the evaluation/observation,
conferences, the annual
summary conference, or written
evaluation reports.
• ensure that post conferences are
scheduled for all observations
of teaching staff members
and those pre-conferences are
scheduled for all announced
observations.
• be ready to help a staff member
prepare for conferences, write
responses, write professional
development plans.
• ensure that all teachers in tested
subjects are able to check the
roster of students who will
be assigned to them for the
purpose of calculating mSGP
• ensure that teachers have an
opportunity to have input into
the creation of their Student
Growth Objectives (SGOs)
• be familiar with any waiver of
the evaluation regulations for
the school district that have
been approved by the New
Jersey Department of Education
Reviewing the evaluation/
observation with the
member
• Members should know that
the evaluation and any written
comments should be reviewed
quickly, especially if there are
problems or questions about the
evaluation.
• Prior to a voluntary review of
the observation/evaluation with
the member, ask the member to
give you a copy of the written
report.
• Meet with the member and
gather the following applicable
data:
58 – AR Handbook
• The date when the
completed observation/
evaluation form was
received by the member
• The maximum days
remaining for returning
signed documents to the
evaluator
• Whether the observation/
evaluation was the
first, second, third, etc.
performed this year
• The names and positions
of the evaluators who
performed the observations/
evaluations this year
(i.e., superintendent,
assistant superintendent,
principal, department chair,
elementary/secondary
supervisor, etc.)
• The member’s points
of concern with the
observation/evaluation
• Any discrepancies,
erroneous statements
or other misconstruing
elements within the
evaluation/observation
• The date when the annual
summary conference will be
held with the evaluator
What to watch out for in
observations/evaluations
Check for the following points in
an evaluation report. They may cast
doubt on the reliability of the evaluator
and, therefore, the validity of
the evaluation process:
• Use of words or phrases that are
inconsistent with the language
of the evaluation rubric adopted
by the district.
• Repeated negative verbal
expressions during the
conference.
• The use of the same negative
comments in several areas of
the evaluation rubric which will
have a negative impact on the
scoring of the evaluation.
• Use of vague or generalized
terms that show bias or lack of
understanding of the rubric by
the evaluator.
• Scoring that is inconsistent with
the district policy.
• Evidence of cut and
pasting from another staff
member’s evaluation such as
misstatements of fact in names,
subject, or incorrect use of
gender pronouns.
• No reflection of district
responsibility or resources in
recommending that employees
visit other worksites or schools,
take courses, use different
materials, etc.
Legal rights of the member
Here are some legal points which
the AR and each member should be
aware of:
1. The negotiated contract in your
district and the state regulations
regarding teacher evaluation
contain members’ rights. These
may include requirements such
as:
• There must be reasonable
intervals between observations.
• Teaching staff members have
the right to construct a written
response and attach it to the
observation/evaluation.
• Short observations that cover a
particular part of a lesson
• Teaching staff members have
the right to grieve observation/
evaluation procedures covered
under the contract.