APPR

APPR Disclosure

Procedures for Disclosure to Parents and Legal Guardians

APPR stands for Annual Professional Performance Review. It is a new evaluation system for teachers and principals set forth by the New York State Education Department.

Each year, all teachers and principals are evaluated based on classroom observation and evaluation and other factors, including student results on selected state or locally developed examinations. These various factors are combined in a rubric. Teachers and principals are then given a final "Composite Effectiveness Score" (CES) on a scale of 1-100 and one of four "quality ratings", either Highly Effective, Effective, Developing, or Ineffective.

Below are requirements and procedures for disclosure to parents and legal guardians of APPR composite effectiveness scores (CES) and final quality ratings of teachers and principals.

SCHOOL OFFICIAL

The Penn Yan Central School District Board of Education has appointed Howard Dennis, Superintendent of Schools, to act as the school official responsible for disclosure of APPR Composite Effectiveness Scores (CES) and Final Quality Ratings in accordance with Section 3012-c(10) of the Education Law.

The Superintendent shall receive all requests for information in writing through the prescribed form (see the Related File below). Once verification of the requester's identity has been obtained, will release the composite score information.

Such information shall be provided verbally in person by the Superintendent or their designee to the parent and/or legal guardian requesting such information. The specific procedure is explained in the Individual Disclosure Meetings paragraph below.

DISTRICT EMPLOYEES

All district employees have been made aware of the disclosure procedure and requirements for the release of APPR information. Employees have been instructed that disclosure of APPR information is the sole responsibility of the Superintendent of Schools.

Disclosure forms submitted to district administrators and/or building administrative offices shall be forwarded to the Superintendent’s office for review and processing in accordance with the procedure.

NOTICE

The Penn Yan Central School District will provide “conspicuous notice” to parents and legal guardians of their right to obtain such information. Also of the district’s disclosure procedures through the use of the district’s website.

APPR INFORMATION REQUEST PROCEDURE

A written request for disclosure of APPR composite effectiveness scores (CES) and final quality ratings must be made to the Superintendent by the parents/legal guardians of a student by submitting a completed Disclosure Request form (see Related File below).

Requests are limited to the APPR composite score of a teacher or principal to which the student is assigned in the current school year.

Any request by an employee of the district, who is also a parent of a student in the district, will follow the same procedures.

Any teacher or principal who receives a request to disclose his/her or another employee’s score, may not release such information. Only the Superintendent of Schools will release APPR information.

INDIVIDUAL DISCLOSURE MEETINGS

Upon receipt and approval of a request, the Superintendent (or his designee) will schedule a meeting with the parent or legal guardian for APPR composite score disclosure. This information will only be released in the meeting to the respective parents/legal guardians requesting such information.

No written means of distribution will be provided.

Parents/legal guardians must bring proper identification with them; failure to bring photo ID to this meeting will result in a denial of the request for information.

VERIFICATION

The Superintendent must verify that the request for information is appropriate and is in fact a “bona fide” request by a parent or guardian entitled to review and receive such data:

*          Requested information must be related to the teacher or teachers and/or the principal of the school building to which the student is assigned for the current school year.

*          The identification of the person requesting the information should match the parents/legal guardian listed in the district files for the student.

EXPLANATION OF THE DATA

An explanation of the data and scoring ranges for HEDI ratings will be provided to the parent/legal guardian during the disclosure meeting. Final composite effectiveness score (0-100) and final quality rating (HEDI) of teachers and principals to which the student is assigned for the current school will be given verbally by the Superintendent or designee. A written explanation of the APPR scoring ranges will be provided to allow parents and legal guardians with an opportunity to understand such scores in the context of teacher evaluation and student performance.

APPEALS

If a teacher or principal files a proper and timely appeal of his or her CES in accordance with Penn Yan Central School District’s approved APPR plan, the parents/legal guardians requesting such final ratings will be advised that an appeal is pending. Also that the CES and final quality rating will be provided and made available upon resolution of the appeal process.