Unsatisfactory Evaluations: New Jersey

Analysis of New Jersey's policies

New Jersey does not have a policy regarding teachers who receive unsatisfactory evaluations.

Recommendations for New Jersey

Require that all teachers who receive unsatisfactory evaluations be placed on improvement plans.
New Jersey should adopt a policy requiring that teachers who receive even one unsatisfactory evaluation be placed on structured improvement plans. These plans should focus on performance areas that directly connect to student learning and should list noted deficiencies, define specific action steps necessary to address these deficiencies and describe how and when progress will be measured.

Make eligibility for dismissal a consequence of unsatisfactory evaluations.
Teachers who receive two consecutive unsatisfactory evaluations or have two unsatisfactory evaluations within five years should be formally eligible for dismissal, regardless of whether they have tenure. New Jersey should adopt a policy that ensures that teachers who receive such unsatisfactory evaluations are eligible for dismissal. 

State response to our analysis

New Jersey asserted that the state allows the local board of education to withhold salary increments "for inefficiency or other good cause." In addition, teachers can be dismissed for "inefficiencies, incapacity, conduct unbecoming, or other just cause." The state asserted that it is clear that what NCTQ calls ineffectiveness is what New Jersey refers to as inefficiency.

In addition, New Jersey noted that the policy for the evaluation of both tenured and non-tenured teachers specifies that a tenured teacher's annual evaluation should include (1) areas of strength; (2) areas needing improvement based upon the job description; (3) an individual professional development plan and (4) a summary of indicators of student progress and growth and a statement of how these indicators relate to the effectiveness of the overall program and the performance of the individual teaching staff member.

Last word

While the state's intent might be to make teachers eligible for dismissal for ineffectiveness, "inefficiency" is too ambiguous a term; the state should consider clarifying this policy. In addition, while incorporating strengths and areas for improvement in all teachers' annual evaluations is strong policy, the state should consider requiring improvement plans specifically for those teachers who receive unsatisfactory evaluations so that they have an opportunity to correct any noted deficiencies and improve their performance.