The flexible design of the New Jersey Principal Evaluation for Professional Learning (NJPEPL) Observation Instrument, including its tight alignment to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, means that it can be used to effectively observe administrators other than principals, vice-principals and assistant principals. The last in this set of videos provides guidance for using the instrument with other administrators.

While AchieveNJ rules provide more leeway for evaluating other administrators, the New Jersey Department of Education's recommendation in general, and when using the NJPEPL process and observation instrument, is that districts should aim to balance consistency with flexibility. For example, administrators, regardless of job description and while meeting stated minimums for their tenure status, should receive the same number of observations. In addition, a portfolio of evidence should be developed for each observation and observation windows should be the same length of time for each administrator.

Because job responsibilities vary, however, it is important to provide flexibility in the observation process so that other administrators are evaluated fairly. We recommend that districts use only NJPEPL Observation Instrument domains that apply to the administrator’s job function and responsibilities. For example, a district level humanities supervisor might be scored on domains 1, 2, 3 and 6 but not necessarily 5 and 7. Also, within each domain, districts should identify the critical attributes that best align to the administrator’s responsibilities. Finally, if certain domains are omitted from the scoring process, those that are scored should be weighted equally to simplify the scoring process.

We encourage districts to work with their information system vendors to make their preferences known so that the appropriate calculations can be made within these systems.

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Consistency when possible.

1. Conduct the same number of observations for all admin of a particular tenure status
2. Gather a portfolio of evidence for each observation
3. Use a similar length of observation window for each administrator

Flexibility when appropriate.

1. Use only NJPEPL Observation Instrument domains that apply to the administrator’s job function and responsibilities, e.g. a district level humanities supervisor might be scored on domains 1, 2, 3 and 6 but not necessarily 5 and 7.
2. Utilize the critical attributes within those domains that align to the administrator’s responsibilities.
3. Simplify scoring by making each scored domain equal in weight.