Avery County Schools Policy Policy Code: 7811
PLANS FOR GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT OF LICENSED EMPLOYEES Policy Code: 7811
The Avery County Board of Education expects all professionally licensed employees to maintain high levels of performance. If an employee does not meet this standard, the superintendent and administrative staff shall address any identified performance or other deficiencies through appropriate means, including placing the employee on a monitored growth, directed growth, or mandatory improvement plan when required by state law, State Board policy or this policy, or when otherwise deemed necessary.
Growth and mandatory improvement plans as defined by law and this policy are valuable tools to promote the professional development of licensed employees. The board recognizes, however, that not all conduct and performance issues require the development of a plan. Administrators and supervisory personnel are authorized to address inappropriate conduct and/or inadequate performance using such other lawful means as they may deem appropriate. This policy shall not be interpreted to limit in any way the authority of administrators or other supervisory personnel to direct and reprimand licensed employees for inappropriate conduct or inadequate performance.
The superintendent shall develop procedures in accordance with state law, State Board guidelines, and this policy as necessary to carry out the board’s directives.
A. DEFINITIONS
1. As used in this policy, “teacher” means an individual defined as a teacher in G.S.
115C-325(a)(6) (for career status teachers) or G.S. 115C-325.1(6) (for non-career
status teachers).
2. As used in this policy, “licensed employee(s)” includes school administrators as
defined in G.S. 115C-325.1(5) and teachers.
B. INDIVIDUAL, MONITORED, AND DIRECTED GROWTH PLANS
1. Use of Growth Plans
a. Teachers
Teachers who receive an overall rating of at least “proficient” on all
standards on the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Rubric as indicated
on the Teacher Summary Rating Form shall develop an individual growth
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plan designed to improve performance on specifically identified standards
and elements.
A teacher who is performing below a proficient level on the Teacher
Summary Rating Form shall be placed on a monitored growth plan or a
directed growth plan unless dismissal, demotion, nonrenewal, or
placement on a mandatory improvement plan (see Section C, below) is
warranted. A monitored growth plan developed in accordance with State
Board policy is required for a teacher who is rated “developing” on one or
more standards of the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Rubric. State
Board policy also requires that a teacher who is rated “not demonstrated”
on any standard or who is rated “developing” on any standard for two
sequential years be placed on a directed growth plan. The superintendent
may establish other criteria that will be deemed evidence that performance
is below a proficient level or otherwise represents unsatisfactory or below
standard performance and warrants placement on either a monitored
growth plan or a directed growth plan.
Unless otherwise limited by state law or State Board policy, the principal
is authorized to place a teacher on a monitored or directed growth plan or
other plan of improvement at any point during the school year if the
principal determines that the teacher is performing below the expected
level.
b. School Administrators
Professional growth plans will be developed for school administrators as
provided in State Board policy. A professional growth plan will include
mutually agreed upon performance goals and recommendations based
upon the school administrator’s self-assessment, the consolidated
assessment and the summary evaluation using the North Carolina School
Executive; Principal and Assistant Principal Evaluation Process.
Development of the professional growth plan will be discussed at a
meeting between the school administrator and the superintendent or
designee when completing the annual evaluation process.
The superintendent may move to dismiss or demote a licensed employee whether or not
the employee has been first placed on a growth or other improvement plan. See policy
7930, Professional Employees: Demotion and Dismissal.
2. Components of Growth Plans
Individual growth plans may contain, but are not limited to, any of the
components listed below. However, monitored or directed growth plans must
include at least the following components.
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a. Identification of Deficiencies
All performance deficiencies, including all specific standards and
elements of the Teacher Evaluation Rubric identified for improvement
during the teacher’s evaluation, must be identified and addressed in the
growth plan.
b. Performance Expectations and Goals
For each problem identified, the growth plan must include a statement of
the expected level of performance and/or other goals to be accomplished.
c. Strategies
The growth plan must set forth a strategy or strategies designed to correct
each identified deficiency. The strategies should be specific and clearly
state the activities the teacher should undertake to achieve the expected
level of performance. The strategies also should identify all individuals
responsible for implementing the plan.
d. Dates for Monitoring and Completion
The growth plan must include dates upon which the teacher’s progress
under the plan will be reviewed and the date by which performance is to
be improved to the expected level. Under a monitored growth plan, the
teacher must achieve proficiency within one school year. A directed
growth plan may provide for a shorter period to achieve proficiency, not to
exceed one school year.
3. Review of Growth Plans
Individual and professional growth plans should be reviewed at least annually
with the licensed employee’s supervisor and/or the principal, the superintendent,
or their designees, as applicable.
In the case of a teacher’s monitored or directed growth plan, once the designated
time period for completion of a plan has elapsed, the principal or supervisor shall
review the teacher’s performance, including the results of any subsequent
evaluation and determine whether the teacher continues to perform below the
expected level in any area or whether the teacher’s performance has improved
sufficiently. If the teacher’s performance remains below proficient, the principal
or supervisor shall recommend to the superintendent one of the following:
a. the board dismiss the teacher or demote or transfer the teacher to a
position in which the teacher can be successful;
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b. the teacher be placed on a mandatory improvement plan in accordance
with the provisions of Section C below; or
c. the teacher be moved to a new monitored or directed growth plan or
continue on a previous growth plan that has been revised as necessary,
provided the principal or supervisor determines that:
1) the teacher’s continuing performance problems are not having an
adverse impact on student learning or the school environment, or
2) the teacher is making good progress toward improvement in
deficient areas and is likely to improve to an acceptable level
within a reasonable, additional time period.
C. MANDATORY IMPROVEMENT PLANS
A mandatory improvement plan is an instrument designed to improve a licensed
employee’s performance by providing the employee with notice of specific performance
areas that have substantial deficiencies and a set of strategies, including the specific
support to be provided to the employee, so that he or she may satisfactorily resolve such
deficiencies within a reasonable timeframe.
The use of mandatory improvement plans as provided in this policy is discretionary and
will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Nothing in this policy will be interpreted so
as to require the use of mandatory improvement plans in addition to, or in lieu of, growth
plans or other disciplinary action, including dismissal from employment as provided by
law.
1. Initiating a Mandatory Improvement Plan
a. Licensed Employees in Low-Performing Schools
If a licensed employee in a low-performing school receives a rating on any
standard on an evaluation that is below proficient or otherwise represents
unsatisfactory or below standard performance in an area that the licensed
employee was expected to demonstrate, the individual or team that
conducted the evaluation shall recommend to the superintendent that (i)
the employee receive a mandatory improvement plan designed to improve
the employee’s performance or (ii) the superintendent recommend to the
board that the employee be dismissed or demoted. If the individual or
team that conducted the evaluation elects not to make either of the above
recommendations, the said individual or team shall notify the
superintendent of this decision. The superintendent shall determine
whether to develop a mandatory improvement plan or to recommend a
dismissal proceeding.
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b. Teachers in Schools Not Identified as Low-Performing
If, in an observation report or year-end evaluation, a teacher in a school
not identified as low-performing receives a rating that is below proficient
or otherwise represents unsatisfactory or below standard performance on
any standard that the teacher was expected to demonstrate, the principal
may place the employee on a mandatory improvement plan. The
mandatory improvement plan will be utilized only if the superintendent or
designee determines that an individual, monitored or directed growth plan
would not satisfactorily address the deficiencies.
c. Any Licensed Employees Engaging in Inappropriate Conduct or
Performance
A principal may recommend to the superintendent or designee that a
licensed employee be placed immediately on a mandatory improvement
plan if the employee engages in inappropriate conduct or performs
inadequately to such a degree that the conduct or performance causes
substantial harm to the educational environment, but immediate dismissal
or demotion of the employee is not appropriate. The principal must
document the exigent reason for immediately instituting such a plan.
2. Components of the Plan
A mandatory improvement plan for any licensed employee must include the
following components.
a. Identification of Deficiencies
The performance areas in which the employee is deficient must be
identified and addressed in the mandatory improvement plan.
b. Performance Expectations
For each problem identified, the plan must include a statement of the
expected level of performance.
c. Strategies
The plan must establish a strategy or strategies designed to correct each
identified deficiency. The strategies should be specific and clearly state
the activities the employee should undertake to achieve the expected level
of performance and the specific support to be provided to the employee.
The strategies also should identify all individuals responsible for
implementing the plan.
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d. Dates for Monitoring and Completion
The plan must include dates upon which the employee’s progress under
the plan will be reviewed and the date by which performance is to be
improved to the expected level.
3. Development and Implementation of the Plan
a. Licensed Employees in Low-Performing Schools
When directed by the superintendent, a mandatory improvement plan to
improve the performance of a licensed employee will be developed by the
person who evaluated the licensed employee or the employee’s supervisor,
unless the evaluation was conducted by an assistance team. If the
evaluation was conducted by an assistance team, that team shall develop
the mandatory improvement plan in collaboration with the employee’s
supervisor. Mandatory improvement plans will be designed to be
completed within 90 instructional days or before the beginning of the next
school year.
b. Teachers in Schools Not Identified As Low-Performing
When a principal decides to put a teacher on a mandatory improvement
plan, the principal shall develop the plan in consultation with the teacher.
The teacher shall have five instructional days after receiving the plan to
request a modification to the plan before it is implemented. The principal
must consider the requested modification before finalizing the plan. The
teacher shall have at least 60 instructional days to complete the mandatory
improvement plan.
A teacher has five workdays after finalization of the mandatory
improvement plan within which to submit a request to the principal for a
qualified observer, as defined in G.S. 115C-333.1(c)(1), to observe the
teacher in the area or areas of concern identified in the plan. In
accordance with G.S. 115C-333.1(c)(2), the board will create and maintain
a list of qualified observers who are employed by the board and available
to conduct observations. The board will strive to limit the list to
administrators and teachers who have excellent reputations for
competence and fairness. Selection of the qualified observer and
submission of the qualified observer’s report to the principal will be in
accordance with G.S. 115C-333.1(c)(3).
4. Reassessment
a. Licensed Employees in Low-Performing Schools
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After the expiration of the time period for the mandatory improvement
plan, the superintendent or designee or the assistance team shall assess the
employee’s performance. If the assessor determines that the employee has
failed to become proficient in any of the performance standards articulated
in the mandatory improvement plan or to demonstrate sufficient
improvement toward such standards, the superintendent shall recommend
that the employee be dismissed or demoted under applicable state law.
b. Teachers in Schools Not Identified As Low-Performing
Upon completion of a mandatory improvement plan, the principal or
supervisor shall assess the performance of the employee. For teachers, the
principal shall also review and consider any report provided by the
qualified observer if one has been submitted before the end of the
mandatory improvement plan period. If, after the assessment of the
employee and consideration of any report from the qualified observer, the
superintendent or designee determines that the teacher has failed to
become proficient in any of the performance standards identified as
deficient in the mandatory improvement plan or demonstrate sufficient
improvement toward such standards, the superintendent may recommend
that the employee be dismissed or demoted under applicable state law.
Legal References: G.S. 115C-325 (applicable to career status teachers), -325.1 et seq. (applicable to non-career status teachers), -333, -333.1; State Board of Education Policies EVAL- 004, EVAL-005
Cross References: Professional and Staff Development (policy 1610/7800), Evaluation of Licensed Employees (policy 7810), Professional Employees: Demotion and Dismissal (policy 7930)
Adopted: 6/3/02 Revised: 9/14/09; 4/14/15; 4/28/17
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