Teacher scores available in September

At a Board of Education meeting on June 18, the Rockville Centre School District revealed how parents will be able to access reviews of their children’s teachers.

The Annual Professional Performance Review, or APPR, is the yearly evaluation of teachers that was implemented by the state. This was the first year the APPR rubrics were used to grade teachers, and parents will be able to see those scores starting in September, by submitting requests for the evaluations of specific teachers or principals, explained Noreen Leahy, the district’s assistant superintendent of special education and pupil services. If the teacher changes during the year, the parent can request a report on the new teacher.

To request copies of the APPR reports, parents can write, email, call or visit the central administration building. The reports will be made available only to parents with children in the district. “They only way they can actually obtain the information is by coming in person,” Leahy said. “They have to come to Central Administration and pick it up and prove who they are.”

The report will show the teacher’s APPR composite score and his or her overall rating. The composite score is a number as high as 100 that is combination of three factors. Parents will have access only to the composite number.

“The teachers are required to have the first composite scores by Sept. 1,” Leahy explained. “So right about then is when they’ll be available to parents.”