To update its teaching and departmental review processes, Phillips Academy Andover, an independent boarding school in Massachusetts, commissioned RAND Corporation researchers to review the school's policies, conduct a literature review, interview other independent high schools, develop potential recommendations for revision of Andover's processes,…

In the wake of the Common Core State Standards and teacher evaluation reform, school leaders increasingly look to district leaders for support, coaching, and leadership. District leaders--superintendents, assistant or area superintendents, specialists, principal supervisors, and school business administrators--can hold varying and multiple roles…

Several Race to the Top grantees are considering the development of video libraries as one element of their larger teacher and leader effectiveness reforms. Video libraries promise to offer "real world" examples of teaching practice that can be used for a wide range of purposes: providing teachers with concrete evidence of excellent…

This book presents 11 contributed papers which examine communication aspects of the department chair position in academia. It is noted that most academic department chairs are not trained in management skills, including communication strategies. After an introductory chapter by Christopher H. Spicer and Ann Q. Staton, the following papers are…

Presents a proposal for effective teacher supervision and evaluation that puts the responsibility for supervision on someone close to the teachers, while the responsibility for evaluation remains the principal's. Includes diagrams outlining supervision and evaluation procedures. (MD)

This study assessed the ways in which academic departments in U.S. colleges and universities are evaluated through a survey of about 130 institutions across the Carnegie university categories. This survey and literature review were supplemented by site visits to eight universities. The authors were surprised to find a great amount of departmental…

In examining the dynamics of change processes in high schools, this study makes initial interpretations about school officials who serve as change facilitators. The researchers found that a trend exists for the source of change to come from outside the high school. Principals, assistant principals, and department heads as well as central office…

This report reviews the development of the peer review process at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK) and presents perceptions of the process after 1 year of implementation. The perceptions presented are from a survey of department heads and some faculty who had completed the peer review process. Responses included comments about the…

Discusses "Liberal Learning and the History Major," a report on the state of history education by the American Historical Association that cited a need for curricular structure in and continuity among history departments. Includes an overview of recommendations on curriculum, active learning, and emphasis on research and writing skills.…

While the concept of the teaching portfolio is variously defined, portfolios generally provide the opportunity to display teaching abilities and accomplishments, as well as reflect on one's teaching. In using teaching portfolios, the departmental chairperson must create a climate in which faculty understand that putting together a portfolio will…

This guide provides assistance to New Mexico school districts in implementing a state-sponsored teacher performance evaluation plan (Provision III of the New Mexico Staff Accountability Plan, adopted by the State Board of Education). This plan involves five basic procedures: (1) determine specific definitions of the six essential teaching…

Efforts to train graduate student instructors (GSIs) at the University of California, Berkeley, are considered in this newsletter issue. Administrative changes and ways to improve GSI selection, training, and evaluation are considered, along with: proposed changes in graduate student teaching titles, grants to help faculty and departments…

Decisions by the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education contained in this publication are on appeals made by 33 professional school personnel against actions taken by their school boards. For each case, the employee (appellant) and district (appellee) are cited with a teacher tenure appeal number, the reason for the appeal, findings of fact that…

This book is designed to help department chairs with three stages of junior faculty socialization: recruitment and hiring; the critical first year; and evaluating the performance of new faculty. The book is organized in three parts with 15 chapters. Chapters in Part 1, "Managing the Recruitment and Selection of New Faculty," include: (1)…

This volume on college and university faculty evaluation presents the latest findings, approaches, and issues with an emphasis on careful reflection for all involved. Chapter One discusses the diverse responsibilities of college faculty and the role evaluation can play in faculty improvement. Chapter Two presents a brief history of teaching…