Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-151b

Current with legislation from 2024 effective through June 5, 2024.

Section 10-151b - Teacher evaluations. Teacher evaluation and support program; development; adoption; implementation; guidelines

(a) The superintendent of each local or regional board of education shall annually evaluate or cause to be evaluated each teacher, and for the school year commencing July 1, 2013, and each school year thereafter, such annual evaluations shall be the teacher evaluation and support program adopted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The superintendent may conduct additional formative evaluations toward producing an annual summative evaluation. An evaluation pursuant to this subsection shall include, but need not be limited to, strengths, areas needing improvement, strategies for improvement and multiple indicators of student academic growth. Claims of failure to follow the established procedures of such teacher evaluation and support program shall be subject to the grievance procedure in collective bargaining agreements negotiated subsequent to July 1, 2004. In the event that a teacher does not receive a summative evaluation during the school year, such teacher shall be recorded as not evaluated. The superintendent shall report (1) the status of teacher evaluations to the local or regional board of education on or before June first of each year, and (2) the status of the implementation of the teacher evaluation and support program, including the frequency of evaluations, the number of teachers who have not been evaluated and other requirements as determined by the Department of Education, to the Commissioner of Education on or before September fifteenth of each year. For purposes of this section, the term "teacher" shall include each professional employee of a board of education, below the rank of superintendent, who holds a certificate or permit issued by the State Board of Education.

(b)

(1) Except as provided in subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of this section, not later than September 1, 2013, and until June 30, 2024, each local and regional board of education shall adopt and implement a teacher evaluation and support program that is consistent with the guidelines for a model teacher evaluation and support program adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this section. Such teacher evaluation and support program shall be developed through mutual agreement between the local or regional board of education and the professional development and evaluation committee for the school district, established pursuant to subsection (b) of section 10-220a. If a local or regional board of education is unable to develop a teacher evaluation and support program through mutual agreement with such professional development and evaluation committee, then such board of education and such professional development and evaluation committee shall consider the model teacher evaluation and support program adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subparagraph (B) of subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section, and such board of education may adopt, through mutual agreement with such professional development and evaluation committee, such model teacher evaluation and support program. If a local or regional board of education and the professional development and evaluation committee are unable to mutually agree on the adoption of such model teacher evaluation and support program, then such board of education shall adopt and implement a teacher evaluation and support program developed by such board of education, provided such teacher evaluation and support program is consistent with the guidelines adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this section. Each local and regional board of education may commence implementation of the teacher evaluation and support program adopted pursuant to this subsection in accordance with a teacher evaluation and support program implementation plan adopted pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.

(2) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of this section, for the school year commencing July 1, 2024, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall adopt and implement a teacher evaluation and support program that is consistent with the guidelines for a teacher evaluation and support program adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this section. Such teacher evaluation and support program shall be developed through mutual agreement between the local or regional board of education and the professional development and evaluation committee for the school district, established pursuant to subsection (b) of section 10-220a. If a local or regional board of education is unable to develop a teacher evaluation and support program through mutual agreement with such professional development and evaluation committee, then such board of education and such professional development and evaluation committee shall consider the model teacher evaluation and support program adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subparagraph (B) of subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section, and such board of education may adopt, through mutual agreement with such professional development and evaluation committee, such model teacher evaluation and support program. If a local or regional board of education and the professional development and evaluation committee are unable to mutually agree on the adoption of such model teacher evaluation and support program, then such board of education shall adopt and implement a teacher evaluation and support program developed by such board of education, provided such teacher evaluation and support program is consistent with the guidelines adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this section.

(c)

(1)

(A) On or before July 1, 2012, the State Board of Education shall adopt, in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council established pursuant to section 10-151d, guidelines for a model teacher evaluation and support program. Such guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, (i) the use of four performance evaluations designators: Exemplary, proficient, developing and below standard; (ii) the use of multiple indicators of student academic growth and development in teacher evaluations; (iii) methods for assessing student academic growth and development; (iv) a consideration of control factors tracked by the state-wide public school information system, pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-10a, that may influence teacher performance ratings, including, but not limited to, student characteristics, student attendance and student mobility; (v) minimum requirements for teacher evaluation instruments and procedures, including scoring systems to determine exemplary, proficient, developing and below standard ratings; (vi) the development and implementation of periodic training programs regarding the teacher evaluation and support program to be offered by the local or regional board of education or regional educational service center for the school district to teachers who are employed by such local or regional board of education and whose performance is being evaluated and to administrators who are employed by such local or regional board of education and who are conducting performance evaluations; (vii) the provision of professional development services based on the individual or group of individuals' needs that are identified through the evaluation process; (viii) the creation of individual teacher improvement and remediation plans for teachers whose performance is developing or below standard, designed in consultation with such teacher and his or her exclusive bargaining representative for certified teachers chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, and that (I) identify resources, support and other strategies to be provided by the local or regional board of education to address documented deficiencies, (II) indicate a timeline for implementing such resources, support, and other strategies, in the course of the same school year as the plan is issued, and (III) include indicators of success including a summative rating of proficient or better immediately at the conclusion of the improvement and remediation plan; (ix) opportunities for career development and professional growth; and (x) a validation procedure to audit evaluation ratings of exemplary or below standard by the department or a third-party entity approved by the department.

(B) On or before July 1, 2024, the State Board of Education shall adopt, in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council established pursuant to section 10-151d, guidelines for a teacher evaluation and support program. Such guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, (i) the use of multiple indicators of student learning, growth and achievement in teacher evaluations; (ii) methods for assessing student learning, growth and achievement; (iii) a consideration of control factors tracked by the state-wide public school information system, pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-10a, that may influence teacher performance, including, but not limited to, student characteristics, student attendance and student mobility; (iv) minimum requirements for teacher evaluation instruments and procedures, including an annual summary of teacher growth provided by the evaluator; (v) the development and implementation of periodic training programs regarding the teacher evaluation and support program to be offered by the local or regional board of education or regional educational service center for the school district to teachers who are employed by such local or regional board of education and whose performance is being evaluated and to administrators who are employed by such local or regional board of education and who are conducting performance evaluations; (vi) the provision of professional development services based on the individual or group of individuals' needs that are identified through the evaluation process; (vii) the creation of individual teacher improvement and remediation plans for teachers who require additional support, designed in consultation with such teacher and his or her exclusive bargaining representative for certified teachers chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, and that (I) identify resources, support and other strategies to be provided by the local or regional board of education to address documented deficiencies, (II) indicate a timeline for implementing such resources, support, and other strategies, in the course of the same school year as the plan is issued, and (III) include indicators of success immediately at the conclusion of the improvement and remediation plan; (viii) opportunities for career development and professional growth; and (ix) a validation procedure to audit remediation plans by the department or a third-party entity approved by the department.

(2)

(A) The State Board of Education may revise, as necessary, the guidelines for a teacher evaluation and support program and the model teacher evaluation and support program adopted under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision.

(B) The State Board of Education shall adopt a model teacher evaluation and support program that may be used by local and regional boards of education. Such model teacher evaluation and support program shall be consistent with the guidelines described in subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(d)

(1) A local or regional board of education may phase in full implementation of the teacher evaluation and support program adopted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section during the school years commencing July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014, pursuant to a teacher evaluation and support program implementation plan adopted by the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council, not later than July 1, 2013. The Commissioner of Education may waive the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section and the implementation plan provisions of this subsection for any local or regional board of education that has expressed an intent, not later than July 1, 2013, to adopt a teacher evaluation program for which such board requests a waiver in accordance with this subsection.

(2) The Commissioner of Education may waive the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section for any local or regional board of education that has expressed an intent, not later than July 1, 2024, to adopt a teacher evaluation program for which such board requests a waiver in accordance with this subsection.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-151b

(P.A. 74-278, S. 1, 2, 5; P.A. 77-27, S. 3; P.A. 78-218, S. 101; P.A. 82-74, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-2, S. 12, 21; P.A. 89-26, S. 1, 4; P.A. 90-324, S. 7, 13; P.A. 91-220 , S. 3 , 8 ; P.A. 93-353 , S. 30 , 52 ; P.A. 95-58 , S. 3 , 4 ; 95-182 , S. 3 , 11 ; P.A. 00-220 , S. 8 , 43 ; P.A. 04-137 , S. 1 ; P.A. 10-111 , S. 4 ; P.A. 11-135 , S. 7 , 9 ; P.A. 12-116 , S. 51 ; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2 , S. 23 ; P.A. 13-245 , S. 1 ; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 , S. 341 .)

Amended by P.A. 23-0159, S. 23 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2023 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2023.

Amended by P.A. 15-0005, S. 341 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2015 Special Session, eff. 7/1/2015.

Teacher evaluations not a mandatory subject of collective bargaining where amendment substituted "mutual agreement" for "negotiation". 201 C. 685 . Cited. 205 C. 116 . Cited. 42 Conn.App. 480 .

See Sec. 4d-85 re state-wide standard for teacher and administrator competency in use of technology for instructional purposes. See Sec. 10-222e re evaluation and termination of athletic coaches.