A summative report is the final evaluation document for an employee, bringing together observations, notes, ratings, and narrative feedback into one comprehensive assessment. This article walks administrators and evaluators through creating a summative report, requesting the employee's reflection and signature, and finalizing the report.
Before You Begin
Before creating a summative report, confirm the following:
At least one completed observation (formal or informal) exists for this employee
The employee has an active Growth Plan (PDP/IPLP)
The employee has a valid email address on file
If any of these are missing, they must be completed before proceeding.
Accessing Summative Reports
Steps
Navigate to the employee's profile page.
Select the Summative Reports tab.
Review any existing summative reports and their current status (Draft, Requested, Signed, Completed).
Creating a New Summative Report
Steps
Click + Add Summative Report.
A multi-step form opens to guide you through the process.
Step 1: Select Observations, Notes, and Employee Details
Select the formal observations you want to include.
Select any informal observations you want to reference.
Only completed or shared observations will appear.
Select any relevant notes to include.
Review the employee's name, building name, and title (pre-filled).
Note: Building name and employee title are optional to include.
Click Next to continue.
Step 2: Rate Standards and Add Narrative Feedback
In this step, you evaluate performance against standards and provide written feedback.
Option 1: Applying AI-Recommended Ratings
Select Apply Lebra Recommended Ratings to generate draft ratings and comments based on evidence from the selected notes and observations.
Review all AI-generated content carefully and edit as needed.
Option 2: Manually Rating Standards
Expand each domain to view its standards.
Select a rating for each standard.
Add supporting comments to explain your ratings.
Repeat for all standards across all domains.
The overall score updates automatically as ratings are entered.
Adding Narrative Descriptions
After rating all standards, scroll down to the narrative sections:
In the Key Strengths text area, describe the employee's primary strengths and positive contributions.
Aim for 100-150 words that highlight specific accomplishments and qualities.
In the Areas for Growth text area, describe areas where the employee can continue to develop.
Be constructive and specific, focusing on professional development opportunities.
Use the Additional Comments section for any other relevant information not covered elsewhere
Tip: Click the AI Composer icon to get help drafting these sections based on your observations and notes. All content remains fully editable.
Note: Your work saves automatically as you type, but you may also select Save as Draft to exit and return later.
Click Continue when ready.
Step 3: Review and Request Employee Signature
Review the full report summary, including:
Employee details
Included observations and notes
Overall score and component ratings
Narrative feedback
When ready, select Request employee reflection and signature.
Confirm the request to send the report to the employee by email.
The employee will receive an email with a secure link to view the report and add their reflection.
Note: email links are valid for 60 days. If a link expires, you can resend the request.
Finalizing the Summative Report
Steps
Return to the employee's Summative Reports tab.
Open the report marked Signed.
Review the employee's reflection.
Select Finalize Report and confirm.
The report status changes to Completed, and the employee receives a confirmation email.
Important: Once finalized, the report cannot be edited. Make sure all information is correct before finalizing.
Downloading the Report
After finalization, you can download a PDF copy:
Open the completed summative report.
Click the Download PDF button.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a summative report after sending it for signature?
Yes, as long as the employee hasn't signed yet. Open the report and click "Edit" to make changes. After editing, you'll need to resend the signature request.
What if the employee's email link expires?
Email links are valid for 60 days. If the link expires, open the report and click "Resend Signature Request" to send a new email with a fresh link.
Can I delete a summative report?
Yes, you can delete reports that are in Draft or Requested status. Click the delete icon next to the report in the list. Signed and Completed reports cannot be deleted.
How is the overall score calculated?
The overall score is automatically calculated based on the individual ratings you assign to each standard, weighted according to your organization's rubric settings.
Can I create multiple summative reports for the same employee?
Yes, you can create multiple summative reports for an employee, typically one per evaluation period.
What if I don't have any observations yet?
You must have at least one completed observation before creating a summative report. Complete an observation first, then return to create the summative report.