Administrator Quality

An educational leader is responsible for the collective success of their district and/or schools, including the learning, growth and achievement of both students and staff. Iowa’s administrator quality efforts define the knowledge and skills (standards) of an effective educational leader, provide learning opportunities to consistently enhance and improve their role (mentoring and induction, evaluator approval training, ongoing professional growth, etc.), and support an administrator evaluation process that promotes self-reflection, goal-setting, and ongoing professional growth.

Iowa Model Educator Evaluation System

The Iowa Model Educator Evaluation System should be understood as an ongoing process rather than a single event. Gathering evidence related to the professional educator standards, reflecting on an educator’s practice, collaborating with colleagues to improve practice and student learning, and providing and using feedback are attributes of continuous improvement in a quality educator evaluation system.

Iowa Model Educator Evaluation System User Guide - The guide is divided into three main sections: Teacher Evaluation, Teacher Evaluation-Area Education Agencies, and School Administrator Evaluation. Each section contains the appropriate professional standards and other resources. For example, the teacher evaluation system provides a table of model descriptors and evidence pertaining to each Iowa Teaching Standards and Criteria, a description of the 3-Tiered Teacher Evaluation Framework, an explanation of the Individual Educator Professional Development Plan, and a clarification of practitioner collaboration and peer review. The guide also includes an appendix of sample and required forms related to observations, comprehensive/summative evaluations, individual professional development plans, intensive assistance, school counselor evaluations, etc. Finally, the User Guide contains a glossary to promote a common language in educator evaluation. Updates to the guide will be done annually and communicated to the field via the School Leaders Update and this webpage.

Iowa Model Educator Evaluation System Webinar - Recorded on 11/12/2019. An overview of the User Guide, an update on Guidance for Designing an Evaluator Approval Course, and the national leadership standards: Professional Standards for Educational Leaders.

Iowa Standards for School Leaders

The Iowa Standards for School Leaders and criteria represent a set of knowledge and skills that reflects the best evidence available regarding effective leadership for Iowa schools. The standards and criteria are linked to the evaluation and professional development plans for Iowa’s school administrators.

Iowa Standards for School Leaders

Iowa Evaluator Approval and Training

Iowa Evaluator Approval and Training align with the Iowa Teaching Standards (ITS) and/or the Iowa Standards for School Leaders, provide evaluators with the knowledge and skills to conduct comprehensive/summative evaluations as required by Iowa Code chapter 284, and provide for the evaluation of the progress made on individual professional development plans. The link provides an evaluator course schedule link and a description of the current courses (face-to-face and online).

Mentoring and Induction for Beginning Administrators

The mentoring and induction for beginning administrators is sponsored by School Administrators of Iowa (SAI). This one year program supports the Iowa Standards for School Leaders, as well as beginning administrators’ professional and personal needs. The mentoring and induction program provides support, professional development, and access to various resources to ensure leadership focused on improved teaching and student learning.

Schools/Districts not using the SAI model are required to use the following template for their plan: Mentoring and Induction Plan Template for Beginning Administrators