New Jersey Department of Education

NJPEPL Observation Instrument Training Modules

NJPEPL Observation Instrument Module 1

NJPEPL Instrument Overview

Note: This extended script includes all of the audio from the video plus any content that is only conveyed visually and is not explained in the audio, or that is not fully explained.

Welcome

[Shown on screen: AchieveNJ Logo (Teach.Lead.Grow) and State of New Jersey, Department of Education logo]

Welcome to the New Jersey Principal Evaluation for Professional Learning Observation Instrument.  This set of videos provides training for educators seeking to use this instrument for the evaluation of administrators.  A second set of videos explores The NJPEPL Process.  The NJPEPL Process and Observation Instrument have been designed to work together in a coherent system of principal evaluation and professional learning.  As with all guidance, districts have discretion to use all, part, or none of it according to their unique needs.
To better understand the NJPEPL Observation Instrument, we recommend first watching the NJPEPL Process videos.

Agenda

This set of videos will begin with an overview of the NJPEPL observation instrument

This will be followed by detailed exploration of evidence collection for observations, effective observation training and scoring guidance.

Finally, we will provide guidance for using the NJPEPL observation instrument with administrators other than principals, assistant principals and vice principals.

Agenda - NJPEPL Observation Instrument Overview

First, here is an overview of the NJPEPL Observation Instrument

AchieveNJ: A Tool for Improving Teaching and Leading

Following the passage of the TEACHNJ Act in 2012, the rules governing educator evaluation were codified in the system commonly referred to as AchieveNJ.

AchieveNJ seeks to couple accurate performance information with high quality professional development to improve educator effectiveness.

District across New Jersey have made great strides over the past few years in improving evaluations and the associated professional development for teachers.  There is strong evidence that teaching has improved since AchieveNJ was first launched.

(DESCRIPTION: This graph shows a normal distribution of effectiveness across educators and that by combining accurate performance information with high quality PD, this normal distribution is moved to higher levels of effectiveness.)

Principals Matter: Evaluation for Growth

[Text on screen: Principal leadership not only matters, it is second only to teaching among school-related factors in its impact on student learning, and the impact of leadership tends to be greatest in schools where the learning needs of the students are most acute.]

It is worth bearing in mind, however, that principal leadership is second only to teacher quality among school-related factors in its impact on student learning. In addition, the impact of leadership tends to be greatest in schools where the learning needs of the students are most acute.

Research supports the theory that providing meaningful feedback through principal assessment, and helping principals to adequately interpret feedback through coaching, are viable tools to improve leadership practice.

Principal Evaluation and Professional Growth

Evaluations with high quality observations and conferences, administrator goals and measures of student growth can provide an accurate picture of a principal’s performance.

When this information is coupled thoughtfully with professional development plans and goals, the result is professional growth in our school leaders.

NJPEPL: Features & Benefits

Features	Benefits
Direction alignment to 2015 Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL)	Evaluates standards most important for excellent educational leadership Can be used to evaluate all administrators
Developed in partnership with and field tested in our state’s districts	Proven value in New Jersey districts
Addresses the actions of principals and the outcomes of those actions	Provides an accurate evaluation of principal effectiveness and a useful foundation for professional learning
Scored at the domain level with a clear, consistent delineation between levels	Simple to use

In response to feedback gathered over the last several years, the NJPEPL observation instrument has been designed to facilitate an observation process that helps principals grow as professionals. The observation instrument may be used by school districts beginning in the 2018-19 school year.  The instrument has several notable features and benefits.

First, it is directly aligned to the 2015 Professional Standards for Educational Leaders. As such, it helps districts evaluate any of their leaders in the practice standards most important for excellent educational leadership.

Second, the instrument was developed in partnership with, and field-tested in our state’s districts, and therefore has proven value for use in New Jersey.

Third, the NJPEPL observation instrument addresses the actions of principals and the outcomes of those actions, thereby providing an accurate evaluation of principal effectiveness and a useful foundation for professional learning.

Finally, a principal’s practice using this instrument is scored at the domain level with clear, consistent delineation between levels of effectiveness.  This makes the instrument simple to use.

Testimonials from Pilot Districts

The NJPEPL process and observation instrument were developed by the NJDOE alongside many pilot school districts, academic organizations and education stakeholder groups over a two year period. Here are some of the comments gathered regarding the NJPEPL Observation Instrument.

Lori Burns, a principal from Neptune township School district states “This instrument allows for more discussion and collaboration and is much more straightforward than the previous instrument.”
Erin Embon, a principal from Wall Township felt that “The expectations are rigorous yet realistic.  The instrument speaks to things that we can control as building leaders.”

Finally, Woodbridge Township Superintendent Robert Zega believes “The instrument provides specific actions for the principal to improve.”

Direct Alignment to PSEL Standards

As noted earlier, the NJPEPL observation instrument is tightly aligned to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) adopted by New Jersey in 2016. 

There are seven domains in the NJPEPL observation instrument grouped into two areas.
The area of instructional leadership includes the domains related to mission, vision and core values, curriculum, instruction and assessment and the professional capacity of school personnel.

The area of organizational leadership includes the domains related to equity and cultural responsiveness, community of care and support for students, the meaningful engagement of families and community and operations and management.

Connection to PSEL Standards

It is important to note that although the instrument is tightly aligned to the PSEL standards, it does not include all of them.

Evidence for the standard related to school improvement should be collected using the principal’s Administrator Goals.

Even though the standard describing Ethics and Professional Responsibility is foundational for a school leader, performance in this area is better addressed outside of the typical evaluation process.

Finally, domain 3 of the instrument (Professional Capacity of School Personnel) condenses [merged] two PSEL standards into one; PSEL 6 (Professional Capacity of School Personnel) PSEL 7 (Professional Community for Teachers and Staff).

[Text on Screen]:

1. Domains aligned directly to PSEL, adopted by New Jersey in 2016
2. Arranged by “Instructional Leadership” and “Organizational Leadership”
3. PSEL 10 (School Improvement) – address using Administrator Goals
4. PSEL 2 (Ethics and Professional Responsibility) – address outside of typical annual evaluation process
5. PSEL 6 (professional capacity) and PSEL 7 (professional community) – merged into NJPEPL Domain 3

Actions, Outcomes & Levels of Effectiveness

[NJPEPL features a clear delineation between levels of performance related to leader’s actions and their outcomes.]

Each of the seven domains in the NJPEPL Observation Instrument contains descriptors for actions and outcomes in each domain at four different levels of effectiveness. While there is specific language for each domain, the basic structure is similar. 

Action/outcome	4	3	2	1
Action	consistent planning and shared leadership and	consistent planning	inconsistent planning OR	-
Outcome	significant improvement OR sustained high performance	positive effect	limited or no positive effect	negative effect

At the lowest level of performance, regardless of the principal’s actions, the outcome for the educational environment is negative.  At the second level, the principal’s planning is inconsistent in the given domain OR the effects of the principal’s actions have limited or no positive effect. At the third level of performance, the principal’s plans have a positive effect.  And at the highest level of performance, the principal plans consistently and shares leadership with staff and/or students.  The result of these actions is either a significant improvement or sustained high performance in the particular domain being evaluated.

Activity: Familiarization with NJPEPL Observation Instrument

If you have not yet had a chance, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the domains and language of the NJPEPL Observation Instrument. This can be accessed using the link in the resource section below the video or by typing the hyperlink shown on the screen into your browser.

If you do not have a hard copy of the instrument to review, it can be accessed using this link: NJPEPL Observation Instrument (PDF).

Identify [review] common language across [NJPEPL Observation Instrument] domains, the distinction between difference performance levels within a domain and the description of the critical attributes listed for each domain.

Later in this video we will explore two of these domains deeply to provide a foundation for using the observation instrument effectively

Terminology & NJPEPL for Other Administrators

Before going further, a quick word about the terminology used throughout this training video.
The New Jersey Principal Evaluation for Professional Learning observation instrument was developed primarily for principals, assistant principals, and vice principals. However, the instrument was designed to be as simple and flexible as possible to benefit all administrators regardless of title or responsibility such as directors and supervisors etc. Recommendations for using NJPEPL observation instrument for other administrators are provided at the end of this video.

Also, even though there are many types of administrators who are evaluated and who evaluate, for the purpose of clear communication, throughout this video, the administrator being evaluated is referred to as a principal and the evaluator (evaluating administrator) is a superintendent.

[Text on Screen]

1. NJPEPL can be used for principals, APs, VPs and all other administrators
2. Video refers to a principal as the evaluated administrator and a superintendent as the evaluating administrator

NJPEPL Process

This graphic summarizes the NJPEPL Process that we recommend be used in conjunction with the Observation Instrument.  This three step process includes:

1. An annual planning and goal setting conference,
2. A set of observation windows; and
3. An annual summary conference.

More information about each of these steps can be found in the NJPEPL Process video.

For the purpose of this video, however, it is important to understand how the observation process should be conducted when using the NJPEPL observation instrument. Rather than being single point event such as a visit to the principal’s school by the superintendent, the observation should extend over a period of 2 to 3 months a portfolio of evidence can be collected to accurately and fairly reflect the complexity of the principal’s work.

Within 15 working days of the end of the observation window, a face-to-face conference occurs at which the principal and superintendent discuss the evidence portfolio, progress on administrator and PDP goals, and an interim observation score if appropriate.

Only two observation windows are shown here, the minimum for tenured principals.  At least one more observation should be added for non-tenured principals.