2018 - 2022 Elgin Agreement

14.7 PEER ASSISTANCE AND REVIEW (PAR)

 14.71 PAR Program

The PAR Program is a yearlong process that involves frequent, ongoing, classroom-based assistance and a standards-based review of a teacher’s practice. Aimed at improving teacher quality, a trained Peer Consultant Teacher (PCT) provides personalized assistance and instructional support for Participating Teachers (PT) who are interested in improving their professional practice and voluntarily request to participate. The PAR program affirms the district’s efforts to support and appraise teachers based on the guidelines of the district’s Teacher Appraisal Process (TAP). PAR is fully aligned with TAP and utilizes the same domain rubrics, observation cycles, and ISBE descriptors that define the TAP process. Participating Teachers (PT) in PAR use the same forms, follow the same timelines, complete the same events, and adhere to guidelines as outlined in the TAP document.

 14.72 PAR Panel Composition

The PAR Panel (Panel) is a group of eight (8) members. Four (4) teachers are appointed by the ETA President and four (4) administrators are appointed by the Superintendent or designee to oversee all aspects of the PAR Program. The ETA President will determine the Teacher Co-chair and the Superintendent or Designee will determine the Admin Co-chair. All Panel members will become certified teacher evaluators.

14.73 Scope of Activity

The Panel will monitor the PAR program. The scope of the work will include but is not limited to processing the volunteer participants, implementing professional development for the Panel and PCT, and overseeing the reconsideration process. The Panel can make recommended changes to the program as described in the PAR Handbook. The Panel shall have a productive and reciprocal relationship with the TAP Oversight Committee. The Panel will make its decisions through the consensus process.