Kansas Superintendent Evaluation
Developed by the Kansas School Superintendents’ Association, this evaluation tool supports ongoing, frequent conversations between the board of education and superintendent regarding leadership and performance. Designed to ensure a more formal summary conversation takes place at least twice a year, the instrument reflects KSSA’s commitment to positioning evaluation as a continuous, relationship-centered process rather than an annual compliance event.
The Kansas Superintendent Evaluation is practical and relationship-focused by design. Rather than relying solely on a complex competency rubric, the instrument helps boards and superintendents reflect together on leadership expectations, the board-superintendent relationship, and overall performance. The twice-yearly structure is intentional — it creates natural checkpoints that prevent the evaluation from becoming a year-end surprise and instead builds a rhythm of honest, productive communication.
The tool supports conversations organized around several core areas of superintendent responsibility:
By providing a structured framework for these conversations, the instrument helps boards give meaningful, actionable feedback and helps superintendents understand exactly where expectations are being met and where there is room for growth. The evaluation is designed as a collaborative process in which both parties contribute to the conversation rather than one in which the board delivers a verdict.
KSSA developed this tool with the understanding that the board-superintendent relationship is one of the most important variables in district success. A well-functioning evaluation process strengthens trust, clarifies expectations, and creates the conditions for the kind of productive partnership that benefits students, staff, and the broader community. For Kansas districts, this instrument provides a practical, accessible way to build that culture of ongoing evaluation and accountability.
KSSA supports member districts with resources and guidance to help boards implement the evaluation process effectively. For Kansas school boards seeking a practical, relationship-centered evaluation framework that goes beyond compliance to build genuine governance partnership, this instrument represents the association's best guidance for meaningful superintendent evaluation.
This rubric is applicable for the following roles: Superintendent