scholarly journals Better integrating summative and formative goals in the design of next generation teacher evaluation systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Timothy G. Ford ◽  
Kim Hewitt

In current teacher evaluation systems, the two main purposes of evaluation—accountability/goal accomplishment (summative) and professional growth/improvement (formative)—are often at odds with one another. However, they are not only compatible, but linking them within a unified teacher evaluation system may, in fact, be desirable. The challenge of the next generation of teacher evaluation systems will be to better integrate these two purposes in policy and practice. In this paper, we integrate the frameworks of Self-determination theory and Stronge’s Improvement-Oriented Model for Performance Evaluation. We use this integrated framework to critically examine teacher evaluation policy in Hawaii and Washington, D.C.—two distinctly different approaches to teacher evaluation—for the purposes of identifying a set of clear recommendations for improving the design and implementation of teacher evaluation policy moving forward.

1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penelope L. Peterson ◽  
Michelle A. Comeaux

High school teachers (N = 48) in four schools in two districts in Florida and Wisconsin analyzed two behavioral teacher evaluation systems used in Florida (Florida Performance Measurement System [FPMS] and Teacher Assessment and Development System [TADS]), a Self-Evaluation Checklist, and an Alternative System designed to assess teachers’ reflection on practice. Overall, teachers rated the Alternative System most highly because they thought the system would facilitate professional growth by encouraging teachers to reflect on their teaching. However, Wisconsin teachers rated this system more highly than did Florida teachers, who rated TADS more favorably. Teachers’ ratings of TADS were significantly related to their agreement with a teaching effectiveness perspective, and Florida and Wisconsin teachers differed in their agreement with this perspective. Comparisons of teachers’ judgments who had actually used particular systems with those who had not showed the importance of considering the context as well as the content of evaluation systems.


2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Robertson-Kraft ◽  
Rosaline S. Zhang

A growing body of research examines the impact of recent teacher evaluation systems; however, we have limited knowledge on how these systems influence teacher retention. This study uses a mixed-methods design to examine teacher retention patterns during the pilot year of an evaluation system in an urban school district in Texas. We used difference-in-differences analysis to examine the impact of the new system on school-level teacher turnover and administered a teacher survey ( N = 1,301) to investigate individual and school-level factors influencing retention. This quantitative analysis was supplemented with interview data from two case study schools. Results suggest that, overall, the new evaluation system did not have a significant effect on teacher retention, but there was significant variation at the individual and school level. This study has important implications for policymakers developing new evaluation systems and researchers interested in evaluating their impact on retention.


Author(s):  
Richard L. Dodson

This research examines how public school principals in eight U.S. states perceive their teacher evaluation systems which are based on Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching (FfT).  States were selected to represent high, middle, and low scorers in the annual Education Week “Quality Counts” report (Education Week, 2016).  1,142 out of over 8,100 working principals in the eight states responded to an online survey, yielding a response rate of over 14%.  Most principals were not satisfied with FfT and found implementing the system too cumbersome.  Responses suggested an average of two changes to FfT desired by each principal; few wanted to keep their FfT as is.  Targets for improvement included overhauling software used to enter teacher evaluations; eliminating student growth goals and student test scores (VAMs) as part of evaluations; reducing the time and paperwork required; and wanting more training for administrators and teachers on the use of FfT.  Some states’ principals wanted to return control over teacher evaluation systems to local school districts.  Most respondents agreed that their version of FfT has improved their school’s instructional program, and they prefer the new instrument over their previous evaluation instrument.


Author(s):  
Noelle A Paufler

Since the adoption of teacher evaluation systems that rely, at least in part, on controversial student achievement measures, little research has been conducted that focuses on stakeholders’ perceptions of systems in practice, specifically the perceptions of school principals. This study was conducted in a large urban school district to better understand principals’ perceptions of evaluating teachers based on professional and instructional practices as well as student achievement (i.e., value-added scores). Principals in this study strongly expressed concerns regarding: (a) the negative impact of the teacher evaluation system on district culture and morale; (b) their lack of autonomy in evaluating teachers and making staffing decisions; and (c) their perceived lack of value as professionals in the district. Examining the implications of teacher evaluation systems, per the experiences of principals as practitioners, is increasingly important if state and local policymakers as well as the general public are to better understand the intended and unintended consequences of these systems in practice.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1-51
Author(s):  
Aaron R. Phipps ◽  
Emily A. Wiseman

Teacher evaluation systems that use in-class observations, particularly in high-stakes settings, are frequently understood as accountability systems intended as non-intrusive measures of teacher quality. Presumably, the evaluation system motivates teachers to improve their practice – an accountability mechanism – and provides actionable feedback for improvement – an information mechanism. No evidence exists, however, establishing the causal link between an evaluation program and daily teacher practices. Importantly, it is unknown how teachers may modify their practice in the time leading up to an unannounced in-class observation, or how they integrate feedback into their practice post-evaluation, a question that fundamentally changes the design and philosophy of teacher evaluation programs. We disentangle these two effects with a unique empirical strategy that exploits random variation in the timing of in-class observations in the Washington, D.C. teacher evaluation program IMPACT. Our key finding is that teachers work to improve during periods in which they are more likely to be observed, and they improve with subsequent evaluations. We interpret this as evidence that both mechanisms are at work, and as a result, policymakers should seriously consider both when designing teacher evaluation systems.


2019 ◽  
pp. 175-200
Author(s):  
Cara Faith Bernard ◽  
Joseph Michael Abramo

This chapter provides strategies for music educators to foster effective dialogue with evaluators and administrators in the teacher evaluation process. First, it describes the key components of teacher evaluation discussions, including the feedback, the rules and procedures required of teacher evaluation systems, and the evaluator’s and music teacher’s expectations and pressures. Second, the chapter provides advice for preparing for meetings, including the types of questions to anticipate and how to tailor answers to those questions depending on different evaluators. Next, it provides a framework for listening to and responding to feedback effectively and constructively during meetings. The chapter concludes with a description of the steps music teachers can take after meetings to spark professional growth and maintain communication with evaluators. These include immediately implementing feedback, reporting the results, and continuing dialogue to further professional growth.


Author(s):  
James H. Stronge ◽  
Xianxuan Xu ◽  
Leslie W. Grant ◽  
Yanping Mo ◽  
Ke Huang

This chapter provides an overview of the educational system from the founding of the country to today. Like Australia and Canada, the governmental structure involves the national government with smaller units in the form of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. This structure means variation of educational systems across governmental units. The authors provide an overview of the influence of conceptions of teaching effectiveness including the development of professional organization standards, passing of national legislation aimed at defining teacher effectiveness in terms of student outcomes, and standards-based teacher evaluation systems. Unique features of the United States perspective include a focus on differentiation to include getting to know the needs of individual students and meeting those individual needs. The authors describe the cultural basis for these unique features.


Author(s):  
Cara Faith Bernard ◽  
Joseph Michael Abramo

This introduction provides a rationale for why music teachers should engage in teacher evaluation. First, it names some concerns music teachers have with teacher evaluation to help them understand and address these challenges and avoid negative experiences. These include concerns that teacher evaluation systems are applied to teaching in general and are not specific to music; that evaluators often do not have backgrounds in music teaching and therefore do not have the expertise to evaluate music teachers or provide valuable feedback; that music teachers receive mixed messages about what is good teaching from evaluators; and that music teachers do not receive sufficient time and attention from evaluators to implement effective teacher evaluation. To address these frustrations, the introduction provides a rationale for working past them and using teacher evaluation to improve teacher practice and professional growth.


2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 2116-2146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sy Doan ◽  
Jonathan D. Schweig ◽  
Kata Mihaly

Contemporary teacher evaluation systems use multiple measures of performance to construct ratings of teacher quality. While the properties of constituent measures have been studied, little is known about whether composite ratings themselves are sufficiently reliable to support high-stakes decision making. We address this gap by estimating the consistency of composite ratings of teacher quality from New Mexico’s teacher evaluation system from 2015 to 2016. We estimate that roughly 40% of teachers would receive a different composite rating if reevaluated in the same year; 97% of teachers would receive ratings within ±1 level of their original rating. We discuss mechanisms by which policymakers can improve rating consistency, and the implications of those changes to other properties of teacher evaluation systems.


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