3223 - STANDARDS-BASED SCHOOL COUNSELOR EVALUATION

West Clermont Local School District

Bylaws & Policies

3223 - STANDARDS-BASED SCHOOL COUNSELOR EVALUATION

The Board of Education (Board) of the West Clermont School District (District) adopts the following counselor evaluation policy in accordance with the standards-based Ohio School Counselor Evaluation System (OSCES) approved by the State Board of Education, with any subsequent revisions adopted by the State Board or those dictated by Ohio law automatically incorporated herein. This policy is enacted pursuant to the Board’s responsibility to implement a standards-based school counselor evaluation policy that conforms to State law and the framework for the evaluation of school counselors, as approved by the State Board of Education, and aligns with the "Standards for School Counselors."

The Board believes school counselors play a critical role in supporting student learning and success and maintaining a positive school environment. The standards based system of school counselor evaluations is designed to provide meaningful and consistent feedback to support counselor professional growth and inform employment decisions.

Definitions

"OSCES" - stands for the Ohio School Counselor Evaluation System, as adopted and modified by the State Board of Education.

"School Counselor" - For purposes of this policy, "school counselor" means an employee who holds a license issued pursuant to O.A.C. 3301-24-05 by the Ohio Department of Education in the area of school counseling and who is assigned to a position in that capacity, or an individual assigned to a position as school counselor. Teachers and other employees who do not meet this definition are not subject to evaluation under this policy.

"Credentialed Evaluator" - a person who has completed the OSCES training as required by the Ohio Department of Education.

"Evaluation Cycle" - is the period of time for the completion of the evaluation procedure.

"Evaluation Framework" - means the standards-based framework adopted by the State Board of Education for the evaluation of school counselors in accordance with R.C. 3319.113.

"Evaluation Instruments" - refers to the forms used by the school counselor's evaluator.

"Evaluation Procedure" - the procedural requirements set forth in this policy are intended to satisfy the statutory obligations established under R.C. 3319.113 and to conform to the framework for the evaluation of school counselors approved by the State Board of Education.

"Evaluation Rating" - means the final summative evaluation rating that is assigned to a school counselor pursuant to procedures set forth in this policy. The evaluation rating is assigned at the conclusion of the evaluation cycle when the school counselor performance rating is combined with the results of student metric(s). Each completed evaluation will result in the assignment of one (1) of the following final summative evaluation ratings: Accomplished, Skilled, Developing, or Ineffective.

"Metrics" - the locally determined measure(s) that assess a school counselor's ability to produce positive student outcomes.

Standards-Based School Counselor Evaluation

School Counselors will be evaluated annually utilizing multiple factors, with the intent of providing meaningful feedback to each school counselor and assigning an effectiveness rating based upon school counselor performance and the counselor's assessment on selected metrics. High-Performing School Counselors may be evaluated less frequently according to this Policy. Effectiveness ratings include:

	A.	Accomplished;

	B.	Skilled;

	C.	Developing; and

	D.	Ineffective.

The Superintendent shall annually cause to be filed a report to the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) in accordance with requirements mandated by ODE.

Assessment of School Counselor Performance

School Counselor performance will be evaluated during at least two (2) formal observations, lasting at least thirty (30) minutes in duration, and informal observations. Such performance will be assessed through a holistic process by trained and credentialed evaluators based upon the following Ohio Standards for School Counselors:

	A.	Comprehensive School Counseling Program Plan;

	B.	Direct Services for Academic, Career and Social/Emotional Development;

	C.	Direct Services for Academic, Career and Social/Emotional Development;

	D.	Evaluation and Data;

	E.	Leadership and Advocacy; and

	F.	Professional Responsibility, Knowledge and Growth.

Each school counselor evaluated under this policy may be required to complete a "Self-Assessment" utilizing the Self-Assessment Summary Tool approved by the Board.

High-Performing School Counselors

A high-performing school counselor may be evaluated less frequently as follows, except that a high-performing school counselor will be fully evaluated in any year in which his/her employment contract expires, regardless of evaluation rating or metric(s).

	A.	A school counselor who receives a rating of "Skilled" on his/her most recent evaluation may be evaluated every other year, as long as the counselor's metric(s) for student outcomes for the most recent year for which data is available, is "Skilled" or higher. If the determination is made to evaluate every other year, the counselor will be provided with at least one (1) observation and one (1) conference in any year that such counselor is not formally evaluated.

	B.	A school counselor who receives a rating of "Accomplished" on his/her most recent evaluation may be evaluated every three (3) years, as long as the counselor's metric(s) for student outcomes for the most recent year for which data is available, is "Skilled" or higher. If the determination is made to evaluate every three (3) years, the counselor will be provided with at least one (1) observation and one (1) conference in any year that such counselor is not formally evaluated.

Metric(s) for Student Outcomes

The Board will select the appropriate metric(s) that will be utilized to measure student outcomes. Data from the metric(s) for student outcomes will be scored on four (4) levels, Accomplished, Skilled, Developing and Ineffective.

Final Evaluation Procedures

Each school counselor's performance rating for each of the six (6) standards will be combined with the assessment of the student metric(s) to produce the final summative rating.

The evaluator shall submit a written copy of the evaluation to the school counselor for his/her acknowledgement by written receipt. If signed by the employee, the receipt is to be sent to the Superintendent.

Professional Growth Plans and Professional Improvement Plans

Based upon the results of the evaluations conducted in accordance with this policy, each school counselor must develop either a professional growth plan or professional improvement plan as follows:

	A.	School counselors with a final summative rating of "Accomplished" will develop a professional growth plan.

	B.	School counselors with a final summative rating of "Skilled" will develop a professional growth plan collaboratively with their evaluator.

	C.	School counselors with a final summative rating of "Developing" will develop a professional growth plan collaboratively with their evaluator. An administrator must approve the professional growth plan.

	D.	School counselors with a final summative rating of "Ineffective" will develop an improvement plan with their evaluator. An administrator must approve the improvement plan.

Professional growth and improvement plans must be completed at least once each school year. The Board retains the discretion to place a school counselor on an improvement plan at any time based on deficiencies in any individual component of the evaluation system.

Commitment to Professional Development

The Board is committed to providing professional development to accelerate and continue counselor growth and to provide support for poorly performing school counselors.

Retention and Promotion Decisions/Removal of Poorly Performing School Counselors

Beginning in the 2017-2018 school year, the school counselor evaluation results will serve to inform the Board and administration on employment decisions, including, retention, promotion and removal of school counselors. Nothing in this Policy will be deemed to prevent the Board from exercising its rights to non-renew, terminate, or suspend a school counselor contract as provided by law and/or the terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreement.

No Expectation of Continued Employment

The evaluation system and procedures set forth in this Policy shall not create an expectation of continued employment for employees on a limited contract that are evaluated under this Policy. The Board reserves the right to non-renew a school counselor evaluated under this Policy in accordance with R.C. 3319.11 notwithstanding the school counselor's final summative rating

Report to the Ohio Department of Education

The Board will provide the information requested by the Ohio Department of Education, in the form prescribed by the Department.

R.C. 3319.02, 3319.11, 3319.113, R.C. 3319.16
A.C. 3301-24-05
H.B. 64

Adopted 10/10/16