N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:10-8.1

Current through Register Vol. 57, No. 1, January 6, 2025

Section 6A:10-8.1 - Evaluation of chief school administrators

(a) Each district board of education shall adopt a policy and implement procedures requiring the annual evaluation of the chief school administrator by the district board of education.

(b) The purpose of the annual evaluation shall be to:

1. Promote professional excellence and improve the skills of the chief school administrator;

2. Improve the quality of the education received by the students served by the public schools; and

3. Provide a basis for the review of the chief school administrator's performance.

(c) The policy and procedures shall be developed by the district board of education after consultation with the chief school administrator and shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Determination of roles and responsibilities for the implementation of the annual evaluation policy and procedures;

2. Development of a job description and evaluation criteria based upon the district board of education's local goals, program objectives, policies, instructional priorities, State goals, statutory requirements, and the functions, duties, and responsibilities of the chief school administrator;

3. Specification of data collection and reporting methods appropriate to the job description;

4. Provision for the preparation of an individual professional growth and development plan based in part upon any need(s) identified in the evaluation. The plan shall be mutually developed by the district board of education and the chief school administrator; and

5. Preparation of an annual performance report by a majority of the full membership of the district board of education and an annual summary conference between a majority of the total membership of the district board of education and the chief school administrator.

(d) The district board of education may hire a qualified consultant to assist or advise in the evaluation process; however, the evaluation itself shall be the responsibility of the district board of education.

(e) The evaluation policy shall be distributed to the chief school administrator upon adoption by the district board of education. Amendments to the policy shall be distributed within 10 teaching staff member working days after adoption.

(f) The annual summary conference between the district board of education, with a majority of its total membership present, and the chief school administrator shall be held before the annual performance report is filed. The conference shall be held in private, unless the chief school administrator requests that it be held in public. The conference shall include, but not be limited to, review of the following:

1. Performance of the chief school administrator based upon the job description;

2. Progress of the chief school administrator in achieving and/or implementing the school district's goals, program objectives, policies, instructional priorities, State goals, and statutory requirements; and

3. Indicators of student progress and growth toward program objectives.

(g) The annual performance report shall be prepared by July 31 by a majority of the district board of education's total membership and shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Performance area(s) of strength;

2. Performance area(s) needing improvement based upon the job description and evaluation criteria set forth in (c)2 above;

3. Recommendations for professional growth and development;

4. A summary of indicators of student progress and growth, and a statement of how the indicators relate to the effectiveness of the overall program and the chief school administrator's performance; and

5. Provision for performance data not included in the report to be entered into the record by the chief school administrator within 10 teaching staff member working days after the report's completion.

(h) The provisions of this section are the minimum requirements for the evaluation of a chief school administrator.

(i) The evaluation procedure for a nontenured chief school administrator shall be completed by July 31 each year.

(j) Each newly appointed or elected district board of education member shall complete a New Jersey School Boards Association training program on the evaluation of the chief school administrator within six months of the commencement of his or her term of office pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:17-20.3.b.

(k) Each district board of education shall add to a chief school administrator's personnel file all performance reports and supporting data, including, but not limited to, indicators of student progress and growth. The records shall be confidential and not be subject to public inspection or copying pursuant to the Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:10-8.1

Amended by 49 N.J.R. 251(a), effective 2/6/2017

Modified by Executive Order No. 103(2020) 52 N.J.R. 1313, effective 6/4/2020

Amended by 52 N.J.R. 1557(a), effective 8/3/2020