Arkansas Department of Education

Principal Evaluation System

Arkansas Leader Excellence and Development System (LEADS)

 

Pursuant to A.C.A. § 6-17-2802 (TESS)  provides direction for evaluation at all levels of instructional leadership. As per law, the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) will provide technical assistance to school districts for developing and implementing evaluation frameworks for administrators. Administrator evaluation will parallel teacher evaluation in regards to ensuring valid and reliable measures for performance ratings and the weight of student performance and growth in these determinations.

Work on administrator evaluation began in 2009 when legislation was passed to create a system of leadership development. Act 222 of 2009 Regular Session created the School Leadership Coordinating Council. The purpose of the Council is to serve as a central body to coordinate the leadership development system efforts across the state.

One task of the Council was to recommend an evaluation system for principals. During the 2010-2011 school year, the Council worked with Dr. Connie Kamm, senior consultant with The Leadership and Learning Center. Based on the ISLLC standards, and other leadership systems, the group created a framework for a principal evaluation system. The framework included a 4-tier performance rating, rubrics and descriptors for each of the six standards. Professional growth plans and other resources were also created for the system.

The ADE is sponsoring a two-year pilot for the principal evaluation system with ten school districts during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years. Dr. Kamm has conducted the training for the principals and superintendents of the pilot districts.

ADE will support legislation in the 2013 legislative session to implement the principal evaluation system.  If successful, ADE will promulgate rules with the same process as followed in the Teacher evaluation rules.  Training will be provided on the new principal evaluation system to all administrators in the summer of 2013.  Districts must fully implement the new system in the 2014-2015 school year.

Principal Evaluation (LEADS) Forms

• Form A - LEADS Principal Rubric
• Form A1 - LEADS Assistant Principal Rubric
• Form B - LEADS Professional Growth Plan
• Form C - LEADS Intensive Growth Plan
• Form D - LEADS Reflective Narrative
• Form E - LEADS Staff Survey

Principal Evaluation (LEADS) Supporting Documents

• LEADS Overview 
• LEADS Glossary
• LEADS Timelines by Category
• AR LEADS Categories
• LEADS Sample Professional Growth Plan (Discipline)
• LEADS Sample Professional Growth Plan (Literacy)
• LEADS Sample Intensive Growth Plan
• LEADS Suggested Evidence to Support Summative Evaluations
• LEADS Coaching Protocol
• LEADS Sample Coaching Questions

Video Comments

Five Arkansas administrators shared their views on Arkansas LEADS.  These brief video clips, which have been included in presentations at training sessions across the state, provide valuable insight into Arkansas LEADS and its impact on leadership, teaching and learning at the local district and school levels. 

• Richard Abernathy, executive director of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
• Randy Barrett, superintendent, Gentry School District
• Brian Summerhill, assistant superintendent, Van Buren School District
• Karli Saricini, middle school principal in the Harrisburg School District and a member of the Principal Evaluation Task Force
• Kyron Jones, School Improvement Grant (SIG) site director at the Arkansas Department of Education and a member of the Principal Evaluation Task Force

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