Board Policies and Administrative Procedures

Responsible Administrator: Associate Superintendent Human Resources

PURPOSE

The Superintendent of Schools evaluation process has been developed by the Board of Trustees to be consistent with the expectations of the role identified in Board Policy, the Education Act, the Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard (referred to as SLQS throughout this document), and the Superintendent of Schools Regulation.

The evaluation process and supporting information sources shall serve to:

• provide feedback on the Superintendent’s leadership and performance in all areas of the Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard
• allow the Superintendent to report on successes and challenges during the year, and provide feedback relating to continuous improvement efforts and annual goals
• recognize areas and trends that are showing positive change or progress
• enable the Board and Superintendent to engage in dialogue about results, any issues or concerns associated with the role and the evaluation process
• inform the organizational outcomes, key performance competencies, and Superintendent’s own goals for the next evaluation cycle
• Serve as a tool in determining salary and contract considerations

To ensure that the Superintendent is meeting the requirements of Policy 700 The Role of the Superintendent of Schools, and the requirements of the SLQS, the Board of Trustees will formally evaluate the Superintendent’s performance on a regular basis according to the following guidelines.

PROCESS

The Associate Superintendent, Human Resources is responsible for administering this Administrative Procedure.

PROCEDURE

1. Criteria for Evaluation

1.1 The criteria for the first evaluation will be those set out in the Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard (SLQS).

1.2 In subsequent evaluations, the criteria will be those defined and those listed or revised after each evaluation, plus any growth goals provided by the Board in the previously written evaluation report(s).

1.3 Such growth goals may be areas requiring actions which must be taken to address trends, issues, or external realities that will enhance Division success.

1.4 T The SLQS will be used by the Board to evaluate the Superintendent. The Board will review the evidence and will determine whether, and/or to what extent, the SLQS have been achieved. The SLQSwill be used in the development of the summative performance evaluation for the Superintendent of Schools. For each of the seven (7) competencies the Superintendent of Schools will be assessed in the final report as Not Proficient or Proficient. The SLQS is not intended to have every indicator reported on. The SLQS indicators are suggestions which are likely to lead to the achievement of the competency but may be included, excluded or changed based on the superintendent’s context.

1.5 Data relative to the SLQS will be collected by a mutually agreed upon external individual by interviewing a representative group of principals and direct reports in a 360° performance measure. “Direct reports” are defined to be those individuals who report directly to the Superintendent on the Division’s organizational chart.

2. Superintendent Evidence Document

2.1 The Superintendent will provide an evidence document which will be made available to the Board approximately one (1) week before the evaluation meeting.

2.2 The purpose of the evidence document is to provide evidence that the seven (7) SLQS competencies are being addressed in the Superintendent’s work.

2.3 Evidence will be organized under each competency as listed in the SLQS.

3. Evaluation Session

3.1 The Board will assess during an evaluation session whether and to what extent the Superintendent has achieved each competency (ie proficient or not proficient).

3.2 The Board and the Superintendent will be present during the evaluation.

3.3 The Superintendent will be invited to ensure the Board has full information and may choose to enter into discussion to ensure the evidence provided has been understood.

3.4 The Superintendent may leave the room when the Board develops the growth goals/areas for emphasis and the conclusion section.

3.5 The evaluation report will reflect the corporate Board. 

EVALUATION PROCESS

4. The Superintendent evaluation process shall:

4.1 Provide for accountability, growth, and the strengthening of the relationship between the Board and the Superintendent and is aligned with the Superintendent’s roles (Board Policy 700, Education Act) and is linked to the Division’s goals. The written report will affirm specific accomplishments and will identify areas of growth.

4.2 Meet the contractual requirement that the Superintendent and Board come to a mutual agreement relative to the comprehensive evaluation process to be followed. The Board will meet and discuss the evaluation process, format, and instrumentation with the Superintendent.

4.3 Highlight that a key role of the Superintendent, as the Chief Education Officer for the Division, is to enhance student achievement and success for all children.

4.4 Highlight a key role of the Superintendent, as the Chief Executive Officer for the Division, is to achieve accountability responsibilities in alignment with Division goals and objectives and support the Board in its governance role.

4.5 Identify how the Superintendent works with the board as a “governance team” and assures collective responsibility for building a unity of purpose, communicating a common vision, and creating a positive organizational culture.

4.6 Recognize that the board/superintendent governance relationship is supported by the staff in the division which reports to the Superintendent.

4.7 Align with and based upon the Superintendent’s roles and responsibilities, The Division’s goals and objectives, and Alberta Education’s SLQS.

4.8 Be based on evidence from multiple data sources relating to the specific responsibility areas identified in Board Policy 700 and will assess the Superintendent of School’s performance in the seven (7) competency areas identified in the SLQS. The process will include a discussion of the evidence document prepared by the Superintendent of Schools.

4.9 Ensure Board feedback is provided regularly, is supported by specific examples, and will focus on areas over which the Superintendent has authority.

4.10 Be a performance-based assessment system. Such an evaluation shall focus on improvement over time and consider the previous evaluation data in identifying and addressing areas of growth.

5. Evaluation Report

5.1 The Board shall report its evaluation of the Superintendent in writing. A summary document will be prepared and signed by the Board Chair and the Superintendent of Schools at the conclusion of the process for each formal performance evaluation.

5.2 The performance evaluation report shall contain a description of the important contextual details that existed during the term of the performance evaluation, and a summary of the superintendent’s performance in the competency areas identified in the SLQS. The summary document will also include the identification of relative strength areas, suggestions for growth, and recommendations regarding division priorities identified by the Board. A final signed document is provided to the superintendent for inclusion in his/her personnel file.

5.3 If the Board determines that the performance of the Superintendent is not proficient in any respect, it shall describe in writing, in detail, with supporting examples, such unsatisfactory performance. The evaluation shall include recommendations and resources for areas of improvement in all instances where the Board deems the Superintendent’s performance to be unsatisfactory.

5.4 The Superintendent will have the right to make a written response to the evaluation within thirty (30) days of receiving the evaluation. The Board’s evaluation and the Superintendent’s response shall become a permanent attachment to the Superintendent’s personnel file.

6. The Board and Superintendent shall review the policies which guide the process, format, and timeline for the upcoming year.

7. Timeline

7.1 Superintendent evaluations will be conducted as per the Superintendent’s employment contract.

7.2 The Board may choose, at its sole discretion, to evaluate the Superintendent in any additional school year not noted in the employment contract.

7.3 the Board must inform the Superintendent in writing by September 30 of the school year in which an evaluation will be conducted.

7.4 The final evaluation report must be delivered to the Superintendent no later than May 15 of the year in which the evaluation is conducted.

8. In any school year in which the Superintendent is not evaluated, the Superintendent’s performance shall be deemed to be proficient.

Board Policies VII. Personnel and Employee Relations