School Librarian Evaluation Instrument (SLEI)

Cobb library media specialists are evaluated using the School Librarian Evaluation Instrument (SLEI). The SLEI consists of 10 standards that accurately reflect the role of a 21st century library media specialist. All materials have been updated for the 2020-2021 school year.

Evaluators will also find this information in the evaluation notebook from Cobb HR; please refer to the evaluation notebook for specific evaluation requirements / changes in the 2020-2021 school year.

Scroll down for a link to print/save all materials at once. 
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Forms:

SLEI: Evidence

Evidence of standards is collected through observation, conversation, and documentation.
  • One 30-minute teaching observation is required, though it is not enough to fully evaluate a library media specialist on all 10 SLEI standards. Standards 2, 3, 5, and 7 match well with teaching observations. 
  • Additional evidence can be collected through informal observations and conversations between the evaluator and the library media specialist. 
  • It is recommended that library media specialists create an O365 notebook to collect documentation throughout the year. Documentation examples include a budget tracking spreadsheet, collaboration calendar, link to your blog or website, etc. ​
  • SLEI Evidence: Observation, Conversation, Documentation
  • SLEI Sample Documentation
  • What Library Media Specialists Want Admin to Know

Professional Learning Goals and Communities

All library media specialists must establish a professional learning goal, as required by the GaPSC. Below are resources to help in establishing a professional learning goal:
All library media specialists should participate in a Cobb Collaborative Community (CCC). These professional learning groups are designed to support learning goals, advance practice, and positively impact student achievement. Library media specialists should work with their evaluator to decide the type of CCC that works best to meet goals. Typically, library media specialists participate in one of two types of CCC's:
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  • A school-based CCC, one where the library media specialist participates with a group of teachers. For example, if a 9th grade team is working together to develop a plan to improve 9th grade writing skills and scores, the library media specialist could participate with that group.
        OR
  • A small group CCC made up of local library media specialists. These tend to be groups of 3+ library media specialists that meet locally to work together on common library media program goals. ​

You can download all SLEI materials as one file here.

​If you have any questions, please contact Holly Frilot at holly.frilot@cobbk12.org or 770-426-3315. ​​

The SLEI: Historical Perspective

During the 2016-2017 school year, six schools in the Cobb County School District engaged in a proof of concept for the School Librarian Evaluation Instrument, developed by the Georgia School Library Media Consortium, in an effort to better evaluate a 21st century library media specialist. ​Special thanks to the library media specialists and evaluators at ​King Springs ES, Eastvalley ES, Frey ES, McClure MS, Awtrey MS, and Hillgrove HS for their leadership in this work. 

During the 2017-2018 school year, all schools in the Cobb County School District used the School Librarian Evaluation Instrument to evaluate library media specialists. At the end of the 2017-2018 school year, over 90% of library media specialists felt that the SLEI was a positive and productive assessment. The SLEI served as the evaluation for all Cobb County School District library media specialists again in 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. 

Library Media Paraprofessionals: PKES

Library media paraprofessionals are evaluated using PKES, the Professional Keys Effectiveness System. School employees that hold a PSC certificate must set a goal for the year based on one of the PKES standards. 

Sample Professional Learning Goals for Library Media Paraprofessionals