Definitions of the Canyons Teacher Effectiveness Support System (CTESS) are located in Admin. Reg—400.31-2.

1. Canyons Teacher Effectiveness Support System (CTESS) is the District’s process and instrument for evaluating an educator’s performance.
2. Each licensed educator shall be evaluated by his/her principal/supervisor or principal’s/supervisor’s designee as determined by the District.
3. The evaluator shall orient all licensed educators on the purposes and procedures of the evaluation process at least once each contract year. Each licensed educator will have access to the CTESS Data Dashboard, the electronic CTESS Manual, and learning modules.
4. All provisional educators shall be assigned a New Teacher Coach/Achievement Coach/Mentor.
5. Evaluation frequency
   1. Provisional educators shall be evaluated annually using the Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) and will receive an Summative Overall Rating (SOR) at the End-of-Year Conference (EYC) which will be reported annually for a minimum of three years and up to five years (Exhibit 1).
   2. Career educators shall be summatively evaluated during Phase Three of the three-year Growth Cycle and will receive a Summative Overall Rating (SOR) at the End-of-Year Conference (EYC) which will be reported annually (Exhibit 2).
   3. Probationary educators shall be evaluated annually using the Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) and will receive a Summative Overall Rating (SOR) at the End-of-Year Conference (EYC) which will be reported annually until career status is reinstated (Exhibit 2).
   4. A principal or supervisor may request to Human Resources that an educator be returned to Phase Three at any time, for reasons including, but not limited to: concerns identified through observation, feedback, and student performance, etc. Notification of any change of phase will be provided to the educator.
6. CTESS supports effective instruction and professional growth of educators through the following process (Exhibit 3):
   1. Orientation;
   2. Self-Assessment and Goals;
   3. Beginning-of-Year Conference;
   4. Instructional Quality Rating (IQR):
      1. Two formal Instructional Priorities Observation Protocols (IPOPs);
      2. Administrator Knowledge;
      3. Educator Portfolio;
      4. Ethical Conduct Checklist; and
      5. Meeting Participation Checklist.
   5. Mid-Year Conference (MYC);
   6. Student Growth;
   7. Stakeholder Input;
   8. End-of-Year Conference (EYC); and
   9. Summative Overall Rating (SOR) for provisional (Year 1, 2, or 3), probationary, and career educators in Phase Three (3).
7. CTESS Rating(s) Acknowledgement
   1. The CTESS Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) and Summative Overall Rating (SOR) shall be signed by the educator and the evaluator. The educator’s signature indicates receipt of the CTESS Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) or Summative Overall Rating (SOR) but does not necessarily signify agreement with its contents or rating.
   2. Copies of the CTESS Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) and Summative Overall Rating (SOR) shall be provided to the educator, and copies shall be retained in the educator’s personnel file in the Department of Human Resources.
8. Right to Submit Written Response
   1. If the educator does not agree with any portion of the evaluation, the educator has the right to submit a written response expressing his/her views. This written response must be submitted to the evaluator and to the Director of Human Resources within fifteen (15) calendar days of the Mid-Year Conference (MYC) or End-of-Year Conference (EYC).
   2. A copy of the written response shall be retained with the Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) or Summative Overall Rating (SOR) in the educator’s personnel file in the Department of Human Resources.
9. Right to Request Review of CTESS Summative Overall Rating
   1. An educator has fifteen (15) calendar days following receipt of the Summative Overall Rating (SOR) to submit a written request for a review of the evaluation findings.  The written request must be submitted to the Director of Human Resources.
   2. If a review is requested, the Superintendent’s designee shall appoint an independent reviewer to review the procedures and make recommendations regarding the employee’s evaluation. The review shall be in accordance with State Board of Education rules.   The independent reviewer shall not be an employee of the District.
10. The objective of CTESS is to support the development of effective educators in the classroom. If an educator, as identified through CTESS, has an unsatisfactory performance rating the following will apply:
    1. Provisional educators whose CTESS Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) or Summative Overall Rating (SOR) is unsatisfactory shall be notified that continued employment with the District is in question. (Exhibit 1)
       1. Additional resources shall be identified to assist the educator (e.g., Achievement Coach, Instructional Supports Specialist).
       2. Cycle One (1) is repeated.
    2. Career educators whose CTESS Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) or Summative Overall Rating (SOR) is unsatisfactory shall be notified that continued employment with the District is in question. (Exhibit 2)
       1. A Plan of Assistance will be provided.
       2. Cycle One (1) is repeated.
    3. Career educators whose subsequent CTESS Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) or subsequent Summative Overall Rating (SOR) is unsatisfactory shall be placed on probation and notified that continued employment with the District is in question (District Policy—400.40—Probation). (Exhibit 2)
       1. The Plan of Assistance (POA) is continued.
       2. Cycle One (1) is repeated.
    4. The principal/supervisor then confers with the Supervisor’s Assistance Team (SAT) to determine the action to be taken:
       1. Remediation Completed – If the career educator has demonstrated satisfactory progress, including completion of all goals, he/she is removed from probation and reinstated to career status with appropriate salary placement for the remainder of the contract year.
          1. Career educators who have been placed on probation for unsatisfactory performance and are again unsatisfactory within a three-year period are subject to non-renewal or employment termination pursuant to District Policy—410.14—Termination of Licensed Personnel.
       2. Termination – Career educators whose Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) or Summative Overall Rating (SOR) remains in the “Minimally Effective” or “Not Effective” range shall be subject to the provisions of District Policy—410.14—Termination of Licensed Personnel.
11. CTESS Clarifications:
    1. Formal Instructional Priorities Observation Protocols (IPOPs) are a minimum of twenty (20) minutes in length and at least five (5) school days apart.
    2. The Instructional Priorities Observation Protocol (IPOP) Summary will be available for the educator to view digitally by midnight of the following day.
    3. Evaluation records are classified as “Private Records” and shall be managed according to the guidelines of District policy.
    4. Evaluation records are stored electronically on District secured servers and/or District personnel files maintained in the Human Resources Department.
    5. Performance compensation shall be administered in accordance with state law commencing the 2016-2017 school year.
       1. If a licensed educator receives an Instructional Quality Rating (IQR) or Summative Overall Rating (SOR) of “Not Effective,” he/she shall not advance on the District’s wage or salary schedule, unless the licensed educator is provisional or in the first year of a new assignment (e.g., a new subject, grade level or school).   (District Policy—410.8—Provisional Status of Licensed Personnel).