• Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA)“Signed into law in 2010, the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) requires new teacher and principal evaluation models that consider student growth as well as professional practice. The new evaluation systems provide statewide consistency for what outstanding teaching and leadership should look like. 

     

    Implementation is phased, with all school districts to incorporate student growth into their educator evaluation ratings no later than the 2016-17 school year. PERA allows districts local control as they form agreements with teachers/union representatives to develop their own evaluation systems that meet minimum state standards. A district defaults to the state model regarding the use of data and indicators of student growth for those aspects that cannot be agreed upon. 

     

    Under the new evaluation systems, standardized test results do not determine a teacher’s future in Illinois as student growth is only a portion of an educator’s evaluation rating. Districts may choose between national, state, and locally developed assessments and must use at least two types of assessments”. -ISBE Website 

     

    The SWCCCASE administrative team has been working collaboratively with members of the bargaining unit informally since the 2014-2015 school year to discuss how student growth may be assessed for the purposes of teacher evaluation. In compliance with the law, a formal “Joint Committee” comprised of equal numbers of administrators and bargaining unit staff members was formed by November 1, 2015.  The members of the Joint Committee are as follows:

     

    Southwest Cooperative Performance Evaluation Act (PERA) Members:


    Bargaining Unit:

    Stephanie DeCarlo 

    Julie Beasland

    Alison Mensing  

    Jackie Wiley 

     

    Administration:

    Dr. Gineen O’Neil

    Elizabeth Mitchell

    Brenda Schmidt

    Lisa Schouten

    Jennifer Wlodarski

     
    Dr. Vanessa Kinder, the Regional Superintendent of the South Cook Intermediate Center was jointly chosen by the group to guide us through the process of creating an evaluation plan.  The notes from our meeting appear as links on this page.  We were fortunate enough to have identified assessments that may be appropriate for evaluating student growth for each program.  Short term pilots of these assessments are being conducted this Spring and will be evaluated prior to the beginning of the 2016-17 school year.   

     

    Copies of various guidance documents from the Illinois State Board of Education can also be found on this page.

     

    The Joint Committee values the feedback we receive from staff.  If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding this process or the use of student growth as part of teacher evaluation, please send the Joint Committee and email at:  jointcommittee@swcccase.org

     

    The Joint Committee intends to keep all staff members informed regarding their work.