Trenton Public School District


	Trenton Public School District NEW JERSEY QUALITY SINGLE ACCOUNTABILITY CONTINUUM 2008-2009
	PERSONNEL

A. LICENSED PERSONNEL
The district recruits and retains highly qualified and appropriately licensed individuals to support student achievement of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCCS). The district complies with all applicable laws and regulations.

INDICATORS	RESPONSE/EVIDENCE
1. a. The Chief School Administrator (CSA) notifies the board of education or advisory board of all final personnel recommendations. b. All appointments are documented in the local board meeting minutes. c. The district does not hire non-certificated persons or persons with revoked or suspended licenses. d. New hires have successfully completed a criminal history record check and have not been disqualified for employment. Emergent hires are less than 10% of all new employees. (N.J.S.A. 18A:6-7.1 et. seq.; 18A:39-19.1; 18A:6-4.13 et. seq.) e.The district uses substitute teachers appropriately and within the limits set forth in regulations.
2. All administrators, teaching staff members, and other staff: a. Are appropriately certified and credentialed for their assignments. (N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.1) b. Are employed in state-recognized titles appropriate for their job responsibilities. c.Have Board-approved job descriptions that reflect their current job responsibilities.
3. The district implements strategies to hire and retain high-quality instructional and non-instructional staff, by satisfying the following: a. The district analyzes staff turnover and shortages and identifies specific areas of need. b.The district identifies leadership and staffing issues in low-performing schools. c.The district develops and implements a plan that includes strategies to recruit and retain teaching staff members in areas of need.
4. As required by NCLB, the district verifies that all teachers meet the definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) or show evidence of progressing towards this goal, by satisfying the following: a. Every core academic class as defined by NCLB is taught by a Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT). (Title II A) b. All required forms and documentation are completed and submitted on an annual basis. c. The district and each school notify parents annually about their right to inquire about the qualifications and HQT status of their child’s teachers. d. Parents of students in Title I schools that are being taught for four weeks by a teacher who has not met the HQT status, are notified in writing. e. The district annually reviews HQT data to determine if students in low-performing schools are disproportionately taught by teachers who have not met HQT status and if so, implements actions to ensure that highly qualified and experienced teachers are distributed equitably between low-performing and high-performing schools.
B. personnel policies
*District policies and procedures support equity and professional growth. The district complies with all applicable personnel laws and regulations.*
INDICATORS	RESPONSE/EVIDENCE
1. District policies and procedures for the evaluation of tenured and non-tenured staff adhere to established timelines by satisfying the following:a. The district board of education has adopted policies and procedures for the annual evaluation of all tenured teaching staff members by appropriately certified personnel. Supervisory personnel receive district training in the evaluation process. The policies are distributed to all tenured teaching staff members, including administrators and supervisors, by October 1. (N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.4) b. The annual written performance report is prepared by the certified supervisor who has participated in the evaluation of the tenured teaching staff member and includes an individual Professional Development Plan (former PIP) developed by the supervisor and the teaching staff member. c.The district has adopted policy for the supervision of instruction for all non-tenured teaching staff members and the policy is distributed to each teaching staff member at the beginning of his or her employment. (N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.5) d. Each of the three observations of non-tenured teaching staff members is conducted for a minimum duration of one class period in a secondary school and for one complete subject lesson in an elementary school. Each observation is followed, within ten days, by a conference between the supervisory staff member who made the observation and written evaluation and the non-tenured staff member. The annual written evaluation includes an individual Professional Development Plan (former PIP) developed by the supervisor and the teaching staff member. (N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.5)
2. a.The district annually designates a member of its staff as the affirmative action officer and forms an affirmative action team (N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.5). b.The affirmative action officer coordinates required professional development training for all certificated and non-certificated staff that addresses the achievement gap and other inequities arising from prejudice. c.The district creates and consistently supports rules and routines that respect and protect the rights of teachers and other school personnel, students, and parents/guardians.
3a. The district board of education does not assign, transfer, promote, or retain staff or fail to assign, transfer, promote, or retain staff on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender, religion, disability, or socioeconomic status. (N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.8) b.Policies and procedures are compliant with all applicable state and federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504. c.All persons have equal and bias free access to all categories of employment and receive equal pay for equal work among members of the district’s staff.
4.a. The district develops a job description and standards for appointment for each paraprofessional position, which is approved by the CSA. (N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.7) b.As required by NCLB, district paraprofessionals meet the job qualifications. c. All paraprofessionals participate in professional development activities that support and enhance their job knowledge and skills.
5. a.The district has adopted written policies and procedures for the physical examination of employees. (N.J.A.C. 6A:32-6.1 et seq.) b. New employees undergo a physical examination that includes a health history, health screenings, and a medical evaluation. c.All employee medical records are secured, stored, and maintained separately from other personnel files. Only the employee, the chief school administrator, and the school medical inspector have access to the medical information in the individual’s file. With the individual’s consent, the principal and school nurse may have access to the individual’s health history.
6. The district conducts annual trainings as required by statute or regulation by satisfying the following: a.The district conducts an annual review of the training needs of school district employees, volunteers and interns for the effective implementation of the policies and procedures for reporting situations of potentially missing, abused or neglected children and implements locally determined training programs consistent with the annual review and current statutes and rules. All new school district employees, volunteers and interns receive the required information and training as part of their orientation. (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-11) b.The district conducts required training for school district employees (e.g., blood-borne pathogens, drugs and alcohol).
7. District policies and procedures support due process for grievances. Grievances are handled in an efficient and timely manner as outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.
C. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
*The district provides and supports high-quality professional development for all staff that supports student achievement of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCCS).*
INDICATORS	RESPONSE/EVIDENCE
1. a. The district’s Professional Development Plan is approved by the county professional development board and the local board of education or NJDOE. The Professional Standards for Teachers and the New Jersey Professional Development Standards were used to develop and approve the plan. b.The district complies with the Professional Development for Teachers Initiative. Teaching staff members are supported in their efforts to attain at least 100 clock hours of high-quality professional development every five years. The Professional Development Plan (former PIP) specifies the appropriate activities and content to meet the personal and professional needs of the teaching staff member within the context of his/her job, with an emphasis on the knowledge and skills essential to the achievement of the NJCCCS. Attainment of the hours is monitored by the district using progressive supervision. c.The district provides high-quality professional development activities to all teachers, based on teacher needs regarding improvement in the core academic areas as defined by NCLB (Title IIA). Professional development activities for all teaching staff members, including teachers of students with disabilities and teachers of ELLs, are aligned to the NJCCCS. d.Professional development for all teachers focuses on improving content and pedagogical knowledge in the subjects they teach and on improving instructional strategies in areas of greatest need. e.Professional development focuses on data-driven instruction, effective classroom assessment practices, how to use district and interim assessments to adjust instruction, and how to seek special assistance for students who fall behind. f.Professional development for all teaching staff members focuses on ways that they can contribute to student achievement of the NJCCCS and support the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of all students. g.The district analyzes student performance data from statewide and/or district assessments to identify district-wide professional development priorities. h.Professional development focuses on culturally responsive teaching and ways to address the needs of diverse learners. i.The district evaluates the professional development plan and its implementation.
2. The district supports the development of professional learning communities for teaching staff members that provide collegial support, job-embedded learning, and coaching to enhance professional practice. District and school professional development provides support and follow-up, such as instructional and content-based coaching or classroom visitations.
3a. Professional development for all school/district staff addresses current and projected needs and priorities, and includes the following: b.Multiple data sources, (e.g., test scores, needs assessments, attendance data, violence reports) are used to analyze the alignment of the district Professional Development Plan with teaching staff needs. c.Professional development priorities address student subgroup performance and focus on improving student achievement in the identified areas of need.
4a. Professional development for all administrators aligns to the Professional Standards for School Leaders. (N.J.A.C. 6A:9-16) b.A Professional Growth Plan (PGP) for each school leader is developed in collaboration with the CSA and a peer review committee. Performance is based on meeting the plan’s goals which must give the highest priority to improved academic achievement. c.Schools leaders participate in ongoing, job-embedded, school- or district-based, and collaborative professional development that is aligned to their PGP and meets individual, school, and district needs. d.Professional development opportunities for school leaders address current and emerging issues in curriculum, instruction, and assessment to improve teaching and learning. e.The CSA has submitted a PGP to the New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA) for peer review.
5a. The district has a mentoring plan that was developed by the Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC) and is aligned to the Professional Standards for Teachers. The plan is approved by the local board of education and submitted to the county superintendent. b.Novice and mentor teachers meet bi-weekly to discuss practice, build collegial support, and to observe effective teaching practice. c. The district provides ongoing and sustained professional development for novice teachers to enhance classroom practice. d.The district provides annual, ongoing, and sustained professional development for mentor teachers to understand the complex roles and responsibilities of effective mentoring. e.The district adjusts the mentoring plan based on evidence of student work in novice teacher classrooms and interviews with novice teachers and their mentors. f.The district reviews, evaluates, and revises, as needed, the mentoring plan and related activities. Factors such as teacher retention are considered.