4/16/2023

Board Policy on Required Submittal of Adjudicators' Evaluations by Schools

Music directors are required to evaluate district and state festival adjudicators.  An evaluation is required and is to be completed for each adjudicator hearing performances for a school through the MSHSAA Festival Manager Program.  Each school music director submitting entries to the MSHSAA Music Festivals shall submit the required adjudicators' evaluations by the established deadline.

  • Solo and Small Ensemble Festivals prior to entering events in the MSHSAA State Solo and Small Ensemble Festivals.
  • Large Group, State Solo and Small Ensemble Festivals and all non-state solo/small ensemble events no later than May 15th.

Each school music director(s) that fails to submit the required adjudicator evaluation(s) by the established deadline shall be issued a $25.00 late penalty fee and sent a reminder letter to the principal, giving the school until May 30.  Each school music director(s) that fails to submit the required adjudicators' evaluations by the extended deadline shall be placed on probation by the MSHSAA Board of Directors and assessed an addtional penalty fee of $100.00 ($125.00 total fine).  A certified letter shall be sent to the superintendent indicating the consequence if the evaluations are not submitted for a second consecutive year and that probation is automatically extended for one year.

If a school music director(s) does not submit the required adjudicator evaluations for a second consecutive year by the established deadline, the MSHSAA shall send a reminder letter to the principal indicating the school has been assessed a $25.00 late penalty fee and the school has until the extended deadline to complete the evalutions.  If MSHSAA does not receive the required adjudicator evaluation by the extended deadline the school will have probation extended and be assessed an addtiional penalty of $200.00 by the MSHSAA Board of Directors and the school administrator and person responsible for not submitting the required adjudicator evaluation(s) shall appear before the MSHSAA Board of Directors to show cause why the school should not be considered to be suspended from the district and state music festivals. 

Adjudicator Evaluation Process

Music directors are required to evaluate district and state festival adjudicators each year.  This process is to be completed via the Festival Manager link by the established deadlines listed above.  The evaluation process has been revised to provide better feedback to the adjudicators on his/her strengths and areas to improve.  Directors will rate each area using a rating of Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, or Does Not Meet Expectations. Listed below are the Three Phases of Adjudication and the Adjudicator Rating Scale.

Three Phases of Adjudication (in no particular order)

1.    Communication Skills:  The adjudicator:

  • Provided clear and effective written/oral assessments of the performance.
  • Provided legible written comments.
  • Completed all areas of the Adjudicator’s Evaluation Form.

2.    Consistency:  The adjudicator:

  • Provided comments appropriate to justify the rating received.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of the performance event type.
  • Displayed knowledge of MSHSAA Standards for Ratings.

3.    Professionalism:  The adjudicator:

  • Demonstrated knowledge of rules/policies of the MSHSAA festival.
  • Acknowledged the perform(s) and/or performance.
  • Demonstrated conduct expected of a MSHSAA adjudicator.

Adjudicator Rating Scale –

1.    Exceeds Expectations:  Adjudicator demonstrates overall exceptional skills.

2.    Meets Expectations:  Adjudicator demonstrates the necessary skills needed to evaluate performances.

3.    Does Not Meet Expectations:  Adjudicator demonstrates a deficiency of one or more skills.