Charter leaders, we want to ensure you understand your flexibility in choosing teacher evaluation tools. This flexibility, outlined in state law, extends to your school’s evaluation of beginning as well as veteran teachers. Practically, that means charter schools are not required to use NCEES (NC Educator Effectiveness System) for teacher evaluation. In fact, charters may use any evaluation, provided it is similar to district and state evaluation standards.
The Coalition worked to codify this charter flexibility in state law. We achieved it through enactment in 2025 of Senate Bill 254/Session Law 2025-80.
A General Assembly summary of various provisions in the law notes that SB 254:
Allows charter schools to develop and use any evaluation for conducting the evaluation of teachers, if the evaluation instrument includes standards and criteria similar to those used in the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards and North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process or such other evaluation standard and process required to be used by LEAs.
Coalition Executive Director Dave Machado has confirmed this flexibility with Department of Public Instruction (DPI) leadership. Charlene Pittman is the co-director of educator performance at DPI. In communication with the Coalition, she referenced GS 115C-218.90(a), which now includes this amended language, mirroring the legislature’s summary above:
(7) A charter school may develop and use any evaluation for conducting evaluations of teachers provided that it includes standards and criteria similar to those used in the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards and North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process, or such other evaluation standard and process required to be used by local school administrative units.
We’re so pleased this important flexibility is enshrined in state law. As you likely know, the Coalition exists to protect and promote public charter schools. So, guarding against regulatory creep and protecting charter autonomy is a core part of our work!
Learn more about the Coalition here.
Above: Shutterstock photo.
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