This document presents issues that should be considered before student test results are used in evaluations of teacher performance. As the stakes attached to student test results have increased, so has the need for educators to make informed decisions about the types of tests used to generate data for these purposes and the way student test…

Teacher evaluation is at the center of current education policy reform. Most evaluation systems rely at least in part on principals' assessments of teachers, and their discretionary judgments carry substantial weight. However, we know relatively little about what they value when determining evaluations and high stakes personnel decisions. The…

An analysis of survey data is used to examine the practices used to hire teachers, the level of principal autonomy within the process, the attributes sought in teachers, and to compare each based upon the characteristics of schools and of principals. Findings indicate that urban and low-performing schools (and the principals of these schools) are…

Teacher effectiveness research and its use in classroom observation have progressed substantially since the seventies; findings are now experimentally significant, cover a broad subject range, and can be generalized beyond low economic status groups and elementary school students. New teacher evaluation criteria and observation techniques have…

Discusses how issues involved in establishing the type of master teacher evaluation system called for in Tennessee's Comprehensive Education Reform Act apply to reading specialists: arbitrary selection of measures and criteria for assessing teacher effectiveness; utilization of alternative approaches including self-, student, and observer…

This document explains the teacher evaluation process used by the New Britain (Connecticut) School District. The major parts of the evaluation cycle--self-evaluation, goals and objectives, and job description evaluation--are described. Other sections address ways in which to resolve conflicts and problems and procedures for continuing employment.…

Discusses five ways in which school administrators can improve teacher evaluation practices: clarify the purpose of the evaluation; select substantive evaluation criteria that are related to learning outcomes; establish clear and reasonable standards; gather evaluation data from various sources; and prepare evaluation reports geared toward teacher…

Analysis of responses from 536 teachers revealed that teachers' background and professional attitudes were related to their views toward six specific types of evaluation. Multifaceted approaches may be required in order to realize consensus regarding teacher evaluation. (MLF)

A self-nomination process is the key to a merit program in a Nebraska school system. An incentive award is distributed equally among teacher candidates who meet defined criteria in the areas of (1) student achievement, (2) candidate cooperation, (3) improving the profession, and (4) commitment to professional growth. (MLF)

The literature presents a variety of approaches for a principal to take when evaluating how well teachers are passing on to students the learning constructs indicated in the program via the teaching process. Chester McNerney suggests evaluation of teacher knowledge, personal attributes, and social skills and interactions. J. Minor Gwynn advises…

Evaluation of personnel is an essential means of ensuring quality in education. However, evaluations of teachers and administrators have often been divisive and counterproductive. This book is the product of a collaborative effort by 14 professional associations as a guide for assessing or developing systems for evaluating education personnel at…

Designed primarily as a functional tool and reference book for administrators, this book provides a collection of essays covering various aspects of the performance appraisal of college faculty, administrators, and support staff. The booklet presents practical information on the key concepts, theories, practices, and legal constraints in…

Peer evaluators and multiple data sources are effective elements of Tennessee's career ladder system, but the assessment of teaching remains far from simple. (Author/TE)

Proposes guidelines for principals attempting to evaluate teachers' grading policies. Principals should understand teachers' perspectives, ask for copies of their grading policies, be wary of traits (like "effort") not measuring achievement, consider grading information quality, think about homework's role, expect teachers to use numbers and…

A growing emphasis on teacher accountability, coupled with declining enrollments and reduced revenues, has increased the importance of teacher evaluations as a basis for staffing decisions, even though there is no clear definition of teacher effectiveness. Accordingly, legal standards are provided for the procedural and substantive issues of due…