Appraisal Guidelines

Guidelines for the Appraisal of Educational Professionals Every child can learn Every child must learn 1

Contents 1.0 – Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 – Background .......................................................................................................................................................4 1.2 – Pre-Planning......................................................................................................................................................5 1.3 – Development of Appraisal Instruments............................................................................................................5 1.4 – Objective ...........................................................................................................................................................6 1.3 – Setting the Stage for Appraisal .........................................................................................................................6 1.4 – Professional Assessment...................................................................................................................................6 1.5 – Describing the Performance of Educational Professionals ...............................................................................7 1.6 – Performance Appraisal Summary ...................................................................................................................10 2.0 – Appraisal of Educational Leaders.................................................................................... 12 2.1 – Principal ..........................................................................................................................................................12 2.2 – Vice-principal ..................................................................................................................................................12 2.3 – Formative appraisal teams for Principals and Vice-Principals ........................................................................13 2.4 – Summative performance appraisal team .......................................................................................................14 2.4.1 – Principal ...................................................................................................................................................14 2.4.2 – Vice-Principal ...........................................................................................................................................14 2.5 – Undertaking the appraisal ..............................................................................................................................14 2.6 – Evidence..........................................................................................................................................................15 2.7 – Awarding credits .............................................................................................................................................16 2.8 – Appeals ...........................................................................................................................................................16 2.9 – Professional Development/Engagement for School Leaders .........................................................................17 3.0 – Appraisal of Teachers........................................................................................................ 18 3.1 – General Teachers ............................................................................................................................................18 3.2 – Appraisal team ................................................................................................................................................18 3.3 – Formative appraisal ........................................................................................................................................19 3.4 – Summative appraisal.......................................................................................................................................19 3.5 – Undertaking the appraisal ..............................................................................................................................20 3.6 – Awarding credits .............................................................................................................................................21 3.7 – Appraisal of principal/teacher in a multi-grade school...................................................................................21 3.8 – Appraisal of Master Teacher...........................................................................................................................22 3.8.1 – The Master Teacher .................................................................................................................................22 3.8.2 – The formative appraisal team..................................................................................................................22 3.8.3 – Summative appraisal................................................................................................................................22 3.9 – Beginning Teacher ..........................................................................................................................................23 2

3.9.1 – Guiding Principles ....................................................................................................................................23 3.9.2 – The Appraisal ...........................................................................................................................................23 3.10 – Appeals .........................................................................................................................................................23 4.0 – Using the Appraisal Instruments for Teachers ............................................................... 24 4.1 – Underpinning effectiveness ............................................................................................................................24 4.2 – Comparability of the performance of teachers ..............................................................................................24 4.3 – Professional Development/Engagement for Teachers ...................................................................................25 4.3.1 – Beginning and General Teachers .............................................................................................................25 4.3.2 – Master Teachers ......................................................................................................................................25 4.3.3 – Professional Development Opportunities Available ................................................................................26 4.4 – Publications.....................................................................................................................................................27 4.5 – Re-distribution of credits ................................................................................................................................27 4.6 – Appraisal and Career Pathways ......................................................................................................................27 4.7 – Interpretation of terms used in this document ..............................................................................................28 3

1.0 – Introduction 1.1 – Background Access to inputs in education can be guaranteed by a government, but it is the teacher who provides access to quality education for each child. The professional standards and accompanying performance appraisal instruments are designed to empower educational professionals to provide good quality education for each child. The appraisal process is intended to foster excellence in principal and teacher performance and ultimately improve student outcomes. It recognizes that teachers work in various and varying contexts and therefore permits space to determine the scope of accountability. The appraisal process should be beneficial to the assessors and the persons being assessed. It fosters social dialogue and active participation of all parties. It purports that appraisal be carried out in the context of agreed expected outcomes of the assigned tasks and responsibilities. As such, excellent performance becomes a shared responsibility. The professional judgement by the assessment team should determine what can be fairly expected from the principal or teacher in the context in which he or she serves. All principals and teachers should have job descriptions and annual action plans. They should be well aware of the expectations associated with the respective positions. The professional appraisal promotes quality student outcomes through effective practice in the profession. It seeks to ensure that the educational professional is effective in motivating learning for all children in his or her care. The appraisal instrument is a management tool that requires good planning, clear expected outcomes and indicators of success in each school. The extent of the quality of the practice of a teacher to ensure learning must be determined in the school environment and against the agreed activities. The outcomes of the appraisal should be utilized to ensure that the deployment of a teacher is consistent with his/her capabilities and with the needs of the children. While the appraisal process is underpinned by objectivity and evidence of practice, the quality of practice is critical to the quality of outcomes. Hence, professional judgement must be assured through teams of professionals. Appraisal is, therefore, a collaborative, professional exercise and should be guarded as such for the advancement of our children. 4

Teachers and school leaders should find professional appraisal as an enabling strategy to guide, stimulate and motivate them to engage in new experiences. The appraisal instrument is constructed to assess and enable improved performance of the professional. It is not intended as a document for comparison of professionals or between schools or within a school. 1.2 – Pre-Planning Each school should have a School Improvement Plan (SIP) known and understood by the staff. The planning process should be participatory in nature. Every effort should be made to ensure that teachers recognise their individual contribution to the successful implementation of SIP. 1.3 – Development of Appraisal Instruments The development of the Professional Standards for Educators preceded the preparation of the appraisal instruments. The standards were developed over a two year period, from 2009 – 2011, through consultation with a wide stakeholder group, comprising serving teachers, lecturers in teacher-training and other tertiary institutions, officers within the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MoEYI), government officials and members of the wider community. The design of the appraisal instruments was heavily influenced by the professional standards, that are now included in the various instruments. The process of developing the instruments was participatory, and took place over a period of five years, from 2012 to 2017. In 2012, at an assembly of approximately three hundred teachers and principals, participants identified areas that were deemed relevant to an effective teaching profession. Based on the outcomes of the discussion, a draft was finalised by 2014 and shared with the system for voluntary trialling. The Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) needed the professional environment to get used to the idea that appraisal would now focus on professional practice with a purpose. Annual revisions were made on the basis of feedback from key stakeholders until an official draft was disseminated to the system in 2017. The slow pace of development of the instruments was beneficial as JTC was able to align the appraisal instruments to the expectations of the revised Curriculum (National Standards Curriculum) and other expected outcomes of education. 5

1.4 – Objective The main objective of the appraisal exercise is to identify and assess performance on critical areas of teaching and educational leadership that should result in optimal learning for all students. It is not intended as a punitive exercise but instead it should enable the principal or teacher to assess him or herself and position his or her performance on a continuous path of excellence. 1.3 – Setting the Stage for Appraisal The School Improvement Plan (SIP) sets the expected outcomes of a school. It was introduced to enable identification and focus on educational expectation and outcomes. The aspiration is for educational institutions to be efficient and simultaneously effective in ensuring good quality education for all children. The school is able to maximize the potential of all its learners, prepare them to earn their livelihoods from decent work and to become contributing citizens to the advancement of Jamaica. To achieve meaningful education for all students, each teacher should: (1) be actively involved in the preparation of the SIP (2) know his or her role in the achievement of the goals of the SIP (3) have an agreed action plan for the school year (agreed modification as needed) (4) know the key expected outcomes for professional appraisal Dialogue between the appraisers and appraisees is paramount. It is the dialogue among teachers and school leaders that will set the stage for evidence-based assessment and ascertain the extent of objectivity in the process. Although evidence of a lesson is provided by the lesson plan, the quality of the lesson is subject to professional judgement, achieved through observation and dialogue. For such dialogue, collaboration with peers is critical. 1.4 – Professional Assessment The Professional Assessment is based on professional credits derived from the national requirement for each child to benefit from 190 days of contact time and other activities (reading, lesson planning, marking books, professional upgrading, research, etc.) undertaken during the school year. 6

To the extent possible, the professional appraisal of teachers is aligned to the performance assessment of educators by the National Education Inspectorate (NEI). The appraisal instrument is developed primarily to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a teacher or school leader so that support can be provided accordingly. It is designed to recognize the potential Master Teacher, to be further assessed by a national team, and if successful, to be designated a Master Teacher by the National Master Teachers’ Committee. Such a teacher will be given professional leadership opportunities to build and maintain teaching and learning competencies. The appraisal instrument will also identify the teacher who is consistently weak and for whom professional support will be provided. 1.5 – Describing the Performance of Educational Professionals The Appraisal instrument is developmental. It is designed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the professional. The purpose of the appraisal is to: 1. identify the need for continuous professional development 2. enable teacher self-appraisal 3. support teacher promotion and career path 4. enable formative and summative teacher appraisal 5. support effective teacher deployment 6. provide reference for recognition and awards 7. empower the teacher through evidence-based approaches and teacher accountability The professional practices measured on each appraisal instrument are organised under various domains as shown in Table 1. Table 1 – Domains on each appraisal instrument Category of staff/instrument Number of domains Principal 4 Vice Principal 4 Master Teacher 3 General Teacher 6 Beginning Teacher 6 7

Credits are distributed according to the sections of the respective appraisal instruments. At the school level, the appraisal instrument is a tool to be used to advance the quality of professional practice. The ratings assigned to the various bands into which educational professionals’ scores may fall are shown in Table 2. Table 2 – Professional Teacher / Leadership Practice Exemplary Area of strength Area for improvement Unsatisfactory 90 – 100% of 71 –89% of credits 60 – 70% of credits Below 60% of credits in: credits in each a) 4 out 6 domains domain (teachers) b) 3 out of 4 domains (Principals & Vice- Principals) Appropriate evidence should be provided for each item of the appraisal instruments. It should be noted that interpretation of the quality of professional practice is not subject to the sum of credits obtained on the complete instrument but, rather, to performance in each domain. The categories used to describe performance of the various educational professionals are described in greater detail in Table 3. Table 3 - Definition of categories of practice The school leader or teacher must perform consistently at very high standards in ALL domains and sections of the respective appraisal instruments. He or she exemplifies teaching or instructional leadership that fosters diversification in Exemplary delivery of education ensuring students’ outcomes that are consistent with their (90-100%) identified goals and capabilities, through appropriate planning and delivery of professional standards and curricula. He or she adopts a transformative approach, is inspiring, a role model, coach and mentor for his or her colleagues. Continued professional growth is his or her responsibility. 8

The school leader and teacher performs effectively (scores of 60 to 91%), ensuring meaningful student outcomes and meets the expected standards of performance of the profession. He or she adopts a transformative approach and is a role model, coach and mentor for his or her colleagues. His or her strengths Professional or weaknesses are identified, and hours of professional development to Practice strengthen weaknesses are agreed on with his or her supervisor. In cases (60-89%) where, the school leader or teacher consistently performs poorly in most domains or sections (scores below 60%) , and is unable to meet the set standards or targets for satisfactory student outcomes; he or she must be given immediate and special attention, including counselling. A professional development plan should be prepared and implemented as a matter of urgency. The school leader or teacher consistently performs poorly in most domains or sections, and is unable to meet the set standards or targets for satisfactory Unsatis- student outcomes. He or she must be given immediate and special attention, factory including counselling. A professional development plan should be prepared and (below 60%) implemented as a matter of urgency. All domains and sections are important and the school leader or teacher is assessed independently on each one. A system of professional credits is utilised to add value to the outcomes of the appraisal, leading to professional growth. In assigning credits, consideration should be given to the agreed tasks, the resources provided to support the educational professional, and the expectations of the performance of students. Tables 4 and 5 provide examples of how the performance of educational professionals can be arrived at based on the scores obtained from the appraisal instruments. 9

Table 4 - Sample distribution of credits for Teacher X Domain Maximum Credit attained Percentage Credit 1. Knows the subject 30 28 93.3% 2. Able to teach the subject 30 27 90.0% 3. Meets diverse learning needs 30 29 96.7% 4. Hones his or her skills 14 13 92.9% 5. Interacts with parents and community 12 11 91.7% 6. Conducts himself or herself 14 professionally 12.6 90.0% Teacher X would be considered exemplary, having scored at least 90% in each domain. Teacher X is on a pathway that makes him/her eligible for recommendation for national assessment for the Master Teacher designation. Table 5 - Sample distribution of credits for Principal A Domain Maximum Credit attained Percentage Credit 91.4% 90.0% 1. Administration and management 35 32 93.7% 93.0% 2. Instructional Leadership 40 36 3. Enabling environment for learning 35 32.8 4. Personal attributes and development 20 18.6 Principal A would be considered exemplary and could be nominated for membership in the Executive Principal League. 1.6 – Performance Appraisal Summary For easy reference, an appraisal summary is provided at the end of each instrument as shown in Tables 6 and 7. \\ 10

Professional Practice for Teacher Area of Strength Area for Unsatisfactory (less than 60% Optimum (71% – 89%) improvement in four (4) out Credits of six (6) Exemplary (60-70%) domains) (90% – No. of credits 100%) 130 No. of No. of credits No .of credits credits Guiding Principles 30 GP. 1 - Teacher knows the subject 30 that he or she teaches. 30 GP. 2 - Teacher knows how to teach the subject(s) for which he 18 or she is responsible. 10 GP. 3 - Teacher is committed to 12 the children in his or her care- managing the learning process Through addressing diversity and promoting character development. GP. 4 - Teacher sharpens his or her professional skills. GP. 5 - Teacher interacts with parents and community. GP. 6 - Teacher conducts himself or herself in a manner that uplift the profession. In the absence of total number of performance credits, it is expected that any decision to be taken concerning the teacher would be based on the strengths of the teacher and not on a total figure. For example, if the school wish to fill a position of senior teacher for the canteen services, then the leadership would identify a person who is strong in community relationship (GP5). Excellence is invariably accompanied by on-going professional development. All teachers and school leaders in any category of the appraisal are expected to pursue continued professional development activities. Opportunities for professional improvements are wide and each year the Jamaica Teaching Council(JTC) puts on its website the approved programmes for professional development. 11

2.0 – Appraisal of Educational Leaders 2.1 – Principal The assessment of principals is organized in four domains: 1. Administration and management 2. Instructional leadership 3. Enabling environment for learning 4. Personal attributes and development As indicated before, professional appraisal is a learning experience. Principals will be encouraged to undertake their self-assessment termly. The principal and the Board of Management for the School should agree on the expected outcomes of the school at the beginning of the school year. The Education Officer/School Improvement (EO/SI) and the Board of Management for the School should review the performance of the principal every six (6) months as a formative process. Shortcomings should be identified and addressed accordingly and records of the review should be provided to the principal. A summative appraisal should be undertaken every two years and professional credits determined. Whenever two consecutive formative appraisal scores fall within the “unsatisfactory” category, a mechanism should be put in place for immediate intervention. 2.2 – Vice-principal There is no standard set of tasks for a vice-principal. The assignments vary from one school to the next, based on needs. Patters of assignments of vice-principal(s) in schools have been as follows:: 1. A single vice-principal; 2. Vice principal programmes/curriculum and vice-principal administration; 3. Vice principal upper school and vice principal lower school 4. Vice- principal morning shift and vice- principal afternoon shift. In view of the various ways in which vice-principals can be deployed, two instruments have been adapted to be used according to the context in which the vice-principal is assigned. However, the four domains for appraisal should be maintained. They are: 1. Administration and management 12

2. Instructional leadership 3. Enabling environment for learning, and 4. Personal attributes and development. The items in each domain may be adjusted to reflect the assigned tasks of the vice-principal and the credits reallocated accordingly. Adaptation of the instrument should be carried out by the principal and the vice-principal at the beginning of the school year. The outcome document should be signed by both parties and should be accessible to the assigned EO/SI at any time. In respect of a vice-principal assigned to a full shift, the appraisal instrument of such a position should be a modified form of the Principal Performance Appraisal instrument. The areas of performance of the vice-principal should be agreed on at the beginning of the school year. 2.3 – Formative appraisal teams for Principals and Vice-Principals The formative appraisal team should comprise three (3) persons: 1. A teacher chosen by the principal or vice-principal 2. A member of the School Board and 3. A member of the academic staff who does not sit on the School Board In respect of the vice-principal, the principal of the school should replace the member of the school board. The process of formative appraisal of the principal is initiated by the EO/SI, who may or may not sit on the appraisal team. The full instrument, or aspects of it, may be utilized for formative appraisals. The credits obtained in the formative appraisals are not included in the summative appraisal. However, the process of advice and the appraisee’s response to this advice will be evidence from the formative appraisal and will contribute to the summative appraisal. The principal/vice principal and assessors should sign all appraisal outcomes. In situations where a member of the Board may not be available for formative assessment, the Chairman of the Board, together with the EO/SI, should find a suitable professional to take part in the appraisal process. In the absence of a Board of Management for the School, the Director of the region is able to appoint an appropriate professional as a member of the appraisal team. 13

2.4 – Summative performance appraisal team 2.4.1 – Principal The first step in the appraisal process should be self-appraisal. The principal’s summative appraisal team will comprise: 1. An EO/SI who is not assigned to the school (Team Leader) 2. The Chairman of the School Board 3. A representative of the Parent Teachers’ Association 4. A representative of the academic staff 5. A representative of the student body and 6. A representative identified by the principal Guided by the evidence provided by the principal/vice principal, each team member will give his or her own number of credits to the individual sections. The final assessment should be derived from a dialogue among the assessors, led by the EO/SI. The outcomes of the dialogue should be discussed with the principal before the final number of credits is assigned. The dialogue between the team leader (EO/SI) and the principal should be in the presence of the reviewing team members, except the student representative. Where no Board of Management for the school has been appointed, the Honourable Minister of Education may exercise his powers and appoint a suitable team to undertake summative appraisal, led by an EO/SI who is not assigned to the school. 2.4.2 – Vice-Principal The summative appraisal team for the vice-principal would comprise the principal and two teachers, one of whom should be selected by the vice-principal being appraised. 2.5 – Undertaking the appraisal The principal/vice-principal should be given at least two weeks’ notice before the appraisal exercise. The instrument is mainly objective, however professional judgement must be made on 14

qualitative assessments. The appraisers should review, among themselves, the listing or package of evidence provided before the actual interview with the principal or vice principal. School visits may take place at any time before, during and after the interview with the principal/ vice principal. The quality of the evidence signifying the impact of the actions taken to assure the functioning of the school is of utmost importance. For example, if the principal/vice-principal attended a professional development course in instructional leadership, he or she should demonstrate the benefits of the learning experience through improved instructional leadership. 2.6 – Evidence The approved School Improvement Plan (SIP) is a critical document that should be thoroughly reviewed in the context of the expected outcomes of the school. Some other important sources of evidence are: 1. The school’s log book, 2. Minutes of the School Board meetings, 3. Reports of staff meetings, 4. The school’s policy guidelines and other reports. 5. Teacher Attendance registers 6. Teacher professional development data 7. Financial documents as required by FAA 8. Examination/performance records Added support can be provided from: 1. Case studies 2. Action research 3. Anecdotes and 4. Recognition and awards for excellence 5. Videos/pictures 15

Samples of staff action plans and students’ records and how they are utilized to enable meaningful learning should be assessed. 2.7 – Awarding credits It is important to reiterate that all principals/vice principals are expected to lead successful schools. Students should leave each level of education with outcomes that are meaningful against their capabilities. While professional appraisal should be informed by the agreed action plan, quality performance is hardly ever captured on an objective scale or in tangible evidence. Therefore, there will be occasions when the appraisal team is expected to make sound professional judgements. At the beginning of the school year, the principal and the Board of Management of the School should agree on the expectations for the school year including targets for student performance. Likewise the principal and the vice-principal should agree on the action plan (assigned tasks and expectations) for the school year. The appraisal, in this respect, becomes a dialogue on principal/vice principal performance in the context of the agreed plans set in the initial stages of the school year. Each section is allocated professional credits in order to guide the decision of the team. Evidence should contribute to 60% of the performance credits. The remaining 40% of credits is attributed to quality of performance, determined by professional judgement and dialogue. For example, if children are not performing as planned there needs to be a dialogue between the appraisers and the principal to review the processes used to determine the quality of professional practice in his or her school. The principal/vice-principal is an important stakeholder in his or her appraisal and should always be given a fair chance to explain or provide evidence to support his or her actions. 2.8 – Appeals In instances where principal/vice principal object to the outcome or process of their appraisal, they may appeal in writing to the Director of the respective regional office. This Appeal should be done within 30 days following the appraisal. The Director of the regional office or his or her designate, the appraising EO/SI, the principal and the chairman of the Board of Management should then meet to resolve the matter. If they are unable to resolve the issues of the Appeal, then, the Regional Director will organize, within 30 days, a team of persons who were not involved in the original 16

appraisal, to conduct a review. The exercise should include interviews and observations in order to ascertain the facts and arrive at an agreement on the matter. Upon the completion of the review and the outcomes of the dialogue, the team will advise the regional Director to accept or reject the Appeal. Should the performance of the principal be unsatisfactory then the Director of the region or his or her designate will collaborate with the Board of Management for the School and the principal to prepare a development plan to be followed for one school year. In respect of the vice- principal, the principal, EO/SI and the vice principal would collaborate to prepare a development plan to be implemented during a full school year. At the end of the school year, should performance of the principal/vice principal remain unsatisfactory, then steps should be taken to remove him or her from the leadership position in the school. 2.9 – Professional Development/Engagement for School Leaders School leaders are expected to consistently engage in meaningful and relevant professional development activities in order to ensure that their leadership is characterised by evidence-based practices. School leaders should take responsibility for their professional development; they should make strong and persistent advocacy to the Boards of Management and to the MoEYI for the expansion of training opportunities for Principals and Vice-Principals. Principals and vice- principals are encouraged to form professional development networks within their QECs and to leverage these communities of practice into effective professional development engagement. There are also multiple opportunities throughout the school year for principals to satisfy their professional development needs by participating in conferences – locally and internationally. The discerning principal is also able to identify and pursue virtual professional development opportunities that can greatly enhance their practice. In addition, various associations of principals and vice-principals, operating locally and regionally, from time to time organise training opportunities from which school leaders can benefit. The National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL) is a clearing house of training opportunities for principals and middle managers; school leaders are encouraged to explore how the College can assist them to meet their professional development needs. 17

3.0 – Appraisal of Teachers 3.1 – General Teachers Formative appraisal should be undertaken every term, except during the third when it is expected that the summative appraisal of teachers will be done. However, there may be instances where the teacher’s performance does not require a formative appraisal with such frequency. Summative appraisal must be undertaken no later than the end of July each year. No weakness of the teacher should come as a surprise during summative appraisal. All appraisals should be recorded and signed by all the members of appraisal team including the appraisee. The teacher’s appraisal is organized around six (6) Guiding Principles (GPs). 1. Teacher knows the subject content that he or she teaches. 2. Teacher knows how to teach the subject(s) for which he or she is responsible. 3. Teacher is committed to the children in his or her care, managing the learning process with due consideration to diversity and character development. 4. Teacher sharpens his or her professional skills. 5. Teacher interacts with parents and community. 6. Teacher conducts himself or herself in a manner that uplifts the profession. The National Standards Curriculum (NSC) Framework for learner-centred education is an important reference in the interpretation and appraisal of teacher performance. Special attention should be given to the 4Cs (Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Collaboration) and the promotion of the 5Es (Engagement, Explanation, Exploration, Evaluation and Elaboration). 3.2 – Appraisal team The Formative appraisal team should comprise at least 2 persons, one of whom should be a teacher of the subject being taught by the teacher being appraised. The appraisee may choose a third person who is his or her colleague and who is a specialist in the subject or teaches at the same grade level, in respect of primary education. Where the teacher is the only one teaching the subject in the said school, then a teacher of the subject should be found in the QEC in which the school is located. 18

Summative appraisal is normally led by the supervisor of the teacher; however, the principal may choose to lead the teacher’s appraisal along with another member of staff who is proficient in the subject area. No area of weakness should come as a surprise to the teacher during the summative appraisal as weaknesses should have been identified and addressed during formative appraisals. The observation of the appraisee’s classes may take place without previous information to the teacher except to indicate that he or she will be observed during the school term. A teacher may be observed at least three times per term before a decision is taken on his or her developmental needs. Some teachers may need more supervision than others. Such a decision should be made by the senior management team in the school. 3.3 – Formative appraisal Formative appraisal is part of the professional development process. It identifies gaps in professional practice and seeks to fill such gaps through non-threatening approaches. In this context, the supervisor is expected to guide/coach the teacher in order to improve his or her professional practice. Formative appraisal should be led by the head of department or grade coordinator. The findings of formative appraisal should be recorded and the advice given to the teacher carefully noted. This process should reflect professional dialogue and feedback. It should encourage innovation, exploration, and the use of a variety of approaches that enable meaningful learning. 3.4 – Summative appraisal Summative appraisal is made at the end of the school year or course of work. It should reflect the development of the teacher over the academic year. The first step in the teacher’s summative appraisal process should be self-appraisal. The summative appraisal should be undertaken once per year and should be completed no later than June 30 of each school year. The teacher should be appraised according to an agreed action plan. Although the credits obtained in the formative appraisal are not added to those of the summative appraisal, it is important to see a growth path in the performance of the teacher and in student improvements. The final number of credits should be determined in a dialogue between the teacher and the appraisal team and supported by 19

the evidence presented. All parties should sign the agreed outcomes of both formative and summative appraisals. 3.5 – Undertaking the appraisal All teachers (appraisees) to be appraised should be observed teaching for at least three lessons, by the appraisal team. The teacher should be given two weeks’ notice before the appraisal process begins. A sample of students should be given questionnaires (Annex 1). Student interviews should be undertaken for clarification. Self-assessment must be undertaken by the appraisee in preparation for the summative appraisal. The appraisee should present to the appraisal team, a portfolio representing his or her performance for the year. The Teacher Portfolio should include the: 1. Agreed action plan 2. Completed self –assessment 3. Samples of lesson plans – the parameters of the lesson plan should be agreed at the beginning of the school year. 4. Samples of tests administered to students 5. Students performance records 6. Samples of students’ reports 7. Hours of professional development- indicating topic, date, time and presenting certificates where applicable/ or indicating the sources of verification. 8. Evidence of Teacher Registration 9. Other evidence of innovations, use of technology, etc. as indicated in the appraisal instrument. 10. Evidence of participation in the respective Quality Education Circle (QEC) Samples of the teacher’s work should be reviewed. Consecutive lesson plans should be selected and reviewed to identify teaching and learning strategies to improve students’ learning. Teaching aids should be assessed for the learning experiences that they provide. The values and attitudes promoted in the lessons should be evident. Books should be marked and comments should be clear for students to understand. The teacher may undertake action research in partnership with other 20

teachers and his or her contribution to the partnership should be evident. Teacher may present evidence in electronic forms should he/she so desire. Every effort has been made to ensure objectivity of the appraisal instrument. However, sound professional judgment must be made on the quality of the evidence and, where applicable, on the application of the evidence and the outcomes. For example, the teacher may indicate that he or she tracks the performance of the students and provide teaching and learning support accordingly. His or her student records, lesson plans, student interviews, student questionnaires and samples of students’ work should support the claim that he or she uses assessment data as a guide to improve learning outcomes. 3.6 – Awarding credits The number of credits allocated depends on the activities agreed on. Students’ performance is an important indicator in the teacher appraisal. Nevertheless, consideration should be given to the context in which the teacher works. In assessing the number of credits to be assigned, decimal points can be utilized. In awarding credits, schools are expected to assess their contexts (school improvement plan, NEI reports, student performance data, teacher evaluation results, stakeholder involvement, etc.) and, from this, develop the performance descriptors to guide the award of partial or full credits. This is a school-wide, collaborative effort carried out under the supervision of the instructional leader and with the support of the EO/SI. In awarding credits, tangible evidence contributes to sixty per cent (60%) and professional judgment to forty percent (40%). However, the awards of credits should reflect the quality of the evidence provided. Ultimately, the evidence of the performance of the teacher should bring about a positive change in student performance – cognitive or behavioural or both. 3.7 – Appraisal of principal/teacher in a multi-grade school The assessment instruments must be modified for implementation in a multi-grade school. In a situation where the principal is also a teacher, his or her performance as an administrator as well as a teacher must be appraised. Noting that principalship is his or her primary responsibility, it 21

will be the basis of the appraisal. However, GP3 of the Teacher Appraisal document should be utilized when assessing a principal who also teaches in a Multi-grade school. The weighting of the outcomes of the instrument should be aligned to the proportion of time that the principal spends on each dimension of his/her task. If the principal teaches for 20% of the time, then the appraisal as a teacher should only contribute to 20% of his/her final credit score. The multi-grade teacher has the potential advantage of creative use of the multi-level groups in a single class. 3.8 – Appraisal of Master Teacher 3.8.1 – The Master Teacher The Master Teacher is the highest practicing category of teacher in the profession. The Master Teacher must maintain the quality of a Master Teacher in order to continue to hold the title and receive the corresponding remuneration. Annual appraisal of the Master Teacher is important and should be undertaken against the set standards of the category. The annual appraisal of master teachers is formative and its results will contribute to the triennial appraisal that will be led by the Jamaica Teaching Council. The domains of appraisal for a master teacher are: 1. Professional knowledge 2. Professional practice 3. Attributes and attitudes 3.8.2 – The formative appraisal team The appraisal team should comprise at least the principal, vice-principal, a teacher selected by the Master Teacher, and the EO/SI who supports the school. The final outcome should be the result of a dialogue and the provision of quality evidence by the Master Teacher. 3.8.3 – Summative appraisal Every three years, the Master Teacher will be subject to a professional assessment exercise led by the Jamaica Teaching Council. 22

3.9 – Beginning Teacher 3.9.1 – Guiding Principles Performance Appraisal is organized in the six (6) Guiding Principles (GPs) of the Teacher Performance Appraisal. However, the performance of the beginning teacher is assessed against the professional standards for beginning teachers. 3.9.2 – The Appraisal It is a requirement of the Government Cabinet that a beginning teacher be mentored for at least the first year of teaching. The termly appraisal of the beginning teacher should serve to engage him or her in meaningful practice of teaching and learning. The appraisal team should comprise his or her mentor, and a senior teacher. The mentor should help the beginning teacher to build and organize the evidence for appraisal, through the preparation of a teaching portfolio. The beginning teacher’s appraisal is related to what could be reasonably expected of a new teacher. Beginning teachers, recently graduating from college, should have exciting new ideas that can be nurtured into innovations and improved teaching and learning approaches. The appraisal of the first year of teaching should be a rewarding experience and should equip the teacher for a long and fruitful professional life. The Induction Certificate is an important contribution to the beginning teacher’s appraisal. 3.10 – Appeals If any teacher is of the opinion that the assessment was unfair, then he or she may appeal to the principal of the school. If the principal participated in the appraisal, then the appeal should be made to the EO/SI and copied to the appropriate regional Director. If there is no resolution, then the Regional Director should organize for an external team to review the appraisal. The external team will comprise three persons, 1. Representative of the regional office 2. Teacher chosen by the appraisee 3. Teacher selected by the principal of the school (from the said school or from the wider Quality Education Circle) 4. The outcomes of this team will be final. 23

4.0 – Using the Appraisal Instruments for Teachers 4.1 – Underpinning effectiveness At present, the reference number for the appraisal instrument is the teacher’s Tax Registration Number (TRN). The instrument and exercise are designed to identify the exemplary teacher who is able to provide leadership to the profession and the unsatisfactory teacher who may need to leave the profession. In between the two extremes, the practice of the teacher shows areas of strengths and weaknesses, in which event, targeted development should be undertaken. Research findings have confirmed the importance of teacher empowerment in advancing student learning. The teacher takes responsibility for development of lessons that engage students meaningfully and stimulate or reinforce learning. In this context, the Jamaica Teaching Council does not provide national rubrics to define assignment of credits, except as already mentioned, 60% of the performance of the teacher is evidence-based. The other 40% is an assessment of the quality of the evidence. All teachers are resourced differently and the context of the teacher must be considered in the appraisal process. For example, if the school has 15 computers, the use of the computers should be timetabled giving each teacher a fair chance to utilize them. Some teachers may still not have access to them. The appraisal process permits/encourages peer collaboration within schools and QECs. To determine the contributions of the appraisee to the relevant Quality Education Circle, the assigned School EO/SI would be an integral part of the performance dialogue. Teachers are able to undertake joint action research on common issues within a school or QEC, and also to complement the portfolio with picture, videos, etc. 4.2 – Comparability of the performance of teachers The outcome of education is the pillar of teacher appraisal. The appraisal instrument does not provide the basis for comparability of professionals. Each professional is appraised in his or her own context. There is no need to compare teachers. The children are unique beings and each teacher must meet their individual needs. In the real world of work, persons apply for their jobs and are assessed on their qualifications, recommendations and how well they manage their respective interviews. Teachers should take their portfolios to their interviews in order to ensure 24

fair assessment and selection. Like other job opportunities, teachers should have appropriate qualification and recommendations when they apply for respective positions. 4.3 – Professional Development/Engagement for Teachers 4.3.1 – Beginning and General Teachers Beginning and general teachers are encouraged to exploit the QEC framework for professional development purposes. They should network with each other in their immediate school communities and should repurpose their interactions into opportunities to develop their instructional expertise. Such interactions that provide rich fodder for professional growth include teachers’ collaboration to plan and deliver lessons, review and develop assessment instruments and prepare intervention for students. Through collaborative lesson planning, teachers can engage in lesson study activities and even formalize these into research which then become the basis for further professional development activities at the level of the QEC. Subject teachers (at the secondary level) and grade teachers (at the primary level) should explore forming ‘inner circles’ in their QECs and should look at how virtual knowledge networks using technology, social media and distance education can be used to cascade effective practices across the entire QEC. Beginning and general teachers also have the opportunity to engage in workshops organised by the various agencies of the MoEYI and approved by the JTC. Many teachers are also coached professionally by subject matter experts such as members of the National Literacy and Numeracy Teams and these are rich sources of professional development. Where these opportunities present themselves, teachers are urged not to eschew them. 4.3.2 – Master Teachers Master teachers are able to take advantage of all the training opportunities to which other teachers are exposed, since Master Teachers are also subject teachers. Master Teachers are also expected to lead planning sessions, mentor and coach other teachers, engage in action research to inform school-wide practice and take leadership of QEC activities within their respective areas of specialisation. These activities all serve to advance the professional development competences. The Master Teacher is an expert teacher and is actively planning and leading the professional development activities of other tea chers in their schools and QECs. The Master Teacher is engaged 25

in ongoing research and is frequently tinkering with instructional strategies with a view to note and institutionalise improvements in students’ outcomes. The Master Teacher actively participates in the JTC Master Class and benefits from the professional development activities that are available through this community of practice. 4.3.3 – Professional Development Opportunities Available Every effort is being made by the MoEYI to avoid holding workshops during the teachers’ contact time. So far, the introduction of the Professional Development Days and other designated periods for professional development have substantively reduced the teachers’ absences from their classes in order to attend training workshops. The Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) provides a list of opportunities for professional development. The list below is not exhaustive and from time to time will be updated by JTC. 1. Six Teacher Development Days – 30 hours of professional development. The activities of the Professional Development Days (PDD) should be planned. The Curriculum Vitae (CVs) of presenters whether they be staff or external persons, the programme of activities, expected outcomes and attendance registers for morning and afternoon should be kept in the school. It is advisable to have a discussion with the EO/SI on the plans for professional development days and provide written information to the regional office accordingly, in order to update the school record or files kept in the regional office. 2. On-line professional development programmes approved by JTC- A list is annexed to this document and also, will be provided on JTC website. 3. Workshops organized by private sector groups and approved by JTC. 4. Workshops organized by officers of the MoEYI – Attendance at the workshops should be recorded and the records of participation of teachers kept in their respective schools. 5. Joint activities involving schools in QECs and approved by JTC 6. Approved JTA professional development opportunity- evidence of participation provided. Typically, a teacher will be able to attain about 60% of the credits assigned to professional development within a school year. A teacher can earn all the credits by investing his or her personal time in professional development programmes. 26

4.4 – Publications Many teachers, over the period of their careers, have developed and implemented excellent ideas to stimulate learning. However, these experiences are not recorded and do not benefit the system as they should. The Appraisal process will encourage teachers to be innovative and to share such experiences with the rest of the profession. National sharing is enabled through technology. Teachers are able to publish their experiences in QEC Newsletters, on YouTube, on JTC website or any other professional platform. Action research can be a shared experience among teachers. National sharing can be enabled through conferences and technology. Pictures of children should only be included in publications if parents provide written consent. 4.5 – Re-distribution of credits Credits were distributed on the basis of recommendations by educators and research findings. However, a school is able to re-organise the distribution of credits within Sections and through a staff dialogue at the beginning of the school year. All staff members should be aware of any re- distribution of credits. The redistribution should be accompanied by justification and logged for reference. 4.6 – Appraisal and Career Pathways Educational quality is buttressed by an effective performance appraisal framework. This evidence-based framework identifies, nurtures and rewards quality instruction and leadership. Through meaningful feedback and enriching dialogue provided by the performance appraisal process, teachers are able to identify their professional profiles and the career pathways around which they can focus their efforts, energies and further training. Teachers who have achieved a rating of exemplary performance in three different years at three different grade levels may apply to the Master Teachers” Unit of the Teaching Council for assessment and subsequent consideration to be named a Master Teacher. 27

4.7 – Interpretation of terms used in this document Action plan A management tool, identifying, inter alia, targets, activities to achieve them, and evidence of achievements Action research A study of behaviours that affect learning Appraiser The person conducting the appraisal Appraisee The person being appraised Beginning teacher An individual who has successfully completed an accredited programme for pre- service training and who is entering the profession for the first time Community- immediate Area immediately around the school Community- wider Goes beyond the area in which the a school is located Evidence Supporting documents, observed behaviour or any other tangible Formative appraisal presentation or artefact. Appraisal typically carried out termly with a view of providing Individualized Instructional information on a teachers’ instructional strengths and weaknesses. Strategies The results of formative appraisals inform and shape a teacher’s practice and career. Lessons are organized and delivered to ensure learning environments that respond to various learning styles, interests and abilities of students – maximizing the potential for all students to be successful 28

Master teacher A person who has been successfully assessed and, hence, is certified by the Jamaica Teaching Council to be adept at their practice and who is an expert in his or her field. Performance standards Documented point of reference against which professional behaviour is measured Professional development Activities approved by the Jamaica Teaching Council in which Profile of student teachers are engaged and which will enhance their professional competence and status. Information on a student indicating his/her academic performance and non-academic behaviour School Improvement Officer The school improvement officer is a designation for the Education Officer who will play a more supportive role in leading the improvement of schools. School Improvement plan A school plan approved by the Ministry of Education, Youth & Information for a specified period Summative appraisal Measures the level of success on an agreed action plan. Stakeholders All persons or groups affected by the actions or outcomes of the school Well-being of students Students who are in an environment in which learning is enabled, happy, motivated, comfortable and have access to diverse learning approaches 29

List of abbreviations EO/SI – Education Officer/ School Improvement who support schools HOD- Head of Department MOEY&I – Ministry of Education, Youth and Information NSC- National Standard Curriculum QEC- Quality Education Circle NCEL- National College of Educational Leadership 30