This book argues that teachers' active participation in policy advocacy is crucial to creating a K-12 educational system that honors the needs of students, families, and communities. The authors examine obstacles to teacher involvement in policy, analyze preservice and practicing teachers' experiences, and present a model for collaborative…

This tool is intended to help educators reflect on the ways they are or are not facilitating the integration of social-emotional learning through the mindsets, actions, and instructional practices that they bring to the work. Through reflection statements and accompanying sample indicators, practitioners are able to take stock of the ways in which…

This document provides guidance on the research, policies, and practices necessary for appropriate development and implementation of student growth goals, which are often referred to as Student Learning Objectives (SLOs). Over the past few years, federal and state education policies have shifted to require teachers to set SLOs with the intention…

The "Student Assessment Inventory for School Districts" supports a process to evaluate the assessments students currently take and then determine the minimum testing necessary to serve essential diagnostic, instructional and accountability purposes. The process should also lead to actions that ensure that every district-mandated…

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are essential management tools for any educational programme or project. This booklet compiles 13 research instruments used in the regional study on the use of language(s) in classrooms in ethnolinguistic communities. The tools can be used by programme personnel such as teachers, programme coordinators,…

This report presents a survey tool, developed by REL Central at Marzano Research, designed to gather information from teachers about their perceptions of and responses to evaluator feedback. District or state administrators can use this survey to systematically collect teacher perceptions on five key aspects of evaluation feedback: (1) feedback…

The purpose of this paper is to inform the community about teacher appraisal methods in the School District of Philadelphia, outline the difficulties of the current system, and suggest approaches that would strengthen the teacher appraisal process. The authors gathered their information over three months in mid-2009 from multiple sources:…

Designed as a hybrid undergraduate class that includes online exercises and in-class discussion, Places in the Media helps students better understand the spatial politics of media that help structure our everyday lives. The article is meant as a do-it-yourself guide for instructors interested in building a course like Places in the Media. As such,…

Engagement matters, and it is critical for student success and for community college faculty and staff who are responsible for helping students learn and achieve their goals. It is particularly critical for community colleges to find ways to engage part-time faculty who are responsible for such a significant part of most students' college…

Drawing from a wealth of research and experience, this book shows educators how to use the transformative power of professional learning in community to raise the professional stature of educators. The authors, experts in their field, provide clear steps and real-school examples with a focus on collaborative adult learning for student gains,…

Performance legitimacy exists when leadership traits valued by subordinates are observed in leaders. This article discusses six facets of leadership that can be measured to determine this legitimacy and tells how a performance legitimacy profile can test the congruence between teachers' and an administrator's evaluations of the administrator's…

A product of a project initiated to develop and evaluate effective programs for gifted children in three school systems in Alberta, Canada, this guidebook is designed for use in evaluating both gifted programs and student growth. The first chapter presents a brief overview of the joint project. Chapter two addresses the problems caused by the…

This guide is designed primarily for administrators/teachers to provide: an introduction to the nature and purpose of school evaluation; an approach involving evaluation of issues determined by school staff; a set of procedures to carry out the evaluation; and guidance information and instruments for conducting an evaluation. Although the guide is…

Intended to serve as an introduction to a useful method of composition evaluation, this handbook provides a comprehensive checklist of many relevant topics and issues. The handbook begins with a discussion of the basic concepts of evaluation. The next chapter provides an overview of the components of a writing program as a background and context…

Notes that, although informal comments by teachers regarding building principals and other reading leaders are important, formal feedback from a survey or questionnaire helps to objectify the evaluation process and to provide principals with a more complete picture. Presents a survey for teacher evaluation of reading leaders. Offers suggestions…