Performance Management in Schools Pursuant to section 77c of the State Sector Act 1988, and following agreement by the State Services Commission, I hereby prescribe the following matters are to be taken into account by boards of trustees in assessing the performance of teachers. 1. The Preamble: What is performance management? Performance management involves the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure that the teachers and staff provide education and services which effectively meet the needs of their students consistent with the goals and objectives in each school's charter. An effective performance management system should encompass many personnel management activities. These would include: the recruitment and retention of staff; the selection and appointment of staff; those clauses of collective and individual employment contracts which relate to the performance management of staff; the statutory requirements for registration; the appraisal and assessment of staff; the professional development of staff; career development and succession planning; remuneration management; the discipline and dismissal of staff. This prescription establishes minimum requirements for the appraisal and assessment of teachers. 2. The Context for Performance Appraisal in New Zealand Schools: The primary purpose of these requirements is to provide a positive framework for the improvement of the quality of teaching (and therefore learning) in New Zealand schools. The mandatory requirements provide flexibility to allow boards of trustees to design performance appraisal systems appropriate to their school and community within a minimum quality assurance and accountability framework. 3. The Matters to be Taken into Account: The Secretary for Education hereby prescribes the following matters to be taken into account by the employers when assessing the performance of teachers: principles which should underpin the policies and processes boards have in place for the appraisal of teacher performance; features of the process which is followed in appraising teacher performance; aspects of teacher's performance which should be appraised. 3.1 The Principles: Boards of trustees should ensure that policies and procedures for the appraisal of teacher performance: i. are part of an integrated performance management system operating within the school; ii. are appropriate to individual teachers, the school and wider community; iii. are developed in a consultative manner with teachers; iv. are open and transparent; v. have a professional development orientation; vi. are timely and helpful to the individual teacher; vii. give consideration to matters of confidentiality, including the provisions of the Privacy Act and the Official Information Act. 3.2 The Features of the Appraisal Process: 3.2.1. The board of trustees is responsible for ensuring that: i. a policy for the appraisal of teacher performance is in place which is in accordance with the principles; ii. responsibility for the implementation of the appraisal policy and process is formally delegated to a professionally competent person or persons; iii. the appraisal process for each teacher is completed in accordance with the policy; iv. each teacher participates in the appraisal process at least once within a 12 month period. 3.2.2. Boards of trustees must have a documented policy on the appraisal of teacher performance. This policy must: i. specify the person(s) responsible for the implementation of the appraisal policy and process; ii. specify the process which will be followed in the appraisal of teacher performance; iii. include a statement on confidentiality; iv. specify a process for dealing with disputes. 3.2.3. Boards of trustees (through the person(s) responsible) must ensure that the appraisal process includes the following elements: the identification of an appraiser, in consultation with the teacher concerned; the development of a written statement of performance expectations in consultation with each teacher; the identification and written specification of one or more development objectives to be achieved during the period for which the performance expectations apply; for each development objective, the identification and written specification of the assistance or support to be provided; observation of teaching (for those with teaching responsibilities); self-appraisal by the teacher; an opportunity for the teacher to discuss their achievement of the performance expectations and the development objective(s) with their appraiser; An appraisal report prepared and discussed in consultation with the teacher. 3.3 The Aspects of Teacher Performance to be Appraised: Boards of trustees (through the person(s) responsible) must ensure that: 3.3.1. The performance expectations for teachers must relate to the key professional responsibilities and key performance areas of their position; 3.3.2. Key professional responsibilities/performance areas are: i. teaching responsibilities (such as planning and preparation, teaching techniques, classroom management, classroom environment, curriculum knowledge, student assessment); ii. school-wide responsibilities (such as contribution to curriculum leadership, school-wide planning, school goals, the effective operation of the school as a whole, pastoral activities and student counselling, and to community relationships); iii. management responsibilities (such as planning, decision-making, reporting, professional leadership, resource management). This notice shall be effective from 1 January 1997. Dated at Wellington this 9th day of December 1996. HOWARD FANCY, Secretary for Education. Boards of trustees, as the employer, are the only body for whom matters can be prescribed under section 77c of the State Sector Act 1988.