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
50 Teacher Observation Feedback Examples (Organized by Framework Domain)
50 specific teacher observation feedback examples organized by framework domain, each tied to evidence and a next step principals can use.
Read more
FFT, T-TESS, Marzano, or Your Own: How Observation Copilot Aligns to Any Framework
Whether you use Danielson FFT, T-TESS, Marzano, or a custom rubric, Observation Copilot aligns feedback to your framework.
Read more
Walkthroughs vs. Formal Observations: When Each One Helps and When It Hurts
Walkthroughs and formal observations serve different purposes. Here's how principals balance both in a coaching cycle that actually grows teachers.
Read more
Writing Better Observation Notes: Tips for Getting the Most Out of AI-Powered Feedback
AI-generated feedback is only as good as your observation notes. Practical tips for writing notes that produce better, more specific results.
Read more
The Post-Observation Conversation: How to Make the 15 Minutes After Feedback Count
Delivering feedback is only half the job. Here's how to structure the post-observation conversation so teachers grow from it.
Read more
Ready to streamline your Illinois SLEP observations?
Start generating framework-aligned feedback in seconds.