12. a. In order to ensure the effectiveness of its teachers, each school shall convene a school improvement panel. A panel shall include the principal, or his designee, an assistant or vice-principal, and a teacher. The principal’s designee shall be an individual employed in the district in a supervisory role and capacity who possesses a school administrator certificate, principal certificate, or supervisor certificate. The teacher shall be a person with a demonstrated record of success in the classroom who shall be selected in consultation with the majority representative. An individual teacher shall not serve more than three consecutive years on any one school improvement panel. In the event that an assistant or vice-principal is not available to serve on the panel, the principal shall appoint an additional member to the panel, who is employed in the district in a supervisory role and capacity and who possesses a school administrator certificate, principal certificate, or supervisor certificate.

Nothing in this section shall prevent a district that has entered a shared services agreement for the functions of the school improvement panel from providing services under that shared services agreement.

b. The panel shall oversee the mentoring of teachers and conduct evaluations of teachers, including an annual summative evaluation, provided that the teacher on the school improvement panel shall not be included in the evaluation process, except in those instances in which the majority representative has agreed to the contrary. The panel shall also identify professional development opportunities for all instructional staff members that are tailored to meet the unique needs of the students and staff of the school.

c. The panel shall conduct a mid-year evaluation of any employee in the position of teacher who is evaluated as ineffective or partially effective in his most recent annual summative evaluation, provided that the teacher on the school improvement panel shall not be included in the mid-year evaluation process, except in those instances in which the majority representative has agreed to the contrary.

d. Information related to the evaluation of a particular employee shall be maintained by the school district, shall be confidential, and shall not be accessible to the public pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C. 47:1A-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented.

L.2012, c.26, s.12.