303.3 - Administrator Evaluation

An ongoing process of evaluating administrators on their skills, abilities, and competence will occur at a minimum, annually, concluding with a formal evaluation. The goal of the formal evaluation process is to ensure that the educational program for the students is carried out, ensure student learning goals of the district are met, promote growth in effective administrative leadership for the district, clarify the administrator's role as defined by the board and the superintendent, assess administrator competence in the Iowa Standards for School Leaders, ascertain areas in need of improvement, clarify the immediate priorities of the responsibilities listed in the job description, and develop a working relationship between the superintendent and the administrator. This policy supports and does not preclude the ongoing informal evaluation of the administrator’s skills, abilities, and competence.

The superintendent is responsible for designing an administrator evaluation instrument to assess, among other things, the administrator’s competence in meeting the Iowa Standards for School Leadership and the goals of the administrator’s individual professional development plan. The formal evaluation will include written criteria related to the job description and the Iowa Standards for School Leaders. 

The formal evaluation will also include an opportunity for the administrator and the superintendent to discuss the written criteria, the past year's performance, and future areas of growth. The evaluation is completed by the superintendent, signed by the administrator, and filed in the administrator's personnel file.

The principal will be an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by:

  1. Mission, Vision, and Core Values: Develops, advocates, and enacts a shared mission, vision, and core values of high-quality education and the academic success and well-being of each student.
  2. Ethics and Professional Norms: Acts ethically and according to professional norms to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
  3. Equity and Cultural Responsiveness: Strives for equity of educational opportunities and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
  4. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Develops and supports intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
  5. Community Care and Support for Students: Cultivates an inclusive, caring, and supportive school community that promotes the academic success and well-being of each student.
  6. Professional Capacity of School Personnel: Develops the professional capacity and practices of school personnel to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
  7. Professional Community for Teachers and Staff: Fosters a professional community of teachers and staff to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
  8. Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community: Engages families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
  9. Operations and Management: Manages school operations and resources to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
  10. School Improvement: Acts as an agent of continuous improvement to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to conduct a formal evaluation of the probationary administrators and non-probationary administrators prior to May 15th.


Adopted: 8/14
Reviewed: 12/16; 11/19; 3/23
Revised: 9/21
Related Policy: 300.1; 301.1; 302.1-2, .4-6; 304.1
Legal Reference (Code of Iowa): §§ 279.8, .21-23A; 281 IAC Ch 12.3(3); Ch 83
IASB Reference: 303.6