East Lyme - The school district plans to "phase in" a teacher and principal evaluation system that would comply with new state mandates.

The Board of Education approved Tuesday an outline for the district's own evaluation system that still meets state requirements but is not the state's specific pilot model for the evaluations.

The district plans to evaluate one-third of certified staff under the state requirements next year. The district will then evaluate all certified staff under the program the following year.

The State Board of Education approved last June new evaluation standards for school districts to implement in the 2013-14 school year.

But the state recently allowed districts more time to incorporate the mandated evaluation system, explained Superintendent James Lombardo.

The plan adopted by the local school board will evaluate teachers by the state's guidelines of "exemplary, proficient, developing or below standard," based on the factors of "student learning outcomes" (45 percent), "educator practice" (40 percent), "stakeholder feedback" from parents and others (10 percent), and "overall school or teacher effectiveness" (5 percent), according to a board document outlining the evaluation plan.

The district had allocated $133,000 for "clerical support and data management" for the state-mandated system, said Lombardo, in next year's budget. The Board of Finance, which does not have line item control over the education budget, reduced the school budget by $650,000 in its deliberations earlier this month.

The district may now use some funds it allocates for professional development and some money it receives from a Title II grant to help support the new system, he said.

k.drelich@theday.com