and responsibilities, formal recognition, and/or other incentives.

1. All district educators are evaluated as set forth in R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-12-11; however, due to the cyclical nature of the evaluation the specific procedures may vary based on educator experience, assignment, and the outcome of prior evaluations.

2. Evaluation systems differentiate procedures based on the level of an educator's experience.

3. Evaluation systems identify all educators who do not meet expectations for educator quality within the district and provide them with intensive support and evaluation specifically designed to improve their performance.

4. The district dismisses educators who do not meet expectations for educator quality and who are unwilling or unable to improve as a result of feedback and outcomes identified in an improvement plan in a timely manner.

5. Evaluation systems are designed to provide objective information to support meaningful renewal and tenure decisions.

1. The evaluation system is transparent to all educators. The purpose, criteria, instruments, procedures, and expectations for acceptable levels of performance are clearly communicated to educators through handbooks. Districts support educators in developing a thorough understanding of the evaluation system.

2. The evaluation system demonstrates the validity of evaluation decisions by assuring a strong connection between the evaluation instruments and professional standards and educator roles and responsibilities.

3. Evaluation systems incorporate appropriate evaluation instruments, including at a minimum, observations of the educator's practice, evidence of student learning outcomes, and demonstrations of professional responsibilities.

4. Evaluation systems seek information from students, parents and guardians, colleagues, and supervisors, to inform an educator's evaluation and professional development. Evaluation systems use a variety of methodologies that incorporate different types of evidence to address the range of expectations identified in the appropriate professional standards and use multiple measures, to provide a thorough assessment of the educator's performance.

5. Evaluators are selected, trained, and retained based on their ability to make valid and accurate judgments. Evaluators are selected based upon their depth of knowledge and their demonstrated expertise and are assigned based upon the subject matter knowledge, grade-level experience, and other requisite experience required to accurately use specific evaluation instruments. Evaluators are trained in the implementation of the district's evaluation instruments, demonstrate their ability to make consistent judgments, and are reviewed on a regular basis to verify they continue to make accurate judgments.

6. The evaluation system provides safeguards against possible sources of bias to ensure valid assessments. Districts review evaluation instruments for possible sources of bias in the design process and monitor implementation results for possible inappropriate adverse impact. Evaluators raise existing or potential conflicts of interest so they can be addressed. The evaluation system provides procedural safeguards (such as appeals) to ensure the integrity of the system.

1. Districts establish and support a District Evaluation Committee that includes teachers, support professionals, administrators, and union representatives. The committee solicits feedback from others (such as students, parents, assessment experts) who bring added perspective or expertise when appropriate. The Committee reviews the effectiveness of the evaluation system, the validity and utility of the data produced by the system, the fairness, accuracy, and consistency of decisions made, and the currency of the system. The Committee uses the information from the analysis to make recommendations for revisions to the system.

2. The District Evaluation Committee communicates data from the evaluation system to district personnel responsible for strategic planning and professional development to work collaboratively towards a coherent approach to educator quality, professional development and continuous organizational improvement.

3. The District Evaluation Committee works with district leadership to assure the resources of time, financial support, and evaluation expertise necessary to maintain the quality of the evaluation system.

4. The district is responsible for meeting the Rhode Island Department of Education's reporting requirements within the Regulations Governing the Certification of Educators in Rhode Island, Part 1 of this Subchapter, for assuring the quality of educator evaluation.