1 Colo. Code Regs. § 301-87-1.00

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 22, November 25, 2024

Section 1 CCR 301-87-1.00 - DEFINITIONS

1.1 "Administrator" means any person who administers, directs, or supervises the education instructional program, or a portion thereof, in any school or school district in the state and/or a person who is otherwise defined as an Administrator by their employing school, school district or BOCES. Administrator does not include a Principal or Teacher.

1.2 "BOCES" or "board of cooperative services" has the same meaning as provided in section 22-5- 103(2), C.R.S.

1.3 "Colorado Academic Standards" mean the standards adopted by the State Board pursuant to section 22-7-1005, C.R.S that identify the knowledge and skills that a student should acquire as the student progresses from preschool through elementary and secondary education and include English language proficiency standards. Section 22-7-1013, C.R.S., requires each local education provider to ensure that its preschool through elementary and secondary education standards meet or exceed the Colorado Academic Standards. When referenced in these rules, the Colorado Academic Standards may be substituted with these locally adopted standards.

1.4 "Department" means the Colorado Department of Education.

1.5 "Educator" see definition for "Licensed Personnel".

1.6 "Element" means the detailed description of knowledge and skills that contribute to effective teaching and leading, and which corresponds to a particular Principal Quality Standard, Teacher Quality Standard, or Special Services Provider Quality Standard.

1.7 "Licensed Personnel" or "Licensed Person" means a person who is employed to instruct students, to provide professional services to students in direct support of the education instructional program or to administer, direct, or supervise the instructional program in a school in the state and who holds a valid license or authorization pursuant to the article 60.5 of title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes and is employed in a position requiring such license or authorization. Licensed Personnel include Teachers, Principals (which includes Assistant Principals by its definition), Administrators, and Special Service Providers who meet these qualifications for Licensed Personnel. In these rules, Licensed Personnel are also referred to as "Educators." A school district or BOCES have discretion to include certain employees in their Licensed Personnel evaluation systems even if they are not required to be evaluated by these rules or statute.

1.8 "Measures of Student Learning" or "MSLs" mean the methods used by school districts and BOCES for measuring Student Academic Growth.

1.9 "Measures of Student Outcomes" mean the methods used by school districts and BOCES for measuring student outcomes in order to evaluate Special Services Providers. Measures are not limited to academic measures and may include measures focused on increasing access to learning since these educators may concentrate on non-academic factors that affect overall student well-being.

1.10 "Performance Evaluation Rating" means the summative evaluation rating assigned by a school district or BOCES to licensed personnel and reported to the Department on an annual basis. It is the equivalent of a "performance standard," as defined in section 22-9-103 (2.5), C.R.S.

1.11 "Principal" means a person who is employed as the chief executive officer (e.g., principal) or an assistant chief executive officer of a school (e.g. assistant principal) in the state and who administers, directs, or supervises the education program in the school.

1.12 "Principal Professional Performance Plan" means the plan required by section 22-9-105.5(3) (a.5), C.R.S., and is a written agreement developed by a Principal and school district administration or local school board that outlines the steps to be taken to improve the Principal's effectiveness. The Principal Professional Performance Plan must include professional development opportunities.

1.13 "Principal Quality Standard" means the Professional Practices or the Measures of Student Learning needed to achieve effectiveness as a Principal.

1.14 "Principal Evaluation System" means the complete evaluation system that all school districts and BOCES must use to evaluate Principals employed by them. The complete Principal Evaluation System includes the following components:

(i) definition of Principal Effectiveness set forth in section 2.1 of these rules,

(ii) the Principal Quality Standards described in section 2.2 of these rules,

(iii) Measures of Student Learning described in section 5.1 (D) (3),

(iv) required elements of a written evaluation system described in section 5.1 of these rules, and

(v) the weighting and aggregation of evidence of performance that are used to assign a Principal to one of four Performance Evaluation Ratings as described in section 2.3 of these rules.

1.15 "Professional Practice" means the behaviors, skills, and knowledge that educators should exhibit. Teacher Quality Standards, Principal Quality Standards, and Special Services Provider Quality Standards reflect the Professional Practice expectations for educators in Colorado.

1.16 "School District" or "District" means a school district organized pursuant to article 30 of title 22, C.R.S.

1.17 "Special Services Provider" or "SSP" refers to any person licensed under § 22-60.5-201 and employed in a position requiring an SSP license or authorization.,

1.18 "Special Services Providers Quality Standards" means the Professional Practices or Measures of Student Outcomes needed to achieve effectiveness as a special services provider.

1.19 "State Board" means the State Board of Education established pursuant to Section 1 of Article IX of the state constitution.

1.20 "State Model System" means the personnel evaluation system and supporting resources developed by the Department, which meets all of the requirements for local personnel evaluation systems that are outlined in statute and rule.

1.21 "Statewide Summative Assessments" mean the assessments administered pursuant to the Colorado student assessment system of assessments adopted by the State Board pursuant to section 22-7-1006, C.R.S.

1.22 "Student Academic Growth" means the change in student achievement against Colorado Academic Standards for individual students between two or more points in time; however, it can be measured in other ways as described below. For Principal and Teacher evaluation systems, there should be multiple measures to assess Student Academic Growth. One of those measures may be the results of statewide summative assessments. Student Academic Growth may also include other standards-based measures that are rigorous and comparable across classrooms of similar content areas and levels. As set forth below, a limited portion of Student Academic Growth may be based on the performance of all students at a school in which a Teacher or Principal is employed. Student Academic Growth also may include gains in progress towards postsecondary and workforce readiness, which, for Principals, may include performance outcomes for successive student cohorts. Student Academic Growth may include progress toward academic and functional goals included in an individualized education program and/or progress made towards Student Academic Growth Objectives. For the purposes of measuring effectiveness, expectations of student academic growth must take into consideration diverse factors, including but not limited to special education, student mobility, and classrooms with a student population in which ninety-five percent meet the definition of high-risk student as defined in section 22-7-604.5 (1.5).

1.23 "Student Academic Growth Objectives" mean a participatory method of setting measurable goals, or objectives for a specific assignment or class, in a manner aligned with the subject matter taught, and in a manner that allows for the evaluation of the baseline performance of students and the measurable gain in student performance during the course of instruction.

1.24 "Teacher" means a person who holds an alternative, initial, or professional teacher license issued pursuant to the provisions of article 60.5 of title 22 and who is employed by a school district, BOCES, or charter school in the state to instruct students.

1.25 "Teacher Evaluation System" means the complete evaluation system that all school districts and BOCES must use to evaluate teachers employed by them. A diagram of the complete Teacher Evaluation System includes the following component parts:

(i) definition of Teacher Effectiveness set forth in section 3.01 of these rules;

(ii) the Teacher Quality Standards described in section 3.02 of these rules;

(iii) Measures of Student Learning described in section 5.01 (D)(7);

(iv) required elements of a written evaluation system described in section 5.01 of these rules;

(v) the weighting and aggregation of evidence of performance to assign a Teacher to one; and

(vi) the opportunity to appeal an ineffective rating as contemplated in section 22-9-105.5(3)(e)(VII), C.R.S.

1.26 "Teacher Development Plan" means the plan required by section 22-9-105.5(3)(a), C.R.S., defined in section 22-9-103(6), C.R.S. It is a written agreement mutually developed by a Teacher and their Principal that outlines the steps to be taken to improve the Teacher's effectiveness. The plan may include consideration of induction and mentorship programs, use of highly effective teachers as instructional leaders or coaches, and appropriate professional development activities.

1.27 "Teacher Quality Standard" means the Professional Practices or the Measures of Student Learning needed to achieve effectiveness as a teacher.

1.28 "Unified Improvement Plan" means the school plan required pursuant to section 22-11-210, C.R.S.

1 CCR 301-87-1.00

41 CR 14, July 25, 2018, effective 8/14/2018

42 CR 09, May 10, 2019, effective 5/30/2019

46 CR 11, June 10, 2023, effective 6/30/2023