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PERSONNEL EVALUATION SYSTEMS METAEVALUATION CHECKLIST 
(Based on The Personnel Evaluation Standards)
pdf

Daniel L. Stufflebeam 
June 2000

This checklist is for assessing the adequacy of personnel evaluation systems.  It is organized according to the 21 Joint Committee Personnel Evaluation Standards, plus an additional recommended standard focused on legal viability.  For each of the 22 standards the checklist includes 6 checkpoints drawn from the substance of the standard.  It is suggested that each standard be scored on each checkpoint.  Then judgments about the adequacy of the subject evaluation in meeting the standard can be made as follows:  0-1 Poor, 2-3 Fair, 4 Good, 5 Very Good, 6 Excellent.  It is recommended that an evaluation be failed if it scores Poor on standards P1 Service Orientation, U3 Evaluator Credibility, F4 Legal Viability, A4 Valid Measurement, or A7 Bias Control.  Users of this checklist are advised to consult the full text of The Joint Committee (1988) Personnel Evaluation Standards, Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROPRIETY, 
PERSONNEL EVALUATION SYSTEMS SHOULD:
P1 Service Orientation 
  • Assess whether each service provider is delivering high quality, principled services
  • Assure that all assessments are grounded in pertinent institutional/program mission and goals
  • Assure that all service providers' responsibilities are clear
  • Assure that all service providers are assessed in relation to their job responsibilities
  • Assure that all service providers are assessed for their contributions to meeting the pertinent needs of the targeted beneficiaries
  • Support personnel actions that protect the welfare of targeted beneficiaries 
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
P2 Formal Evaluation Guidelines
  • Be grounded in pertinent personnel policies
  • Be consistent with the requirements of any pertinent collective bargaining agreement
  • Assure that all evaluators deliver unambiguous assessment findings
  • Conform to the pertinent legal protections of all the evaluatees’ rights
  • Assure that evaluations are consistent and equitable considering evaluations of similar evaluatees
  • Assure that all the personnel evaluations meet all pertinent ethical standards 
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
P3 Conflict of Interest
  • Provide concrete procedures for searching out potential conflicts of interest
  • Include provisions for controlling conflicts of interest at every level of examination and judgment
  • Provide for honestly addressing conflicts of interest, including the appearance of conflict of interest
  • Engage only those evaluators who are not subject to an unresolvable conflict of interest
  • Assure that evaluators employ multiple data sources to examine and judge personnel performance
  • Provide for inviting and appending each employee's reactions to the evaluation report
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
P4 Access to Personnel Evaluation Reports
  • Provide for maintaining security of the obtained information
  • Provide for clearly identifying authorized users of each evaluation report
  • Provide for appropriately restricting access to each set of obtained information
  • Provide clear rules for distributing evaluation reports
  • Provide for notifying each evaluatee of additions to her/his personnel file
  • Promise only those levels of confidentiality and anonymity that meet pertinent law
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
P5 Interactions with Evaluatees
  • Require and provide guidelines for the evaluator to develop rapport with the evaluatee
  • Require that each evaluatee be addressed in a professional, considerate, and courteous manner
  • Instruct evaluators to be sensitive and appropriately responsive to each evaluatee’s needs
  • Demonstrate a genuine interest in the evaluatee as a person
  • Gear evaluative feedback to help the evaluatee strengthen performance
  • Provide feedback in a private setting
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor

SCORING THE EVALUATION FOR PROPRIETY:
Add the following:
Number of Excellent ratings (0-5)
____
x 4 =
 ____
Number of Very Good ratings (0-5)
____
x 3 =
 ____
Number of Good ratings (0-5)
____
x 2 =
 ____
Number of Fair ratings (0-5)
____
x 1 =
 ____
     Total Score
=
 ____
Strength of the Evaluation's provisions for Propriety:
  • 19 (95%) to 20 Excellent
  • 14 (70%) to 18 Very Good
  • 10 (50%) to 13 Good
  • 5 (25%) to 9 Fair
  • 0 (0%) to 4 Poor
TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF UTILITY, 
PERSONNEL EVALUATION SYSTEMS SHOULD: 
U1  Constructive Orientation 
  • Assure that evaluatees receive timely feedback
  • Assure that evaluators and supervisors reinforce good practice
  • Assure that evaluatees are provided direction for improvement as appropriate
  • Assure that evaluatees’ needs for professional development are assessed
  • Assure that evaluation practices promote professionalism, including self-evaluation
  • Assure that evaluations help improve organizational effectiveness through evaluatees' improved performance
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
U2  Defined Uses
  • Assure that evaluations reference and address clear evaluation purposes
  • Assure that the authorized users for each evaluation are clearly identified
  • Assure that the authorized users clearly understand the evaluation's intended and sanctioned uses
  • Assure that each evaluation is targeted on clear and appropriate evaluation questions
  • Assure that each evaluation shows how the employed evaluative criteria fit the evaluation questions
  • Assure that evaluation methods and information fit the evaluation questions and intended uses
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
U3  Evaluator Credibilty 
  • Assure that evaluators have the requisite training, skills, sensitivity, and authorization
  • Assure that evaluators are trained in the institution's specific evaluation policies and procedures
  • Provide clear, public definitions of evaluators’ authority and responsibility
  • Assure that all evaluations are conducted professionally
  • Clearly state that evaluations are intended to promote and assist improvement
  • Require evaluators to justify their  data, conclusions, and recommendations
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
U4  Functional Reporting
  • Require and assist evaluators to issue clear reports
  • Assure that evaluation reports, including interim reports, are issued in a timely manner
  • Provide safeguards to assure that reports are accurate
  • Stress that reports must be focused on the evaluation's purposes and the employee's duties
  • Stress that reports should include documented strengths and weaknesses
  • Provide each evaluatee opportunities for response, appeal, and use of findings to improve performance 
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
U5  Follow-Up and Impact
  • Instruct evaluators to encourage and assist evaluatees to apply the findings
  • Instruct evaluators to help each evaluatee understand the results
  • Instruct evaluators to meet with each evaluatee to review strengths and weaknesses
  • Provide ways and means of reinforcing outstanding performance
  • Provide ways and means to help employees, as needed, develop professional growth plans
  • Provide for using evaluation findings to terminate hopelessly incompetent or irresponsible employees 

SCORING THE EVALUATION FOR UTILITY:
Add the following:
Number of Excellent ratings (0-5) ____
x 4 = ____
Number of Very Good ratings (0-5)
____
x 3 = ____
Number of Good ratings (0-5)
____
x 2 = ____
Number of Fair ratings (0-5)
____
x 1 = ____
     Total Score
=
 ____
Strength of the Evaluation's provisions for Utility:
  • 19 (95%) to 20 Excellent
  • 14 (70%) to 18 Very Good
  • 10 (50%) to 13 Good
  • 5 (25%) to 9 Fair
  • 0 (0%) to 4 Poor
TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FEASIBILITY, 
PERSONNEL EVALUATION SYSTEMS SHOULD:
F1 Practical Procedures
  • Specify procedural steps in direct and familiar language
  • Employ efficient procedures
  • Require that evaluators provide useful feedback without impeding staff performance
  • Provide procedures and constraints designed to minimize disruption to the organization
  • Provide procedures designed to minimize cost
  • Instruct evaluators to avoid collecting new information that duplicates existing information
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
F2  Political Viability
  • Provide in writing a common focus and set of directives applicable to all of the subject evaluatees
  • Employ personnel evaluation policies and procedures that were developed collaboratively
  • Assure that the evaluatees understand and accept the personnel evaluation policies and procedures
  • Employ personnel evaluation policies and procedures that have the backing of the relevant policy board
  • Assure that evaluators faithfully carry out the established personnel evaluation policies and procedures
  • Provide for appeals and steps to rectify mistakes promptly
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
F3 Fiscal Viability
  • Allocate adequate time for assessment, reporting, and follow-up
  • Allocate adequate resources for assessment, reporting, and follow-up
  • Assure that resources are used effectively
  • Assure that resources are used frugally 
  • Assure that evaluation processes are efficient in using each evaluatee’s time
  • Assure that findings are employed to help the evaluatee be more effective and efficient
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
F4 Legal Viability
  • Take into account those legal provisions that pertain to the local context
  • Engage, as needed, expert legal advice
  • Adhere to the vast body of applicable legal mandates
  • Adhere to all applicable professional standards
  • Require a legally defensible substantive due process, including definition of role and performance standards
  • Require a legally defensible procedural due process, giving evaluatees the right to respond and be heard
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor

SCORING THE EVALUATION FOR FEASIBILITY:
Add the following:
Number of Excellent ratings (0-4)
____
x 4 =
 ____
Number of Very Good ratings (0-4)
____
x 3 =
 ____
Number of Good ratings (0-4)
____
x 2 =
 ____
Number of Fair ratings (0-4)
____
x 1 =
 ____
     Total Score
=
 ____
Strength of the Evaluation's provisions for Propriety:
  • 15 (94%) to 16 Excellent
  • 11 (69%) to 14 Very Good
  • 8 (50%) to 10 Good
  • 4 (25%) to 7  Fair
  • 0 (0%) to 3 Poor
TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCURACY, 
PERSONNEL EVALUATION SYSTEMS SHOULD:
A1  Defined Role
  • Require that evaluations reference a clearly defined role and set of responsibilities for each evaluatee
  • Require that evaluations reference the needed qualifications for fulfilling the evaluatee’s role
  • Require that evaluations reference clear performance objectives for each evaluatee
  • Instruct evaluators to assure that all involved parties mutually understand the position's requirements
  • Provide for deliberation to clarify any disagreements about performance expectations before evaluating
  • Require evaluators to employ performance indicators that validly reflect each evaluatee’s responsibilities
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
A2  Work Environment
  • Provide for identifying, describing, and recording environmental influences on job performance
  • Require consideration of the availability of needed resources when evaluating job performance
  • Require consideration of administrative support and effectiveness when assessing job performance
  • Require consideration of organizational climate when evaluating the incumbent's performance
  • Require consideration of the difficulties associated with serving the evaluatee’s particular clients
  • Require consideration of relevant societal dynamics when evaluating the incumbent's performance
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
A3  Documentation of Procedures
  • Require documentation of the plan for evaluating each employee
  • Require documentation of the evaluator's qualifications
  • Provide for each evaluatee and other stakeholders to have an opportunity to evaluate the evaluation plan
  • Include regular monitoring and recording of the evaluation process
  • Require documentation of the evidence used to reach evaluative conclusions
  • Provide for showing that due process requirements were met
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
A4 Valid Measurement
  • Require use of measurement procedures based on described role and intended use
  • Require that evidence on the validity of the measurement procedures be assembled and made available
  • Require verification that inferences about an evaluatee are drawn from the valid measurements
  • Instruct evaluators to include a representative sample of job tasks in the measurement content
  • Emphasize and demonstrate that validity is the single most important issue in personnel evaluation
  • Employ the term measurement in the broadest sense of evaluating an individual's qualifications, performance, and/or effectiveness
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
A5  Reliable Measurement
  • Require procedures that provide consistent measurements of each evaluatee’s performance
  • Provide for training and calibrating observers, raters, and other data collectors
  • Require evaluators to demonstrate consistency across different measures of the same criterion
  • Require evaluators to demonstrate consistency across different observers of the same behavior
  • Require demonstration of consistency across different occasions when observing a behavior
  • Require documentation of the steps followed to secure acceptable reliability
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
A6  Systematic Data Control
  • Provide for monitoring and controlling the collection of information
  • Provide for training evaluation personnel in scoring, coding, data entry, and analysis
  • Provide for checking accuracy at every stage of collecting, storing, and retrieving the information
  • Provide for maintaining security of personnel evaluation information
  • Provide for careful oversight regarding access to and retrieval of the personnel evaluation information
  • Provide for keeping personnel evaluation data and supporting documentation confidential
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
A7  Bias Control
  • Recognize and provide safeguards against the constant potential for biases in evaluations
  • Require that evaluations be based solely on criteria and information relevant to the evaluatee’s job
  • Provide for involving evaluatees in designing, reviewing, and strengthening evaluation plans
  • Encourage collection of information from multiple sources
  • Direct evaluators to ground conclusions in valid information
  • Provide review and appeal channels
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor
A8  Monitoring Evaluation Systems
  • Subject evaluation procedures to periodic and systematic review and validation
  • Professionally investigate and appropriately follow up any complaints by evaluatees about evaluations
  • Periodically assess evaluations against the full set of standards referenced in this checklist
  • Periodically assess evaluations against the pertinent evaluation plans
  • Periodically assess the extent to which the personnel evaluations are achieving their purposes
  • Provide for following up and improving the consequences of personnel evaluations
6 = Excellent
5 = Very Good 4 = Good  2-3 = Fair 0-1 = Poor

SCORING THE EVALUATION FOR ACCURACY:
Add the following:
Number of Excellent ratings (0-8)
____
x 4 =
 ____
Number of Very Good ratings (0-8)
____
x 3 =
 ____
Number of Good ratings (0-8)
____
x 2 =
 ____
Number of Fair ratings (0-8)
____
x 1 =
 ____
     Total Score
=
 ____
Strength of the Evaluation's provisions for Accuracy:
  • 30 (94%) to 32 Excellent
  • 22 (69%) to 29 Very Good
  • 16 (50%) to 21 Good
  • 8 (25%) to 15 Fair
  • 0 (0%) to 7  Poor

 
 
This checklist is being provided as a free service to the user. The provider of the checklist has not modified or adapted the checklist to fit the specific needs of the user and the user is executing his or her own discretion and judgment in using the checklist. The provider of the checklist makes no representations or warranties that this checklist is fit for the particular purpose contemplated by user and specifically disclaims any such warranties or representations.