Appraisal

Appraisal

Rational
1.1 Performance management systems for principals and teachers have been mandatory in all New Zealand schools since 1997
1.2 The secondary Teachers Collective Employment contract 1999 establishes a link between the pay progression system, the professional development system, the competence system and professionally accepted performance criteria. This requirement extends the teacher attestation process from 1996 and is detailed in Section 2.5 of the contract.
1.3 The application of this policy is governed by the requirements of the State Sector Act 1988 which lays down requirements for the Board of Trustees to act as a good employer in applying this policy. (Section 3 of the contract).
1.4 From 2000 secondary schools are required to ensure their performance management systems include the Professional Standards Supplement in the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Employment Contract.

Guidelines
2.1 The Contract sets out in Clause 2.5.8 the requirements that ‘assessments ‘ will form the basis of determining whether a teacher is meeting the appropriate level of the standards (beginning teacher, classroom teacher, or experienced teacher). Clause 2.5.8 states “All teachers will be assessed against the experienced teacher standards once they have reached their appropriate base scale maxima.”
2.2 The Board of Trustees has the responsibility for approving a performance appraisal process and for overseeing the application of the process.
2.3 The BOT will delegate to the Principal the responsibility for applying the process of performance management in the school and for reporting to the BOT on the results of performance appraisal.
2.4 The annual appraisal of the Principal is the responsibility of the BOT. It is the responsibility of the Principal to ensure the DPs and APs are appraised annually.
2.5 Each staff member each year will undergo appraisal by a senior administrative or middle – management member and will undergo self-review against the professional standards at the appropriate level and classroom observation Similarly non-teaching staff will be appraised by the person to whom they are responsible unless otherwise negotiated in consultation with the appraisee.
2.6 Deferment As in the 1996 contract, salary progression may be deferred if an employer assesses that the teacher has not met the standards at the appropriate level (2.5.9 in the contract). The teacher must then be assisted by the provision of support and development over an agreed period of time to meet the standards. If the teacher still fails to meet the appropriate standards, a decision must be made by the Principal about whether to continue the support process or to initiate competence procedures.
2.7 Disputes Each staff member will attest to the fairness of the conclusions drawn as a result of the appraisal process. If some aspect of a teacher’s performance is judged not to be satisfactory then the Principal will meet with the teacher and the HOD/senior manager to discuss the outcome of the review, to identify what steps the teacher needs to take to rectify the problem(s) identified and to agree on what assistance the teacher will receive. A timetable will also be agreed upon which will include the date for a reassessment of the teacher’s performance.
2.8 If the teacher is dissatisfied about some aspect of the performance process, s/he may request that a second opinion of his/her performance be obtained. This request should be given to the Principal. The decision as to who shall be asked to give a second opinion will be made by the Principal after consultation with the teacher.
2.9 Confidentiality The performance management process is confidential to the teacher, the appraiser and the Principal. The process and outcome of attestation will be made in confidence to the BOT.
2.10 Record keeping On the completion of the appraisal the appraiser will provide a copy of the appraisal report (ie. the summary sheet). This should be signed by both the teacher and the appraiser. A copy will be retained by both appraiser and appraisee.
2.11 ERO will audit the performance management system from time to time. ERO have the right of access under the Education Act to school records relating to performance, including personal records. To this end, a separate file containing copies of all documentation will be kept.
2.12 Review The performance management system will itself be reviewed at regular intervals.

Performance management process
3.1 Within the first weeks of the school year all staff are allocated an appraiser. (Usually their HOD and senior manager for the HOD). If a teacher believes that it is inappropriate for the nominated appraiser to undertake the performance appraisal, a different appraiser will be allocated by the Principal.
3.2 Early in term one HODs and departments review examination results, the goals of the year before and confirm goals for the current year.
3.3 Each teacher completes self appraisal
3.4 Each staff member must then meet with his/her appraiser to record his/her performance expectations for the current year, to identify the development objectives and negotiate performance indicators at the appropriate level. Assistance or support required is negotiated
3.5 A check is completed by tic of Appraisal to ensure that the appraisal process is underway.
3.6 Each teacher collects the evidence to demonstrate that s/he has met the standards. For teachers who are not at the top of the basic scale, a formal classroom observation must take place. For the rest, informal classroom observations will take place throughout the year.
3.7 Towards the end of the year each teacher meets with his/her appraiser to demonstrate that all standards have been met
3.8 Appraisers and teachers meet and review the success of the year’s performance expectations
3.9 By the end of Term 4 HODs and departments review the current year and preview the next.
Findings are recorded and the final departmental report goes to the Principal/snr manager.

Attestation procedures
4.1 The Principal will ensure at the beginning of each year, that HODs are informed of every teacher in his/her department due a salary increment during the year and requiring attestation. The school will maintain a record of teacher anniversary dates on its personal data base to ensure teachers do not miss an attestation increment
4.2 HODs will establish with the teacher how the information required for attestation is to be collected. The teacher wanting attestation should request the process be initiated at least two months before the salary increment is due
4.3 Job Descriptions and appropriate level of Professional Standards will used for attestation
4.4 The HOD will attest to the teacher’s satisfactory performance against the Professional Standards at the appropriate level. The HOD will indicate whether the teacher is either satisfactory or unsatisfactory in relation to the standards and level. The HOD will also indicate that evidence has been used in the attestation. The HOD will keep records of measures taken to collect evidence relevant to attestation requirements. The information will be retained in the teacher’s file
4.5 Both the HOD and the teacher will sign the attestation form
4.6 The Principal will forward the necessary documentation to ERO and the payroll offices once the teacher has been judged competent and is able to move up to the next step on the basic scale.