Teacher Evaluation

  • Teachers in their first year of teaching are issued an Induction contract and will be evaluated using the induction model under Enhanced ADEPT (Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teaching)  SCTS 4.0 (South Carolina Teaching Standards), the South Carolina System for teacher assistance and evaluation. Induction teachers may also be out-of-state teachers with less than one year of experience, or other out-of-state experienced teachers. Induction teachers will participate in a formal induction program, which provides continuous guidance and support. It is required that all the Induction Teachers attend an ADEPT session prior to any observations. The yearlong Induction Program includes the assignment of an assistance team with one member being a mentor; monthly meetings, observations, and seminars; semester conferences, and implementation of the SCTS 4.0 Rubric. At the discretion of the district, teachers may remain on Induction up to 3 years. 

    Teachers who have successfully completed the induction program and are recommended for a contract will progress to annual contract status the next year.   Induction teachers who do not successfully complete the year may or may not receive a contract.      

    Annual teachers will be evaluated with the Enhanced ADEPT SCTS 4.0. The yearlong evaluation includes the assignment of evaluators, pre/post conferences, observations, and written feedback from the team of evaluators. Feedback is given based on the consensus of the team of evaluators regarding the teacher’s performance in each of the SCTS 4.0 Indicators. Teachers may remain on Annual Contract up to 4 years at the district’s discretion.

    Continuing contract teachers will be evaluated using the Enhanced ADEPT evaluation instrument. Principals have the discretion to evaluate continuing contract teachers with the Enhanced ADEPT SCTS 4.0.

    All teachers will be evaluated with Enhanced ADEPT and will write student learning objectives (SLOs) according to the district's timeline.

    All content teachers are required to be Highly Qualified.

     

    Definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher

    Highly qualified teachers are those teachers that

    • Have earned at least a bachelor’s degree
    • Have demonstrated content knowledge in each core content area he/she teaches
    • Do not have any waivers of the requirements for full state certification

    A teacher is not considered to meet the certification requirements for being highly qualified if the teacher has had certification waived on an emergency, temporary, provisional basis.