This paper assesses the effectiveness of readability indices, standard cloze procedure, and the matching cloze procedure as determinants of the readability of supplementary English materials for elementary ESL students in a Pacific Island context. A review of readability indices and the standard cloze procedure indicated that neither procedure is…

Teachers need to develop more effective test-making skills especially on items that test higher-order thinking skills. A reexamination of preservice measurement courses and a thorough critique of inservice and testing activities at the school district and classroom level are suggested. (DF)

This study finds that the chief existing teacher evaluation methods (measuring teacher characteristics, student achievement test scores, and teacher performance rating scales) are subjective, open to bias, closed to public scrutiny, and based on irrelevancies. The study advocates evaluation procedures that are performance-based and empirically…

This report evaluates existing merit pay plans and shows the components of successful plans and the reasons some plans fail. Critical determinants of successful plans are the evaluation system and equal treatment for all deserving teachers. (MD)

Describes a system for evaluating a teacher education program by using existing instruments and data. Presents results from four research projects evaluating elementary and early childhood teacher preparation programs at the University of Georgia. (PAS)

Describes a method to determine whether particular strategies and materials are being used in classrooms as a result of inservice training. (Author/MLF)

A brief description of a remediation and dismissal process that ensures due process for employees while encouraging principals to adhere to a strong code of professional and ethical conduct. (Author/MLF)

The experience of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards illustrates how issues of assessing the content representativeness of performance assessment can be addressed to ensure validity for certification procedures. Explores the challenges of collecting validation evidence when expert judgments of content are used. (SLD)

Conceptions of effective teaching held across various school organization roles (teacher, principal, and board member) are explored, and their implications for teacher evaluation policy are discussed. Data suggest that views of these roles vary in complexity and focus and that successful evaluation requires attention to these views and political…

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards emerged in 1987 in response to recommendations by the Carnegie Forum's Task Force on Teaching as a Profession in its 1986 report "A Nation Prepared." This article discusses competition problems arising from national voluntary certification for teachers wishing to demonstrate greater…

A performance-standard setting procedure termed judgmental policy capturing (JPC) and its application are described. A study involving 12 panelists demonstrated the feasibility of the JPC method for setting performance standards for classroom teachers seeking certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (SLD)

The three standard-setting approaches described in this special issue are summarized and contrasted: (1) judgmental policy capturing; (2) the extended Angoff method; and (3) the dominant profile method. An integrative summary of findings is followed by recommendations for modifying the methods. (SLD)

Explores and criticizes some contentious issues involved in a British legislation-driven teacher-appraisal system that encourages professional development but regards schools and teachers as consumable products. Explores a self-appraisal approach that upholds the profession, but produces clear performance indicators to provide a stricter…

Neither teachers nor supervisors benefit from poor evaluation methods. Effective evaluation ultimately depends on the presence of open trust and communication within an organization. "Drive-by" shooting evaluations are often poorly disguised attempts to weed out a faculty member by confronting that person with virtually nothing but negative…

A teacher appraisal instrument was developed and validated for a system of teacher evaluation in Rivers State (Nigeria). The developed Likert scale for teacher scoring was tested for 410 teachers evaluated by 16 headteacher evaluators. Initial findings suggest areas in which the appraisal process and instrument can be improved. (SLD)