If you have taken either the Thinking About Your District’s Teacher Evaluation System or How Effective is Your Teacher Evaluation and Supervision Quiz, you have likely landed here to learn more about your results and consider next steps. Before we begin, I would like to give you some brief information about how the quiz questions were developed and scored. If the details do not interest you, skip down to the next section.
My dissertation research was centered the current teacher evaluation practices for California school administrators and how these practices compared to what research has deemed as best practices. I needed an instrument to measure these practices, but found that it did not exist. So I developed one.
I did six years of research (yes, it took me that long to emerge from ABD status) to determine that there were several dimensions of teacher evaluation practice in which items for the instrument could be categorized: contractual elements, classroom observations, follow-up conversations, administrator training. Once the instrument was complete (read: determined to be valid and reliable by my dissertation chair, Dr. Ying Jiang, who hung in there with me), I sent the survey out to all 1,028 California 9-12 traditional high school administrators (a special thanks to CDE Data and Statistics for making this data set possible). I used a few statistical analysis tools to determine which items would make the final cut.Â
I also applied multiple regression with contactual elements as the independent variable and all other dimensions as independent variables. I developed the quizzes into two parts: a) attributes of your DISTRICT’S teacher evaluation system and b) YOUR practice as a site administrator (including: classroom observation practices and teacher feedback and support for improved instructional practice)
Levels of Practice
Below are the six (okay, really five) different levels of practice that can be used for both quizzes. I adapted the language from the California Professional Standard for Education Leaders and the Descriptions of Practice (Kearney, 2015)
This information is very useful when setting goals for improving teacher evaluation practice.
Kearney, K. (Ed.). (2015). Moving leadership standards into everyday work: Descriptions of practice (Second Edition). San Francisco, CA: WestEd).
Directed Toward the Standard
Aware of evaluation best practices to support understanding of improving instruction. Recognizes the importance of learning-focused conversations with teachers. Demonstrates knowledge of observation protocols.
Approaches the Standard
Explores use of additional evaluation best practices to support improved instruction. Guides the development of teachers to improve instructional practice. Expands knowledge of evidence of effective instructional practices.
Meets the Standard
Implements a variety of evaluation best practices. Maintains a consistent practice of learning-focused conversations with teachers. Utilizes knowledge of a range of evidence of instructional practice to facilitate learning-focused conversations.
Exceeds the Standard
Integrates extensive knowledge evaluation best practices to enhance and deepen teacher instructional practice. Provides a respectful and rigorous learning-focused relationships with teachers that supports and challenges all students to achieve. Articulates knowledge of how to use a variety of metrics to facilitate learning-focused conversations.
- Part Four of Building a Learning-Focused Culture in Four Parts: Evaluating Progress - September 20, 2022
- Part Three of Building a Learning-Focused Culture in Four Parts: One Classroom at a Time - September 30, 2020
- Part Two of Building a Learning-Focused Culture in Four Parts: Taking Stock - September 14, 2020