Expanded PADEPP
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Revised December 2015
What has changed with expectations related to principal evaluation?
An additional school-level, student growth standard has been added to the nine PADEPP standards. School- level, student growth is collected annually by a principal for use within their evaluation.
Must a principal be evaluated on all ten (10) PADEPP Standards every year?
PADEPP Regulation (R43-165.1) specifies that principals must be evaluated annually. A formal evaluation to include assessment on all ten (10) standards must occur at least once every three (3) years. The evaluation of standards 2 and 10 and are required in informal years; however districts may choose to include other standards in informal years.
How do principal evaluations relate to school report cards?
The PADEPP Performance Standards measure principal leadership performance and school-level student academic growth, while school report cards measure school performance and student achievement. It is possible that principal evaluation measures and student achievement levels do not correspond as one measures growth, and the other achievement.
How is a principal’s overall effectiveness determined?
The evaluation of a principal’s overall effectiveness rating is driven by the Decision Matrix found in the PADEPP Implementation Guide (pg.6). Though the decision rules adopted by South Carolina in the matrix are not mathematically driven, percentages are provided to guide districts that wish to propose alternative models. Districts proposing an alternative, aligned model must maintain a student growth measure of 20% or higher in the overall determination of a principal’s effectiveness rating.
Can effectiveness ratings be used to dismiss a principal from employment?
Principal evaluation ratings are one of the multiple evidence sources used to inform personnel decisions at the local district level.
What evidence can be used in evaluating principal performance on Standard 10, Student Growth?
Standard 10 of PADEPP should be focused on academic data, specifically, local formative and/or state summative assessments. Student Growth is defined as the change in student achievement for an individual student between two or more points in time. Principals are responsible and accountable for the school population in its entirety therefore Standard 10 of a principal’s evaluation is a reflection of School Growth. Districts may use discipline, attendance and other climate and safety data in the principal evaluation but they should not be a part of the calculations for summative scoring of Standard 10; this standard is reserved for instructional data outcomes. Districts may use EVAAS (VAM) as it does provide a school-wide growth measure. Per PADEPP Guidelines, the principal’s evaluation for Standard 10 should include multiple years of data using multiple sources of data.
The following are state assessments appropriate for analysis with regards to Standard 10:
SC READY (ELA and Math, Grades 3-8)
SCPASS (Science and Social Studies, Grades 4-8)
EOCEP (Grades 9-12)
ACT WorkKeys (Grade 11)
ACT (Grade 11)
English Language proficiency assessments
Some examples of local formative assessments might include:
MAP
Benchmark testing
Objective performance-based assessments
Student Learning Objectives
Note: It is suggested that consideration be given to developing Standard 10 goals as a part of the School Renewal Plan.
Are the PADEPP Standards weighted differently?
The PADEPP standards are not weighted differently. To determine a principal’s overall effectiveness, districts will determine an overall professional standards rating and a student growth rating. The two data points are used to determine overall effectiveness ratings using the Decision Matrix (p. 6, PADEPP Implementation Guide).
Is a new professional development plan required each year?
Yes. The plan should be revisited and revised annually as appropriate. The concept of continuous improvement should be the focus.
If a district wishes to use an evaluation instrument other than the instrument offered by the South Carolina Department of Education, what steps are required in order to do so?
According to Regulation 43-165.1, in lieu of the state instrument, districts may request permission to use an alternative evaluation process that meets state requirements. This instrument must be approved by the South Carolina Department of Education and the State Board of Education. Instruments created by local districts must be piloted to determine the technical quality. Instruments are required to be valid and reliable for measuring the degree to which a principal's performance meets the PADEPP Standards and Criteria.
What evidence should a district provide in order to document the validity and reliability of a locally adopted instrument?
Documentation routinely includes the following:
- Copy of the instrument;
- Administration instructions;
- Identification of any standards and criteria unique to the instrument and a justification of their inclusion;
- Description of how the instrument is administered and used to develop the principal's professional development plan;
- Description of the process used to align the instrument to state standards and criteria;
- Description of how reliability was estimated.
