La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § CXLVII-905
A. In order that consistency in terminology be maintained on a statewide basis, the department has established a list of terms and definitions. Careful consideration of each should be given during the training and implementation of personnel evaluation programs. The definitions below must be adopted by all LEAs. If additional terms are necessary in establishing a clear and concise understanding of evaluation procedures, they must be included in the LEA local personnel evaluation plan.
Accountability-shared responsibility for actions relating to the education of children.
Administrator-any person who serves in an academic leadership role at the school-level and is employed in a professional capacity other than a teacher. Principals, assistant principals, and academic deans shall be considered administrators according to this definition.
Beginning Teacher-any teacher in their first three years of the profession.
Board-state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Certified School Personnel-those persons whose positions require certification.
Charter School-an independent public school that provides a program of elementary and/or secondary education established pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of the Louisiana Charter School Law to provide a learning environment that will improve student achievement.
Classroom Visitation-an informal visit to a classroom of sufficient duration to monitor progress toward achievement of professional growth plan objectives and to provide support or assistance.
Common Assessment-a state-approved assessment to be used for measuring student growth in grades and subjects where value-added data is not available.
Components of Effective Teaching-the elements of teaching performance defined by the board in formal, recognized collaboration with educators and other stakeholders involved in education, to be critical to providing effective classroom instruction.
Competencies-skills, knowledge, and abilities required to demonstrate a particular level of performance.
Criteria-demonstrable levels of performance upon which a judgment may be based.
Department-Louisiana Department of Education.
Due Process-fair and impartial treatment, including notice and an opportunity to be heard.
Duties-those actions normally required of a position as assigned and/or described in the position description that are necessary to enable the class, school, or school district to accomplish its objectives.
Educational Leader-a person who is certified to serve in any school or district leadership capacity with the exception of superintendent.
Evaluation-process by which a local board monitors continuing performance of its teachers and administrators annually, by considering judgments concerning the professional accomplishments and competencies of a certified employee, as well as other professional personnel, based on a broad knowledge of the area of performance involved, the characteristics of the situation of the individual being evaluated, and the specific standards of performance pre-established for the position.
Evaluatee-teacher or administrator undergoing evaluation.
Evaluator-one who evaluates; the school principal or assistant principal or respective supervisory level designees charged with evaluating teachers or the superintendent or other LEA-level supervisor charged with evaluating administrators.
Formal Site Visit-an announced site visit by an administrator's evaluator, that is preceded by a pre-visit conference and followed by a post-visit conference in which the administrator is provided feedback on his/her performance.
Grievance-a procedure that provides a fair and objective resolution of complaint by an evaluatee that the evaluation is inaccurate due to evaluator bias, omission, or error.
Intensive Assistance Plan-the plan that is implemented when it is determined, through the evaluation process, that personnel have not meet the standards of effectiveness. This plan includes:
a. the specific steps the teacher or administrator shall take to improve;
b. the assistance, support, and resources to be provided by the LEA;
c. an expected timeline for achieving the objectives and the procedure for monitoring progress, including observations and conferences; and
d. the action to be taken if improvement is not demonstrated.
Job Description-a competency-based summary of the position title, qualification, supervisor, supervisory responsibilities, duties, job tasks, and standard performance criteria, including improving student achievement, that specify the level of job skill required. Space shall be provided for signature and date.
Local Board-governing authority of the local education agency, parish/city school or local school system.
Local Education Agency (LEA)-city, parish, or other local public school system, including charter schools.
Non-Tested Grades and Subjects (NTGS)-grades and subjects for which a value-added score is not available for teachers or other certified personnel.
Objective-a devised accomplishment that can be verified within a given time, under specifiable conditions, and by evidence of achievement.
Observation-the process of gathering facts, noting occurrences, and documenting evidence of performance and delivering aligned, individualized feedback to the evaluatee.
Observer - one who gathers evidence to be used in the evaluation process through the observation of educator performance.
Performance Expectations-the elements of effective leadership approved by the board that shall be included as evaluation criteria for all building-level administrators.
Performance Standards-the behaviors and actions upon which performance is evaluated.
Post-Observation Conference-a discussion between the evaluatee and evaluator for the purpose of reviewing an observation and sharing commendations, insights, and recommendations for improvement.
Pre-Observation Conference-a discussion between the evaluatee and the evaluator which may occur prior to an observation; the purposes are to share information about the lesson to be observed and to clarify questions that may occur after reviewing of the lesson plan.
Professional Growth Plan-a written plan developed to enhance the skills and performance of an evaluatee. The plan includes:
a. specific goal(s);
b. objective(s);
c. action plans;
d. timelines;
e. opportunities for reflection; and
f. evaluation criteria.
Self-Evaluation/Self-Reflection-the process of making considered judgments of one's own performance concerning professional accomplishments and competencies as a certified employee or other professional person based upon personal knowledge of the area of performance involved, the characteristics of the given situation, and the specific standards for performance pre-established for the position; to be submitted by the evaluatee to the appropriate evaluator for use in the compilation of the individual's evaluation.
Standard Certificate-a credential issued by the state to an individual who has met all requirements for full certification as a teacher.
Standard of Effectiveness-adopted by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as the final composite score required for teacher or administrator performance to be considered effective.
Student-Learning Target-a goal which expresses an expectation of growth in student achievement over a given period of time, as measured by an identified assessment and/or body of evidence.
Teacher-any person who provides direct instruction or direct instructional support to students, to whom he/she has been formally assigned. Classroom teachers, special education teachers, librarians, and school counselors shall be considered teachers according to this definition.
Teachers of Record-educators who are responsible for a portion of a student's learning outcomes within a subject/course.
Value-Added - the use of prior achievement history and appropriate demographic variables to estimate typical achievement outcomes through a statistical model for students in specific content domains based on a longitudinal data set derived from students who take state-mandated tests in Louisiana for the purpose of comparing typical and actual achievement.
La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § CXLVII-905