Unsatisfactory Evaluations: North Carolina

Analysis of North Carolina's policies

North Carolina requires local districts to place teachers who receive unsatisfactory evaluations on improvement plans. Teachers who are rated "developing" on one or more standards of the evaluation are placed in a "Monitored Growth Plan," while teachers who are rated "not demonstrated" on one or more standards or "developing" on one or more standards for two consecutive years are placed in a "Directed Growth Plan."

It is unclear whether additional consequences result from subsequent unsatisfactory evaluations, except for those teachers in low-performing schools. In such instance, the state gives the superintendent authority to dismiss teachers who receive just one negative rating.

Citation

North Carolina State Board of Education Policy TCP-C-004 http://sbepolicy.dpi.state.nc.us/policies/TCP-C-004.asp?pri=02&cat=C&pol=004&acr=TCP North Carolina General Statute: 115C-333 http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_115C/GS_115C-333.html

Recommendations for North Carolina

Make eligibility for dismissal a consequence of unsatisfactory evaluations.
North Carolina is commended for requiring that all teachers who receive an unsatisfactory evaluation, regardless of whether they have tenure, be placed on an improvement plan. The state should extend its policy—which is currently restricted to teachers in low-performing schools—to make all teachers who receive two consecutive unsatisfactory evaluations or have two unsatisfactory evaluations within five years formally eligible for dismissal. 

State response to our analysis

North Carolina recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The state added that during the 2011-2012 school year, the State Board of Education will determine the consequences for teachers in all schools who receive unsatisfactory evaluations. Consequences will include licensure removal and dismissal. North Carolina's Race to the Top proposal contains a reference to this policy.