N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:10-4.4 - Teacher observations
(a) For the purpose
of teacher evaluation, observers shall conduct the observations pursuant to
N.J.S.A.
18A:6-123.b(8) and
N.J.A.C.
6A:10-2.5 and 3.2, and they shall be trained
pursuant to
N.J.A.C.
6A:10-2.2(b).
(b) Observation conferences shall include the
following procedures:
1. A supervisor who is
present at the observation shall conduct a post-observation conference with the
teacher being observed. A post-observation conference shall occur no more than
15 teaching staff member working days following each observation.
2. The post-observation conference shall be
for the purpose of reviewing the data collected at the observation, connecting
the data to the teacher practice instrument and the teacher's individual
professional development plan, collecting additional information needed for the
evaluation of the teacher, and offering areas to improve effectiveness. Within
a school year, the post-observation conference shall be held prior to the
occurrence of further observations for the purpose of evaluation.
3. If agreed to by the teacher, one required
post-observation conference and any pre-observation conference(s) for
observations of tenured teachers who are not on a corrective action plan may be
conducted by written communication, including electronic.
4. One post-observation conference may be
combined with a teacher's annual summary conference, as long as it occurs
within the required 15 teaching staff member working days following the
observation for the purpose of evaluation.
5. A pre-conference, when required, shall
occur at least one but not more than seven teaching staff member working days
prior to the observation.
(c) Each teacher shall be observed as
described in this section. For all teachers, at least one of the required
observations shall be announced and preceded by a pre-observation conference,
and at least one of the required observations shall be unannounced. The chief
school administrator shall decide whether additional required observations are
announced or unannounced, if applicable. The following additional requirements
shall apply:
1. Each observation required for
the purpose of evaluation shall be conducted for at least 20 minutes.
2. Nontenured teachers shall be observed at
least twice before March 18, 2020.
i. Except
where a school district employs only one administrator whose position requires
a supervisor, principal, or school administrator endorsement, nontenured
teachers shall be observed during the course of the year by more than one
appropriately certified supervisor.
3. Tenured teachers shall be observed at
least two times during each school year. Observations for all tenured teachers
shall occur prior to the annual summary conference, which shall occur prior to
the end of the academic school year.
i. If a
tenured teacher was rated highly effective on his or her most recent summative
evaluation and if both the teacher and the teacher's designated supervisor
agree to use this option, one of the two required observations may be an
observation of a Commissioner-approved activity other than a classroom lesson.
The Department shall post annually to its website a list of
Commissioner-approved activities that may be observed in accordance with this
section.
4. Chief school
administrators shall have discretion to allow teachers on a corrective action
plan to receive a summative score that results in a teacher summary rating of
effective or highly effective. To receive this rating, a teacher shall have at
least two observations that demonstrate progress toward an effective or highly
effective rating before March 18, 2020.
5. Upon receiving a final summative
evaluation that necessitates a corrective action plan, in accordance with
N.J.A.C.
6A:10-2.5(a), any remaining
required observation(s) shall not be conducted until the corrective action plan
has been finalized.
6. A written or
electronic observation report shall be signed by the supervisor who conducted
the observation and post-observation and the teacher who was
observed.
7. The teacher shall
submit his or her written objection(s) of the evaluation within 10 teaching
staff member working days following the conference. The objection(s) shall be
attached to each party's copy of the annual performance report.
(d) To earn a teacher practice
score, a nontenured teacher shall receive at least two observations by March
18, 2020.
1. If a nontenured teacher is
present for less than 40 percent of the total student school days in a school
year, he or she shall receive at least two observations to earn a teacher
practice score.
Notes
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