Superintendent Evaluation Rubrics

Developed by the Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA) and Arizona School Administrators (ASA), the Superintendent Evaluation Tool provides a clear, competency-based framework for assessing superintendent performance. It supports governing boards in meeting their legal obligations while promoting collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Using a four-point scale—Highly Effective, Effective, Developing, and Ineffective—the rubric measures performance across six leadership standards that define the essential responsibilities of an effective superintendent. The process encourages ongoing reflection and evidence-based dialogue, strengthening the partnership between the board and superintendent and driving districtwide success.

The tool centers on six standards:

• Leadership and District Culture – Emphasizes ethical leadership, shared mission, and a culture of trust and continuous learning.
• Instructional Leadership – Ensures rigorous, equitable instruction and professional development aligned with district goals.
• Organizational Management – Promotes fiscal responsibility, operational efficiency, and effective human resource practices.
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – Advances equitable access, cultural responsiveness, and respect for all students and families.
• Communications and Community Relations – Builds open, two-way communication and meaningful community partnerships.
• Board Governance and Policy – Strengthens collaboration with the board through transparent communication, policy alignment, and strategic planning.

The ASA/ASBA rubric is both standardized and adaptable, providing consistent statewide expectations while allowing districts to weight domains based on local priorities. Each standard includes measurable indicators and performance evidence, and the integrated goal-setting framework connects superintendent evaluation directly to district improvement plans and measurable results.

The ASA/ASBA Superintendent Evaluation Tool reflects Arizona’s shared commitment to ethical leadership, effective governance, and student-centered excellence. Aligning evaluation with strategic goals helps governing boards and superintendents work together to ensure every student’s success.

This BOCES district superintendent evaluation rubric is a derivative of The Council’s Model Superintendent Evaluation Rubric. The primary purpose of the district superintendent evaluation is to foster the development and advancement of the BOCES district superintendent’s leadership of the BOCES as follows:

• Focus the BOCES on goals and priorities
• Lead to transparent measures of performance and reasonable targets
• Surface and resolve tensions or issues
• Serve as a record of strong performance over time
• Clarify areas where the board-district superintendent relationship can be improved

This district superintendent evaluation reflects the current practice in education to use a rubric style evaluation to determine levels of leadership performance. Each section contains particular indicators with specific criteria to rate the performance level. The levels are scored on a scale range of highly effective, effective, developing, and ineffective. The superintendent evaluation is also a tool for the BOCES district superintendent’s use in creating and maintaining a solid leadership team with the board members. The superintendent evaluation process gives the board and the district superintendent an opportunity to reach detailed agreement on the leadership targets for the upcoming year. The school board evaluation of the current year performance will also bring to the surface issues that may need attention by the district superintendent in the upcoming year.

The Council’s Model Superintendent Evaluation helps boards and superintendents to develop thoughtful, constructive superintendent evaluations that advance district goals and keep the leadership team healthy.

Conducting an annual superintendent evaluation is one of the school board’s most important functions. It’s also mandated by law (8 NYCRR 100.2(o)(1)(vi) requires a superintendent evaluation on an annual basis). The superintendent evaluation is the instrument through which the board provides feedback to the superintendent, how (s)he is performing, whether its goals for the district are being achieved and what needs to be done if they are not. Past superintendent evaluations are something the superintendent may rely on both internally and externally as evidence of excellent performance should school board goals or compositions change dramatically.

This model superintendent evaluation format has been designed to reflect the current practice in education to use a rubric style evaluation to determine levels of performance for the superintendent. Each section contains indicators with specific criteria to rate the performance level. The levels are scored on a scale of highly effective, effective, developing, and ineffective.

A strong superintendent evaluation process:

• Enhances the performance of the superintendent.
• Focuses the district on goals and school improvement priorities.
• Leads to transparent measures of performance and reasonable targets to meet.
• Clarifies areas where the board-superintendent relationship can be improved.

The Indiana Superintendent Evaluation Rubric provides school boards and superintendents with a clear, competency-based framework that supports reflective practice, effective leadership, and continuous improvement. Designed for both evaluation and growth, it helps superintendents assess their impact on teaching, learning, organizational health, and stakeholder relationships. By emphasizing evidence, collaboration, and alignment to district goals, the rubric encourages leaders to engage in ongoing self-reflection and to strengthen the systems that influence student achievement.

The rubric is organized into six interconnected domains that reflect the multifaceted role of a superintendent:

• Human Capital Management: Focuses on developing, supporting, and retaining effective school and district leaders to strengthen instructional capacity.
• Instructional Leadership: Emphasizes data-informed decision making, progress monitoring, and meaningful engagement of stakeholders to improve student learning.
• Professional Behavior: Highlights ethical conduct, organization, communication, and modeling of professionalism for the entire school corporation.
• Building Relationships: Centers on trust-building, board relations, community engagement, and productive partnerships with agencies and businesses.
• Culture of Achievement: Reinforces equitable access, academic rigor, and family engagement in support of every student’s success.
• Organizational, Operational, and Resource Management: Addresses fiscal stewardship, legal compliance, technology use, and the safe, efficient operation of district systems.

Rooted in a 4-point performance scale, the rubric defines clear expectations for practice and provides observable indicators that reflect research-aligned leadership behaviors. Each domain includes distinct descriptors for Highly Effective through Ineffective performance, enabling evaluators and superintendents to collaboratively identify strengths, set priorities, and monitor growth. The structure mirrors best practices in competency-based evaluation, emphasizing evidence, alignment to strategic goals, and consistent progress monitoring.

This rubric promotes a vision of superintendent leadership grounded in integrity, instructional focus, operational excellence, and meaningful community partnership. It affirms that effective district leadership emerges through purposeful reflection, strong relationships, and a sustained commitment to equitable outcomes for all students.

Designed around the 21 indicators from the Standards of Effective Administrative Leadership (603 CMR 35.04), the Indicator Rubric includes descriptions of a superintendent’s practice for each indicator and articulates the specific responsibilities that a school committee may be expected to reasonably evaluate. This is a significant departure from the more detailed, element-level rubrics associated with other educator roles in the model system for educator evaluation.

Conversations between the board of education and superintendent regarding leadership and performance should be ongoing and frequent. This document is a tool to ensure a more formal summary conversation takes place at least twice a year. These conversations allow boards of education and superintendents to reflect on leadership expectations, the board/superintendent relationship, and overall performance.

McREL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan education research, development, and service organization that helps schools, districts, and education agencies improve outcomes for all students. McREL’s Superintendent Evaluation Rubric measures performance on the most important superintendent leadership practices.

The Next Generation Effectiveness Standards for Kentucky School Superintendents serve as a comprehensive framework to guide reflective leadership, professional growth and sustained district improvement. Developed by KASA in partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education, the rubric clarifies expectations for superintendents from entry into the role through advanced practice. It helps leaders assess their performance, identify areas for continued development and foster collaborative conversations with boards and communities. By centering student success, equity and 21st century readiness, the rubric aims to strengthen leadership capacity across Kentucky’s districts.

The rubric is organized into seven interconnected domains that define the core work of effective district leadership. Together, they outline a holistic view of the superintendent’s role:

• Strategic Leadership, which emphasizes a shared vision, mission and goals that guide district decisions.
• Instructional Leadership, highlighting systems that eliminate performance gaps and promote high expectations for all learners.
• Cultural Leadership, focused on shaping a positive, unified district culture rooted in trust, inclusion and community engagement.
• Human Resource Leadership, detailing processes that build, support and retain a high-performing, diverse workforce.
• Managerial Leadership, which ensures efficient operations, resource stewardship and safe learning environments.
• Collaborative Leadership, calling for meaningful partnerships with families, community organizations and the local board.
• Influential Leadership, recognizing the superintendent’s responsibility to navigate political, legal and ethical contexts to advocate for students.

Grounded in national and state leadership standards, the rubric synthesizes research from ISLLC/PSEL, AdvancED, the Wallace Foundation and multiple Kentucky evaluation frameworks. Each domain includes indicators, evidence sources and aligned performance levels, forming a competency-based, four-point scale for assessing growth and effectiveness. This structure mirrors the state’s Superintendent Professional Growth and Effectiveness System and reinforces continuous improvement.

This rubric reflects a philosophy that exceptional district leadership is collaborative, student-centered and future-focused. It positions superintendents as learners and change agents who cultivate shared purpose, elevate instructional excellence and build resilient, equitable systems that prepare every student for lifelong success.

This superintendent evaluation rubric was modified for use by the BOCES Boards and their district superintendent (DS). BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services) in New York State are the educational service agencies. The BOCES DS is the chief executive officer of the BOCES and is responsible for the BOCES as well as the component districts. The DS also serves as the regional representative of the New York State Commissioner of Education. This evaluation instrument reflects the professional practices of a BOCES DS and creates the basis for the district superintendent evaluation process.

The New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) recognizes that boards of education have a legal obligation to conduct annual superintendent evaluations. More importantly, NYSSBA realizes that superintendent evaluations are one of the most important responsibilities of the school board. An effective superintendent evaluation helps drive school improvement and student achievement, develops a positive relationship between the school board and superintendent, demonstrates accomplishments of the district and sets annual priorities. The superintendent evaluation process is not a means to an end, but rather an ongoing and dynamic process. Decisions regarding both process and instrument should reflect a cooperative effort between the school board and superintendent.

Research suggests that five district-level leadership responsibilities show a particularly strong correlation with student achievement. These five responsibilities include:

1. Engaging in a collaborative goal-setting process;
2. Setting non-negotiable goals for teaching and learning;
3. Engaging the board in support of these goals;
4. Monitoring the success of these goals;
5. Allocating resources effectively to support the goals (Waters & Marzano, 2006).

The Ohio Standards for Superintendents mirrors these research findings. The five standards are:

1. Vision, Continuous Improvement and Focus of District Work
2. Communication and Collaboration
3. Policies and Governance
4. Instruction
5. Resources

The Oregon Superintendent Evaluation Tool, co-developed by the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA), provides a collaborative, evidence-based process for assessing superintendent performance. Designed for school boards and superintendents, the tool strengthens governance relationships, fosters transparency, and supports continuous leadership growth. Its purpose extends beyond evaluation; it serves as a framework for dialogue, professional learning, and system-wide improvement that benefits students and communities across Oregon.

The tool includes eight professional standards that reflect the multifaceted nature of district leadership:

• Visionary District Leadership – Guides the district toward a shared mission and continuous improvement.
• Ethics and Professional Norms – Models integrity, fairness, and ethical governance.
• Inclusive District Culture – Builds an equitable and culturally responsive environment for all learners.
• Culturally Responsive Instructional Leadership and Improvement – Promotes coherent systems for curriculum, assessment, and professional growth.
• Communication and Community Relations – Strengthens trust and partnerships among diverse stakeholders.
• Effective Organizational Management – Enhances structures, personnel systems, and leadership capacity.
• Effective Financial Management – Aligns financial stewardship with board priorities and equity goals.
• Policy, Governance, and Advocacy – Ensures responsible governance and active engagement in policy development.

The rubric uses a four-point scale—Accomplished, Effective, Developing, and Ineffective—to rate performance across standards. It integrates multiple forms of evidence, including self-evaluation, board observations, artifacts, and optional stakeholder feedback surveys. Conducted through a structured yearlong cycle of goal setting, reflection, and evaluation, the process ensures fairness, consistency, and a shared commitment to district success.

Grounded in the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL, 2015) and National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP, 2018) standards, the tool reflects a research-based understanding of effective district leadership. By emphasizing collaboration, evidence, and growth, it transforms evaluation into a process of reflective learning, advancing both superintendent performance and the collective success of Oregon’s educational systems.

The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) team members looked at several superintendent evaluation instruments that were being used across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Additionally, the team also looked at the growing body of literature on superintendent evaluations, work being done in other states, particularly in Iowa, and at the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards. The team borrowed extensively from these sources to develop this model superintendent evaluation instrument. The items in this model are consciously aligned with the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Standards. Each standard is followed by several indicators that would reflect success in meeting the standard.

The two-year development process for Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) was guided by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA). The PSEL development was informed by empirical research, researchers, and educational leaders throughout the United States.

The Strategic Goal-Centered Superintendent Evaluation Framework provides school boards and superintendents with a student-focused process that supports reflective leadership and continuous improvement. Designed to integrate with a district’s annual governance cycle, the framework helps leadership teams clarify expectations, align evaluation with strategic priorities, and strengthen communication and collaboration. By embedding superintendent evaluation within the broader context of strategic district goals, the framework elevates evaluation to advance equitable student outcomes and organizational learning.

The framework organizes superintendent practice around four research-based Operational and Leadership Goals, which function as the primary domains for evaluation:

• Impactful Instructional Leadership: Leading districtwide teaching and learning, supporting coherent instructional systems, building professional capacity, and advancing equitable academic outcomes for every student.
• Supportive Climate for Students, Staff, and Community: Cultivating inclusive, caring, and collaborative environments, strengthening communication, and engaging families and community partners to support student well-being.
• Operations and Management Excellence: Managing finances, facilities, and district operations in ways that ensure safety, efficiency, stewardship of resources, and long-term organizational stability.
• Values-Based Leadership: Modeling ethical leadership, nurturing positive board–superintendent relationships, honoring diverse perspectives, and building trust across the school community.

The framework is grounded in Washington state law and aligned with the Washington School Board Standards. It also incorporates crosswalks with AASA leadership standards, ensuring national relevance and a strong research foundation. Supporting tools such as planning templates, evidence guidelines, and a suggested annual calendar further help boards implement a fair, transparent, and growth-focused evaluation cycle.

The framework reflects a philosophy of collaborative, student-centered governance. It positions superintendent evaluation not as a compliance requirement but as an opportunity to deepen shared purpose, strengthen leadership capacity, and create the conditions necessary for every student to thrive.

The Superintendent and District Administrator Rubric from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education serves as a tool for evaluating leadership effectiveness. Organized around four key standards—Instructional Leadership, Management and Operations, Family and Community Engagement, and Professional Culture—the rubric aims to define and assess critical leadership skills and practices. It provides performance descriptors across four levels (Unsatisfactory, Needs Improvement, Proficient, and Exemplary) for each indicator, facilitating consistent evaluation and targeted professional growth. Emphasis is placed on aligning leadership practices with district goals, fostering equitable outcomes, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

The Superintendent Model Evaluation Rubric provides superintendents and boards with a clear, collaborative framework for assessing leadership, strengthening communication, and aligning district priorities. Created by superintendents for superintendents, it is designed to support a year-long reflective process that emphasizes evidence, transparency, and shared responsibility for continuous improvement. By grounding evaluation in ongoing dialogue rather than a single event, the rubric encourages thoughtful leadership growth and stronger partnerships between the superintendent and the board.

The rubric outlines five core domains that define effective superintendent practice:

• Relationship with the Board focuses on communication, governance alignment and the superintendent’s role in supporting a well-informed, cohesive board.
• Community Relations emphasizes a positive district presence, accessible two-way communication and proactive media engagement to build trust and credibility.
• Staff Relationships highlights systems for communication, fair personnel management, thoughtful delegation, recruitment, and ongoing visibility in schools.
• Business and Finance assesses budget development, financial reporting, facilities planning and resource allocation to ensure responsible stewardship of district assets.
• Instructional Leadership centers on professional knowledge, commitment to personal growth, a focus on student achievement, strategic goal development, staff learning and curriculum alignment.

The rubric is supported by a structured evaluation methodology that includes negotiated processes, annual goal setting, evidence collection, and clearly defined four-point performance levels. The section on annual goals outlines SMART-aligned expectations, demonstrating how superintendent goals connect to districtwide targets, improvement measures, and long-term planning.

The rubric reflects a philosophy rooted in shared leadership, strategic coherence, and continuous learning. It positions the superintendent as a systems leader whose effectiveness emerges from strong relationships, data-informed decision-making and a steadfast commitment to student success. By promoting honest reflection and aligned goal setting, the rubric aims to strengthen organizational capacity and advance district priorities.

The Washington Standards-Based Superintendent Framework, developed by the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) and the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), serves as a reflective guide for superintendent growth and evaluation. Its purpose is to define and inspire excellence in district leadership through a shared vision of continuous improvement, student success, and ethical governance. Designed for both superintendents and boards, the framework supports self-assessment, goal setting, and dialogue focused on the superintendent’s impact on learning and community well-being.

The framework outlines eight interconnected standards that describe the essence of effective leadership:

• Mission, Vision, and Core Values – Establishes a shared purpose that guides all district decisions and practices.
• Equity and Cultural Responsiveness – Promotes inclusive environments that honor diversity and close opportunity and achievement gaps.
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment – Ensures systems, policies, and resources are aligned around rigorous, coherent learning for all students.
• Community of Care and Support for Students – Fosters safe, caring, and engaging environments where students develop agency, belonging, and ethical behavior.
• Professional Capacity of School Personnel – Strengthens educator growth through professional learning, evaluation, and a culture of collaboration and trust.
• Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community – Builds strong, reciprocal partnerships that connect schools and communities in shared responsibility for student success.
• Operations and Management – Guides ethical and efficient management of fiscal, human, and operational resources to support learning.
• Collaboration with the Board – Defines a governance partnership built on mutual respect, clarity of roles, and shared accountability.

Structured on a four-level scale (Unsatisfactory, Basic, Proficient, and Distinguished), the framework offers a developmental pathway for continuous improvement. Each standard integrates principles of equity, reflection, and shared leadership. Grounded in research and aligned with the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), it connects professional ideals with practical, observable behaviors that strengthen district leadership.

The Washington Standards-Based Superintendent Framework promotes a vision of leadership that is ethical, inclusive, and transformative. It positions the superintendent as both leader and learner, one who builds trust, aligns systems, and champions the success and well-being of every student. Ultimately, the framework serves as both a mirror and a map for reflective, results-driven leadership in service of the public good.

The Strategic Goal-Centered Superintendent Evaluation Framework provides school boards and superintendents with a student-focused process that supports reflective leadership and continuous improvement. Designed to integrate with a district’s annual governance cycle, the framework helps leadership teams clarify expectations, align evaluation with strategic priorities, and strengthen communication and collaboration. By embedding superintendent evaluation within the broader context of strategic district goals, the framework elevates evaluation to advance equitable student outcomes and organizational learning.

The framework organizes superintendent practice around four research-based Operational and Leadership Goals, which function as the primary domains for evaluation:

• Impactful Instructional Leadership: Leading districtwide teaching and learning, supporting coherent instructional systems, building professional capacity, and advancing equitable academic outcomes for every student.
• Supportive Climate for Students, Staff, and Community: Cultivating inclusive, caring, and collaborative environments, strengthening communication, and engaging families and community partners to support student well-being.
• Operations and Management Excellence: Managing finances, facilities, and district operations in ways that ensure safety, efficiency, stewardship of resources, and long-term organizational stability.
• Values-Based Leadership: Modeling ethical leadership, nurturing positive board–superintendent relationships, honoring diverse perspectives, and building trust across the school community.

The framework is grounded in Washington state law and aligned with the Washington School Board Standards. It also incorporates crosswalks with AASA leadership standards, ensuring national relevance and a strong research foundation. Supporting tools such as planning templates, evidence guidelines, and a suggested annual calendar further help boards implement a fair, transparent, and growth-focused evaluation cycle.

The framework reflects a philosophy of collaborative, student-centered governance. It positions superintendent evaluation not as a compliance requirement but as an opportunity to deepen shared purpose, strengthen leadership capacity, and create the conditions necessary for every student to thrive.