§ 284.8 — Performance review requirements for teachers — peer group reviews

Iowa § 284.8

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title VII: EDUCATION, HISTORY, AND CULTURE
• Ch. 284: TEACHER PERFORMANCE, COMPENSATION, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Text

1. A school district shall provide for an annual review of each teacher’s performance for
purposes of assisting teachers in making continuous improvement, documenting continued
competence in the Iowa teaching standards, identifying teachers in need of improvement,
or to determine whether the teacher’s practice meets school district expectations for
career advancement. The review shall include, at minimum, classroom observation of the
teacher, the teacher’s progress, and implementation of the teacher’s individual professional
development plan, subject to the level of resources provided to implement the plan; and
shall include supporting documentation from parents, students, and other teachers. The
first and second year of review shall be conducted by a peer group of teachers. The peer
group shall review all of the peer group members. Peer group reviews shall be formative and
shall be conducted on an informal, collaborative basis that is focused on assisting each peer
group member in achieving the goals of the teacher’s individual professional development
plan. Peer group reviews shall not be the basis for recommending that a teacher participate
in an intensive assistance program, and shall not be used to determine the compensation,
promotion, layoff, or termination of a teacher, or any other determination affecting a
teacher’s employment status. However, as a result of a peer group review, a teacher may
elect to participate in an intensive assistance program. Members of the peer group shall be
reviewedeverythirdyearbyatleastoneevaluatorcertifiedinaccordancewithsection284.10.
2. If a supervisor or an evaluator determines, at any time, as a result of a teacher’s
performance that the teacher is not meeting district expectations under the Iowa teaching
standards specified in section 284.3, subsection 1, paragraphs “a” through “h”, and the
criteria for the Iowa teaching standards developed by the department in accordance with
section 256.9, subsection 42, the evaluator shall, at the direction of the teacher’s supervisor,
recommend to the district that the teacher participate in an intensive assistance program.
The intensive assistance program and its implementation are not subject to negotiation
and grievance procedures established pursuant to chapter 20. All school districts shall be
prepared to offer an intensive assistance program.
3. A teacher who is not meeting the applicable standards and criteria based on a
determination made pursuant to subsection 2 shall participate in an intensive assistance
program. However, a teacher who has previously participated in an intensive assistance
program relating to particular Iowa teaching standards or criteria shall not be entitled to
participate in another intensive assistance program relating to the same standards or criteria
and shall be subject to the provisions of subsection 4.
4. Following a teacher’s participation in an intensive assistance program, the teacher
shall be reevaluated to determine whether the teacher successfully completed the intensive
assistance program and is meeting district expectations under the applicable Iowa teaching
standards or criteria. If the teacher did not successfully complete the intensive assistance
program or continues not to meet the applicable Iowa teaching standards or criteria, the
board may do any of the following:

a. Terminate the teacher’s contract immediately pursuant to section 279.27.
b. Terminate the teacher’s contract at the end of the school year pursuant to section
279.15.
c. Continue the teacher’s contract for a period not to exceed one year. However, the
contract shall not be renewed and shall not be subject to section 279.15.