Illinois School Leader Evaluation Plan (SLEP)
Developed by the School Leader Collaborative - a consortium of 13 state principal associations - and published by the Illinois Principals Association, the Illinois School Leader Evaluation Plan (SLEP) is the state-adopted framework for principal and assistant principal evaluation in Illinois. Rooted in the School Leader Paradigm, SLEP was piloted during the 2022-2023 school year and became the mandatory basis for evaluator training under ISBE effective July 1, 2024. It organizes school leader performance across three interconnected domains: Culture, Systems, and Learning.
The Illinois SLEP is organized into 3 domains, 21 criteria, and a 4-level rating scale.
Adopted by Illinois as the default model for principal and assistant principal evaluation under PERA, serving as the mandatory framework for evaluator training across Illinois's 850+ school districts. The foundational School Leader Paradigm is also used by a consortium of 13 state principal associations.
Domains and Criteria
The Illinois SLEP domains and criteria
Culture Domain
- Relationships
- Student Centeredness
- Wellness
- Equity
- Traditions/Celebrations
- Ethics
- Global Mindedness
Systems Domain
- Vision/Mission
- Communication
- Collaborative Leadership
- Data Literacy
- Strategic Management
- Safety
- Operations
Learning Domain
- Reflection/Growth
- Result-Orientation
- Curriculum
- Instruction
- Assessment
- Innovation
- Human Capital Management
Rating Levels
Illinois SLEP rating levels
Giving feedback on the Illinois SLEP
The slow part is the write-up
Aligning observation evidence to every Illinois SLEP domain and standard by hand, for every teacher and every visit, is what eats a principal's week. Observation Copilot does that mapping for you.
How Observation Copilot Helps
AI-powered Illinois SLEP feedback in seconds
Paste your observation notes. Copilot maps your evidence to the right Illinois SLEP domains and drafts structured, rubric-aligned feedback - ready to review and share. Walkthrough notes return a focused single-indicator debrief; full lesson observations return a multi-domain rubric-aligned report.
- Maps observation notes to SLEP domains - Culture, Systems, and Learning - automatically
- Generates evidence-based summaries for each of the three SLEP domains
- Suggests ratings aligned to the four-level SLEP rubric (Unsatisfactory through Excellent)
- Creates targeted next steps tied to specific SLEP indicators
- Reduces post-observation write-up time from hours to minutes for Illinois principals
Frequently Asked Questions
Illinois SLEP FAQ
- What is the Illinois SLEP?
- The state-adopted framework for principal and assistant principal evaluation in Illinois, developed by the School Leader Collaborative and published by the Illinois Principals Association. It organizes school leader performance across 3 domains rated on a 4-level scale.
- What are the domains of the SLEP?
- The SLEP is organized into 3 domains: Culture, Systems, and Learning.
- What are the SLEP rating levels?
- Performance is rated on a 4-level scale: Unsatisfactory, Needs Improvement, Proficient, and Excellent.
- What does SLEP stand for?
- SLEP stands for the Illinois School Leader Evaluation Plan.
Related Reading
Illinois SLEP Resources for Principals
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