New SC Educator Evaluation Guidelines

• 30% student growth for teachers, 20% District Choice, 50% professional performance
• 50% student growth for principals, 50% professional performance (PADEPP)
• Value-added measures for all principals and teachers of statewide-tested subjects

• Student learning objectives for all other educators. 
• 5 rating levels: Exemplary, Highly Effective, Proficient, Needs Improvement, Ineffective
• Annual evaluation
• Student growth data will be reviewed "over multiple academic years." 
• In districts that elect not to use the "District Choice" option, teacher student growth will be 50%.

At its meeting on June 11, 2014, the SC State Board of Education adopted guidelines presented by the S.C. Department of Education for evaluation of "any individual who works in one or more South Carolina public schools that requires licensure by the South Carolina State Board of Education." That includes not only principals and classroom-based teachers, but also "speech-language therapists, school guidance counselors, library media specialists, etc."

The guidelines were adopted as one of the requirements of the ESEA flexibility waiver from the US Department of Education.