Who is the ECRA Educational Leadership 360° Appraisal designed to evaluate?

The ECRA District Leadership 360° Appraisal is designed to evaluate district and school superintendents, district CEOs and other top level administrators.

The ECRA School Leadership 360° Appraisal is ideal for the appraisal of school principals, assistant principals and other top building administrators.

The ECRA Curriculum Leadership 360° Appraisal is designed for the evaluation of curriculum leaders and those in similar curricular positions.

What are the benefits of the Educational Leadership 360° Appraisal?

The Educational Leadership 360° Appraisal is not a “high stakes,” top-down evaluation like many traditional forms of leadership evaluation; instead, it should be considered a valuable tool for reflection and inspiration for change. When implemented effectively, 360° assessments serve to enhance leaders’ understanding of their performance and to encourage professional growth. The collected feedback of many stakeholders on the direction and management of the organization can help foster a climate that embraces open communication, thereby encouraging additional opportunities for collaboration and to improve the professional culture of the institution.

360°assessments are seen as a “best practice” of leadership performance and assessment in both the education and business fields.

What is my role in the appraisal process?

The educational leader will facilitate and manage the appraisal. Once the leader has registered for the appraisal, he/she will first select the groups from which to receive feedback and the number of participants from these groups who will participate; the leader is then responsible for uploading these participants’ email addresses into the online system and distributing access codes to each participant so the appraisal process can begin. Throughout the process, educational leaders will have access to the 360º Educational Leadership Appraisal web portal, allowing them to monitor the progress of the appraisal and to access relevant data and reports.

Who should participate in the survey?

Educational leaders should think holistically and choose a group of stakeholders who can, collectively, provide the most useful and comprehensive feedback on the leader’s job performance. This should include a variety of perspectives from those stakeholders who interact with the leaders on a consistent basis— administrators, faculty, department chairs, professionals, support staff, parents, and community members—and not just those in a supervisorial role (e.g., superintendents, board members).

How many people should participate in my appraisal?

The Educational Leadership 360° Appraisal system allows an unlimited number of participants to contribute to an appraisal. To determine the ideal size for your appraisal, consider several contextual and demographic factors specific to your organization: enrollment and staffing numbers, the number and kinds of colleagues you interact with on a regular basis, the areas in which you hope to receive constructive feedback, and the purpose of use of the appraisal. ECRA recommends 15-50 participants for smaller organizations, 50-75 for larger institutions.

How long does the appraisal process take?

Most implementations of the appraisal will take approximately two to three weeks, but the educational leader can set his/her own parameters as to how long the survey process lasts. Allow yourself at least a full school week to register, define, and distribute access codes; it is best to give participants two weeks to complete the survey. Data reports will be available the next business day after the survey is closed.

What reporting features are provided to appraisee?

By purchasing appraisal, educational leaders gain access to a secure online portal whey they can they view a variety of data. These online reports will communicate how various stakeholder populations—faculty, support staff, etc.—view your performance, both holistically and within the domains (e.g., instructional focus, management) targeted by the survey. Additionally, detailed information on every survey item is accessible, allowing the appraisee to focus on specific leadership behaviors or skills. Schools will also be able to compare their performance to other profiles consistent with effective school leadership.

What are the technical requirements of the Educational Leadership 360° Appraisal?

The online survey has been designed to run smoothly on all computer systems. Graphics and load requirements are minimal. Participants will need to have a consistent internet connection—a persistent network or cable/DSL connection is advised—but both PC and Macintosh computers are compatible. Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari are all compatible with the Appraisal.