2013-2014 Appraisal Training for Central Office and Campus-Based Non-Teacher Employees

1. 2013-2014 Appraisal Trainingfor Central Office and Campus-Based Non-Teacher Employees September 2013 HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

2. Purpose The purpose of the Appraisal and Development System for central office and campus-based non-teacher employees is to provide a systematic and consistent way to measure and improve individual performance to achieve the goals and priorities of the district.

3. Objectives The objectives of the A&D for central office and campus-based non teacher employees are to: • Provide feedback on goal attainment and employee performance; • Identify individual strengths and weaknesses; • Provide opportunities for coaching, development, and career planning; • Develop positive relations and establish two-way communications between managers and employees; and, • Provide information and data for managers to make appropriate human capital decisions.

4. Why Do Appraisals Matter? • Effective Appraisals: • Create empowered and highly effective employees who positively impact student success. • Hold employees accountable for seeking to develop and/or improve their current skill level. • Hold managers accountable for providing ongoing feedback regarding goal attainment, employee performance and alignment to district success. • Effective employee performance • appraisals are achieved by: • Having open, constructive feedback • Focusing on continuous employee development

5. Participants in This Appraisal System • EMPLOYEES: All district employees who work more than 20 hours per week with the exception of those with the job code of teachers, principals, assistance principals, deans • Full-time, part-time, hourly • contract/non-contract, • exempt/non-exempt • or professional/non-professional employees whose job code is other than classroom teacher, principal, dean, assistant principal, or school support officer. [DN(LOCAL)] must be appraised annually, as an individual contributor (no direct reports) or manager using the ePerformance appraisal instrument • APPRAISERS: • Managers, principals, or supervisors of staff • Determined by the department head or principal; relationship can be changed at any time

6. Appraiser Responsibilities • Clearly communicate employees’ responsibilities and expected work. • Be comfortable with providing tailored feedback. • Actively participate in the appraisal process. Ask questions. • Be prepared to discuss successes and challenges. • Understand employees’ future career plans/goals. • Establish an atmosphere of effective two-way communication.

7. Employee Responsibilities • Have a clear understanding regarding responsibilities and expected work. • Be open to feedback. • Actively participate in the appraisal process. Ask questions. • Be prepared to discuss successes and challenges. • Identify and work toward future plans/goals. • Contribute to an atmosphere of effective two-way communication. • Develop and implement an individual professional development plan and provide input into annual performance goals.

8. The Appraisal Process The appraisal process is anchored around two required conferences with ongoing observations of performance and feedback throughout the year. Refer to the Appraisal Manual online for specific deadlines. • Goal Setting Conference • (completion dates vary by duty schedule) • Appraiser Assignment • Training • Department & Individual Goals • Development Plans • Progress Conference • (completion dates vary by duty schedule) • Progress Check • Updated Development Plans • End of Year Conference • (completion dates vary by duty schedule) • Summative Appraisal • Begin identifying goals for next year Optional Year End Sept. – Nov. Dec. – March April – Aug.

9. AdditionalConferences • Additional conferences may be requested by the appraiser or employee at any time. Every effort shall be made to honor the request by both parties. • Employees are only allowed representation at a Conference for the Record, which is a conference with the employee to address disciplinary action. • Regular conferences related to the appraisal process or employee performance do not require representation.

10. Elements of the Appraisal • Employee appraisals are an evaluation of performance based on… • …and are informed throughout the year by: • Observations & Documentation • Manager Feedback & Coaching • Individual Professional Development Plan Appraisals and feedback let employees know how they’re doing and what they can do to improve.

11. Performance Criteria Employee performance is evaluated against the following criteria: • Department/Campus Goals • Identified through the development of department goals or the School Improvement Plan (SIP) • Managers/principals must identify one to three goals to include in the employee appraisal • Professional Competencies • A standard set of professional behaviors and practices • Vetted and approved by cross-functional teams of district leaders and staff • Individual Goals • Approved and added by the appraiser as appropriate in the appraisal of employees with the same job code or position • May differ in cases where employees have the same job code but have additional or unique responsibilities

12. Professional Competencies: Individual Contributor Refer to the appraisal manual for a detailed description of each competency.

13. Professional Competencies: Manager Refer to the appraisal manual for a detailed description of each competency.

14. Summative Ratings There are four levels of performance defined for the annual summative appraisal: • . • Appraisal documents are created, maintained, and shared with employees using PeopleSoft ePerformance.

15. Observation & Feedback • Appraisers are required to collect sufficient documentation to support appraisal ratings. • Feedback and ratings should be based on objective, observable evidence of performance either through employee interactions with customers, team members, and internal partners or documentation of the employee’s work. • Third-party evidence that will inform the appraisal ratings shall be shared in writing with the employee within 10 working days of receipt or knowledge of occurrence. [DN (LOCAL)]

16. Documentation Types of documentation or evidence can include: • Memorandums that memorialize conferences, directives or failure to follow directives, etc. • Performance feedback forms from periodic check-ins/1x1s, etc… with the employee • Documentation of employee’s work, such as weekly or bi-weekly status reports, project team documents, project deliverables, or other work product • Feedback from team members, customers, and internal partners that has been shared and discussed with the employee

17. Documentation • Employees may share documentation for appraiser consideration at any time during the year and prior to the End-of-Year Conference. • Appraisers shall establish and maintain an appraisal file for each employee he or she appraises. • An employee may ask for and receive a copy of his/her file. • All appraisal files and documentation within are confidential. Additional training on documentation will be available through the Office of Human Capital Accountability.

18. Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) • Each employee will complete an Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) and submit it to his or her appraiser by the Goal Setting Conference deadline each appraisal year. • Employees hired within one week prior to or after the Goal Setting deadline will • receive appraisal training and complete an Individual Professional Development Plan within 15 working days from the start or return to duty date; and • participate in a goal-setting conference within 25 working days from the start or return to duty date • Professional development opportunities should: • relate to identified areas of growth; and • align to the employee’s performance goal expectations or job position and function. • The IPDP is a living document and can be changed collaboratively by the employee and appraiser at any time.

19. IPDP Form

20. Prescriptive Plan for Assistance (PPA) • An appraiser may create a Prescriptive Plan for Assistance (PPA) for any employee whose job performance becomes a concern or whose summative ratings at the End of Year indicate a need for improvement. • The PPA form must outline the focus areas for development, specific development activities and action steps, and expected changes in behavior or performance outcomes. • A PPA is considered complete when the employee’s performance exhibits the expected change.

21. PPA Form

22. Grievance/Dispute Resolution • An employee may submit a written response or rebuttal at the following times: • After receiving any written documentation associated with the employee’s performance/appraisal; • After receiving a written annual appraisal. • Any written response or rebuttal must be submitted within ten working days of receiving written documentation or the annual appraisal report. • An employee may initiate the grievance process regarding content or process at any time during the appraisal year. [DGBA(LOCAL)]

23. Resources & Support The appraisal manual is located on the Employee Appraisal Systems website: Employee Portal>Directories>Directory Search A-B>Appraisals > Employee Appraisal Systems Other forms and documents pertinent to the appraisal process are also located on this site. Contact the Human Capital Accountability Department at by calling 713-556-6903 for additional support.