Model: The licensed faculty member significantly exceeds the requirements of the performance standard. At the Model level, an educator’s level of expertise is exemplary and he or she is able to demonstrate the standard or component through teaching, coaching, assisting, and/or embedded professional development. Model performance is evidenced by highly effective practice as the classroom norm and in the documented performance by most or all students that meets or exceeds expectations. Few licensed faculty members are expected to earn the Model rating on more than a handful of components.

Effective: The licensed faculty member routinely meets the requirements of the performance standard. The licensed faculty member integrates the knowledge and skills needed for proficient content-area instruction and collaborative leadership in support of student learning and school and District goals. Effective performance is evidenced by documented impact on learning and growth in the performance of most or all students. Most licensed faculty members are expected to strive toward and to attain this rigorous level overall, if not on every standard.

Developing: The licensed faculty member is exhibiting effort and making sufficient progress toward meeting the performance standard, but is not yet consistent in demonstrating it. The licensed faculty member has much of the necessary knowledge and skills to be effective, but some knowledge and skills may still be emerging and need to be deepened, or the licensed faculty member has the necessary knowledge and skills to be effective, but their application is still partial, uneven or evolving (perhaps due to recently entering the profession or recently transitioning to a new curriculum, grade level or subject). A Developing level of performance is evidenced by the documentation of limited growth in some or many students’ performance. Support should be provided and interventions implemented, as improvement is needed and expected over time. Many licensed faculty members can anticipate earning a Developing rating on one or more components in at least some evaluation cycles and should recognize this rating as an opportunity to identify professional growth areas for the near future. Improvement is expected through focused intervention provided by the Intensive Support Plan, the Professional Practice Growth Plan and the Professional Development Options Plan.

Ineffective: The licensed faculty member does not meet or demonstrate progress toward meeting the performance standard, and his/her teaching does not convey an understanding of key concepts. The licensed faculty member’s practices remain unsatisfactory and inefficient even after initial levels of intervention and support have been provided and implemented. Ineffectiveness is evidenced by documentation of little or no growth in students’ performance. Ineffective performance requires urgent attention. Improvement is expected through focused intervention provided by the Intensive Support Plan, the Professional Practice Growth Plan, and the Plan of Assistance.

The Rubric distinguishes among the four levels of performance on the basis of consistency, quality, and scope of impact. All three characteristics are important. For example, it is not effective practice if a licensed faculty member does something consistently, but does not do it well or reaches few students. Similarly, Model practice requires demonstrating a behavior with greater frequency, at a higher level of proficiency, and with impact on more students and colleagues than is found at the Effective level.