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.
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.
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
Framework Domains
Illinois SLEP at a Glance
Culture Domain
Covers the school leader's ability to build relationships, center student needs, promote wellness, advance equity, celebrate traditions, model ethics, and foster global mindedness across the school community.
Systems Domain
Addresses vision and mission setting, clear communication, collaborative leadership, data-informed decision-making, strategic management, school safety, and efficient operations.
Learning Domain
Focuses on the leader's reflective growth, result-orientation, and direct impact on curriculum, instruction, assessment, innovation, and human capital management throughout the school.
Rating Scale
Illinois SLEP Rating Levels
Used In
States Using Illinois SLEP
Related Reading
Illinois SLEP Resources for Principals
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.