APPR Plan
Please click here to view the current version of the Bethlehem Central School District APPR Plan.
What is APPR?
APPR stands for Annual Professional Performance Review and it is the process by which teachers and principals are evaluated in New York State. The intent of APPR is to assist educators to improve the quality of instruction in schools and, in turn, to improve students’ performance and readiness for colleges and careers. District APPR plans must meet strict state guidelines and be negotiated with local unions. Under state guidelines, APPR takes into account classroom observations and student performance. Teachers and principals across New York ultimately receive an overall effectiveness rating every year.
APPR Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Scores
Under APPR, teachers and principals receive a number grade every year, which translates to an effectiveness rating. The APPR process is governed by the state and aligns with New York state teaching and leadership standards, but each school district develops its own evaluation plan within those guidelines. Because of this, each district’s APPR plan is different, so APPR scores cannot be compared from district to district.
How to Request Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Scores
While APPR scores are not considered public information and are not FOILable, state leaders have agreed that teachers’ and principals’ composite APPR ratings may be released to parents or guardians upon request and verification of identity and only for their child’s current teachers and principal. Teachers will be notified by a district administrator which parents have requested their effectiveness score.
To request an effectiveness score, please follow these steps:
- Download, print and fill out this request form [PDF]. These forms are also available in the main office of your child’s school.
- Bring the request form to the main office of the school along with identification. We will need your ID because the main office must verify you are the parent or legal guardian of the student before they can release the score of that student’s teacher or principal.
- You will be contacted by a member of the school’s staff to schedule an appointment to meet with an administrator and receive the score. Depending on the amount of requests received, the amount of time this takes could vary.
Every Student Succeeds Act Notification
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, parents/guardians have the right to know the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teachers, including:
- Whether a teacher has state certification for the grade levels and subjects he or she is teaching;
- The teacher’s baccalaureate degree major and any other certifications or degrees;
- Whether their child receives services from paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.
Parents/guardians may request their child’s classroom teacher’s professional qualifications by contacting your child’s building principal.