A. Procedures pertaining to the evaluation process are hereby incorporated and made a part of this Agreement, and there shall be no unilateral changes. Any change shall be negotiated between the parties. Required procedures are specified in the TES Procedures Manual.

B.  Student test results (growth data) for the 2011-2012 school year will constitute year 1 (the beginning year) for the purpose of compiling three (3) years of student growth data, for teachers who teach FCAT subject area content and whose students take the FCAT assessment. Each subsequent year thereafter that a corresponding state-wide assessment or local district assessment becomes available for evaluation purposes will constitute year one(1) for teachers who teach the assessed content and whose students take that assessment. For teachers who become employed by the district any time after a year one (1) implementation of any approved state-wide or local district assessment, that year of employment constitutes their year one (1) for the purpose of compiling three (3) years of student growth data. but non-renewal decisions for annual contract teachers will be made on the information available at the time those decisions must be made.

C. Non-renewal decisions for annual, Category 1, contract teachers will be made on the information available at the time those decisions must be made.

D. Definitions

1. Annual Summative Evaluation Score: Final evaluation score comprised of the teacher’s

IPS and SGS scores.

2. Annual Instructional Practice Score (IPS) Evaluation: End of the school year review of a teacher’s summative IPS score. This includes a review of the final deliberate practice score. The annual IPS evaluation excludes the Student Growth Score for that year.

3. Annual Instructional Practice Score (IPS) Evaluation Conference: The conference held between the evaluator and the teacher to discuss the annual Instructional Practice Score. The teacher may provide additional artifacts to assist in determining additional ratings in the appropriate evaluation framework within the applicable Domains. Absent from this discussion is the Student Growth Score (SGS).

4. Annual Summative Evaluation Conference: The conference held between the evaluator and the teacher to discuss the summative final evaluation. The annual summative evaluation conference will be held following receipt of the teacher’s SGS. This conference includes a review of a teacher’s IPS and SGS, finalized with teacher and evaluator signatures to the evaluation.

5. Artifacts: Student or teacher work products. Student work products may include, but are not limited to, work samples, portfolios, projects, or creative works. Teacher artifacts may include, but are not limited to, lesson or unit plans, manipulatives, models, data analyses, student learning aides, classroom charts, formative student progress charts, observation tracking notes, running records, progress monitor reports (benchmarks), student common assessment results, individual or professional learning community meeting and/or task logs.

6. Category 1 Teacher: A teacher within the first three (3) consecutive years of teaching in the Martin County School District without a break in service.

7. Category 1 Teacher, Non-classroom: A teacher within their first three (3) years of teaching in the Martin County School District and fulfills a supportive role other than a classroom assigned teacher.

8. Category II Teacher: A teacher within the fourth (4th) year or longer of teaching within the Martin County School District without a break in service.

9. Category II Teacher, Non-classroom: A teacher within the fourth (4th) year or longer of teaching within the Martin County School District and fulfills a supportive role other than a classroom assigned teacher.

10. Deliberate Practice Midpoint Conference: The conference held between the evaluator and the teacher at the mid-point of the annual evaluation timeline. A formative discussion will take place to review progress to date on the element selected to comprise the deliberate practice plan. A mid-point score will be documented in the electronic evaluation system, which will contribute to a final summative deliberate practice score at the end of the evaluation timeline.

11.Deliberate Practice Plan: The individual professional development plan that includes one element of needed improvement selected by the teacher from a list of the following Marzano high-yield strategies/elements: (Providing Clear Learning Goals and Scales (Rubrics); Tracking Student Progress; Celebrating Success; Previewing New Content; Chunking Content into Digestible Chunks; Examining Similarities and Differences; Practicing Skills, Strategies, and Processes; Organizing Students for Cognitively Complex Tasks; Engaging Students for Cognitively Complex Tasks involving Hypotheses Generation and Testing; and Using Physical Movement.) The plan shall include a personal self-assessment to constitute baseline data with targeted dates for measuring growth expentancy. These data growth points will culminate in a summative deliberate practice score, which will comprise a portion of the instructional practice score. The Deliberate Practice Plan is not the Individual Professional Development Plan, but fulfills the state requirement for completing the Professional Development Plan (IPDP).

12. Domains 1-4: Elements of instruction organized within four (4) categories of the Marzano Art and Science of Teaching Evaluation Model. This includes Domains 1, 2, 3, and 4.

13. Effective: An annual summative evaluation score that yields an "Effective" rating as determined by the qualifying range.

14. Feedback: Timely and specific hand-written or electronic information provided about a prior action that serves to change or modify behavior to improve future actions or depth of understanding, and/or to affirm successful behaviors aligned to the appropriate evaluation framework. For evaluation purposes, feedback is typically provided to a teacher by the evaluator and follows the format for a continuous cycle of improvement.

15. Formal Observation: Evaluator observation of a teacher’s instructional practice and/or primary work performance. The formal observation consists of a classroom or non-classroom observation for 30 minutes or an entire class period, whichever is greater. A pre-observation conference and post-observation conference should be conducted in conjunction with the formal observation and held within the required timeline.

16. Highly Effective: An annual summative evaluation score that yields a "Highly Effective" rating as determined by the qualifying range.

17. Informal Observation: Evaluator observation of a teacher’s instructional practice and/or primary work performance. The informal observation lasts at least fifteen (15) minutes. While pre-observation conferences and post-observation conferences are not associated with the informal observation, evaluators shall provide timely and actionable written feedback to teachers regarding the observation.

18. Mid-Point Evaluation Conference: The conference held between the evaluator and Category I teacher at the mid-point of the annual evaluation timeline. A formative evaluation discussion will take place to review the instructional practice, deliberate practice and formative student growth mid-point scores reported on a mid-point evaluation document signed by the evaluator and Category I teacher.

19. Needs Improvement/Developing: An annual summative evaluation score that yields a "Needs improvement or Developing" rating as determined by the qualifying range.

20. Orientation Conference: Conference held at the beginning of the school year to explain and review evaluation criteria, both general and specific, that will be utilized to evaluate the teacher.

21. Pre-Observation Conference: The conference held between the teacher and evaluator prior to the formal observation to discuss the lesson prepared for the scheduled formal observation. The evaluator will ask questions of the teacher to preview the components of the lesson. It is expected that the teacher will share the formal observation lesson plan and any other pertinent teacher or student artifacts. During such time, the evaluator will score in domains related to planning and preparing as it pertains to the lesson to be observed, or other applicable evaluation framework domains.

22. Post Observation Conference: The conference held between the teacher and evaluator within five (5) student attendance days of the formal observation to discuss the results of the formal observation. Additional artifacts may be shared in order to demonstrate related components of the lesson, such as student work samples, or other formative or summative assessment results. During such time, the evaluator will score in domains related to reflecting on teaching as it relates to the lesson observed, or other applicable evaluation framework domains.

23. Satisfactory performance: The term used to describe a teacher’s annual summative evaluation score that includes all levels of performance except Unsatisfactory.

24. Struggling Teacher: A teacher who has received an annual summative evaluation score of Unsatisfactory or two (2) consecutive annual summative evaluation scores of Needs Improvement from the previous school years. The Struggling Teacher is entitled to a Teacher Improvement Plan (TIP) designed mutually between the evaluator and teacher for the purpose of providing supportive and structured intensive assistance to improve targeted areas, and thus overall performance.

25. Student Growth Score (SGS): The value that represents the difference between a student’s actual and predicted results as contributed by the teacher with respect to the content tested. Determined by state-wide or local district assessment performance data, this score comprises a composite value for all students assigned to the teacher. The calculation method may include, but is not limited to, a value added covariate model.

26. Teacher Evaluation System (TES): The term for the overall evaluation process and procedures for a Martin County Teacher.

27. Teacher Improvement Plan (TIP): An action plan mutually designed by the teacher and evaluator to provide support for improving a struggling teacher’s performance. The TIP action plan will supply a narrative designed by the evaluator explaining the gap between actual and desired performance and state specific criteria that will constitute improved performance. The evaluator shall enumerate the specific behavior(s) that require improvement with a minimum of three (3) support recommendations or strategies per behavior for improving the teacher’s performance, including specific assistance that will be provided by the evaluator in this endeavor. Reasonable timelines to make the needed adjustments will be provided. The timeline must include methods for monitoring the evidence of improvement, or lack thereof, which shall include, but are not limited to, additional formal and informal observations, and formative conferences with feedback based on artifacts and other evidence.

28. Unsatisfactory: An annual summative evaluation score that yields an "Unsatisfactory" rating as determined by the qualifying range.

29. Value Added Model (VAM): The statistical method developed by the state to measure student learning growth for the FCAT assessment.

 

A. The primary purpose of evaluation is the improvement of student learning growth by improving instructional services. Employee‘s shall be evaluated a minimum of one (1) time per year. Information from evaluations may be considered in promotions and termination of personnel.
B. The evaluation process shall be both formative and summative. The formative process shall consist of individual classroom or other role-specific observations and artifact evidence pertinent to and the instructional process of employees by administrators and/or principals for the purpose of gathering evaluation evidences.
C. Evaluation criteria shall be both general and specific and be made known to the employee by the last workday in August of each year. Employees hired after the last workday in August shall be informed of the evaluation criteria/procedures before their assignment begins. This shall include an explanation and discussion of both the general and specific criteria and the evaluation process and forms, and notification of teacher category status (Category I or Category II). The administrator may utilize a sign off form or provide the information to a group of employees. This provision requires only an explanation and is not intended to incorporate the evaluation process or forms into this Agreement.
D. A mid-point evaluation conference shall be held and consist of a meeting between that Category I employee‘s principal and/or administrator and the Category I employee, at which time the observations and other evidences collected to the mid-point of the evaluation cycle shall be discussed. The instructional practice and formative student growth scores will be quantified on a mid-point evaluation to be reviewed and signed by both the principal and/or administrator and the Category I employee. Copies of the mid-point evaluation shall be filed in the employee‘s personnel file and one (1) copy made available to the employee.
E. A Mid-point Deliberate Practice Conference will be held between the employee‘s principal and/or administrator and employee for the purpose of discussing and reviewing progress achieved at the mid-point of the evaluation timeline on the deliberate practice growth plan.
F. The annual Instructional Practice Score Conference shall consist of a meeting between that employee‘s principal and/or administrator and the employee, at which time the observations and artifacts or other evidences collected during the year shall culminate in a final instructional practice score. This score represents a portion of the annual summative evaluation score, and shall be discussed, reviewed and signed by both the principal or administrator and the employee. Copies of the annual instructional practice score shall be filed in the employee‘s personnel record with one copy made available to the employee.

G. The Annual Summative Evaluation Conference shall consist of a meeting between that employee‘s principal and/or administrator and the employee, at which time the Student Growth Score shall culminate in an annual summative evaluation score yielding an overall Highly Effective, Effective, Needs Improvement (Developing for a Category I employee) or Unsatisfactory rating, and shall be discussed, reviewed and signed by both the principal or administrator and the employee. Copies of the annual summative evaluation shall be filed in the employee‘s personnel record with one copy made available to the employee.

H. Sites with multiple administrators trained to conduct the District‘s performance appraisal shall
establish a rotation schedule in which no bargaining unit member shall be evaluated by the same
administrator for more than two (2) consecutive years. Teachers shall be observed by no less than two (2) site administrators at elementary and three (3) site administrators at secondary per school year. The evaluating administrator shall conduct the formal observation(s). For non-classroom or non-instructional teachers whose evaluators are not school based, no rotation schedule shall be established and those bargaining unit employees shall be evaluated by one (1) administrator trained to conduct the District performance appraisal system.
I. For each and every evaluation conference held, the employee will be provided a copy of the evaluation conference form at the time of signing. The employee‘s signature does not signify agreement. Additional comments may be made by the evaluator or employee and attached to the report with a copy to the Superintendent.
J. Student Roster Verification
1. Survey Two and Three FTE verification will be used for Roster verification.
2. Teachers shall verify students assigned to their classroom prior to data submission by the District to the FLDOE. This verification shall occur at a minimum of twice annually, corresponding to the October and February FTE survey counts.
3. Teachers will review the student roster and verify its accuracy by signing and dating the
list. Teachers will be provided sufficient, dedicated time within the regular school day
to verify their student rosters prior to submission of the rosters to the District. 4. Teachers will be notified at least two (2) weeks in advance of the due date for submissionof roster verification.
5. The District will provide training each year, during the regular school day, for the
student roster verification process. This training will include written directions for
roster verification that are clear and easily understood as well as contact information
for assistance in the verification process.
6. A teacher may request a change to the roster through the addition/deletion district process if the change is due to a data entry error from the corresponding FTE survey count.

It is agreed that if a teacher provides evidence that a student has accumulated absences not
accounted for in TERMS, that exceed 10% of the number of student attendance days from day
one student enrollment to day one of FCAT or other approved assessment and if such evidence aligns to
other independent evidence such as sign in/sign out sheets, then on a case-by-case basis the student may
be considered for removal from a teacher‘s roster.

a. Elementary teachers will use their school‘s student sign in/sign out sheets to document their class attendance as class-by-class is not available at this level. Student absences will be recorded by the teacher in Pinnacle. Secondary teachers will keep attendance on a class-by-class basis. Elementary teachers will keep attendance on a morning and afternoon basis. Elementary teachers must log into Pinnacle the specific timeframe of a student‘s absences in the am or pm section of notes.

 

A. Appeal Steps
1. Step 1 - Notice of Appeal, no later than the 10th student contact day following receipt of the Annual Summative Evaluation, the employee must file in writing with their principal and copy the Superintendent that a concern exists. The teacher and Principal will meet to discuss the concerns no later than 5 work days after the notice of appeal. A decision will be issued in writing within 5 work days.
2. Step 2 - If the employee is not satisfied with the outcome of the discussion, the employee may appeal the Principal‘s decision by filing a notice of appeal with the Superintendent within 5 student contact days following receipt of the Principal‘s decision. The parties will meet to discuss the concerns within 10 work days. A decision will be issued in writing within 5 work days.
3. Expedited Arbitration - If the employee is not satisfied with the outcome of the previous step the employee may, within 5 work days, request Expedited Arbitration as an option to resolve the evaluation appeal. The intent of the parties is to keep individual hearings to approximately four (4) hours maximum with the arbitrator requested to submit a decision within 10 work days. Expedited Arbitration will take place as timely as possible. Dates will be agreed upon by the District and Association.
B. Miscellaneous Provisions:
1. The Board and the appellant shall not be permitted to assert in such arbitration proceeding, any grounds or rely on any evidence not previously disclosed to the other party. Both parties agree that the award of the arbitrator shall be final and binding.
2. The Board and the Association shall share equally the fees and expenses of the arbitrator. Neither the bargaining agent nor the Board shall be responsible for the cost of arbitration by a member of the bargaining unit when the appeal is not processed by the Association.
3. No reprisals of any kind shall be taken against any party in interest participating in the
appeal procedure.
4. Notwithstanding the expiration of this agreement, any appeal arising while the agreement was in
effect may be processed through the appeal procedure until resolution.
5. Any teacher for whom an appeal is sustained shall be reimbursed or made whole in accordance
with the award of the arbitrator.
6. Each party shall bear the full cost of its representation at all steps of the appeal procedure.
7. A teacher shall have the right to have an Association member representative present when an
appeal is being discussed. In a case where no Association member representative is present to
attend the informal procedure, the discussion may be postponed and the Association staff will
have the right to appoint an Association member to attend the informal session. Nothing in this
part shall be construed to prevent an employee from handling his/her own appeal, in person or by
representative of choice, and having such appeal adjusted without the intervention of the
bargaining agent if the Association has been given reasonable opportunity to be present, and
providing the adjustment is not inconsistent with the terms contained herein.
8. If an appeal is filed, no human capital decisions will be made based upon that evaluation until the
appeal process has been completed.

All Annual contract teachers who receive a Highly Effective on the IPS portion of the TES and who have not been placed on a Teacher Improvement Plan (TIP) will be renewed, subject to budgetary constraints