Performance Evaluation Reform Act
West Central’s Response to Education Reform
Jodi Scott, Henderson-Mercer-Warren Regional Superintendent of Education
The West Central District #235 is facing many changes as a result of the education reform legislation that recently passed in Illinois and in the United States. It is our hope that staff, students, parents and community members can all work together to create an academically rigorous, personalized, learning environment that leads to improved student achievement. As we move forward you will see changes in standards, instruction, student assessment, use of technology, and teacher and administrator evaluation. District #235 is working hard to implement the changes required by this new legislation and to prepare our students for college and careers. This is the second of a series of articles on education reform in Illinois included in the Heat Index; information will continue to be shared with our stakeholders about the changes we are facing.
The Performance Evaluation Reform Act
The Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) was passed in January 2010. PERA was designed to change the teacher and principal evaluation process in the state of Illinois. PERA has done two things; established new guidelines for principal and teacher evaluations and developed an advisory council to offer recommendations about this process to the Illinois State Board of Education.
The Performance Evaluation Reform Act outlines a new evaluation system that includes teacher practice and student growth for principals and teachers. The new system is intended to provide teachers and principals with clear and consistent standards, more constructive feedback, and stronger professional development. The new evaluations will be phased in as defined in the law, with the principal evaluation process being implemented first in 2012 and the teacher evaluation system following. The new system will introduce an additional component to the process that is based on student performance on assessments. New rating systems will need to be determined that calls for a combining teacher practice and student growth. This new system will go into affect for the 2012-2013 school year for principals but not until the 2016-2017 school year for teachers. There are still many unresolved issues relative to the implementation of this portion of the new law that are still being worked out by the folks in Springfield. We are monitoring this process closely and are working diligently to be ready to put the new principal and assistant principal evaluation process in place by the 2012-2013 school year.
The Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC) is made up of 32 education professionals from around the state. This advisory council is charged with developing minimum guidelines and the “State Model” for teacher and principal evaluation. The Advisory Council has been meeting monthly for 18 months and has recommended rules to the Illinois State Board of Education. PEAC will continue to meet through 2017 to monitor progress in teacher and principal evaluation. HMW Regional Superintendent, Jodi Scott is a member of PEAC and has been doing an outstanding job representing the interests of teachers and administrator’s from around the state to this committee.
For more information on the work of the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council and the implantation of the new evaluation system visit www.isbe.net/peac or feel free to contact West Central District Superintendent Paula Markey (markey-paula@wc235.k12.il.us) or HMW Regional Superintendent Jodi Scott (jscott@hmwroe33.com).
