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Ron Maniglia currently serves as a HS Science & Technology Supervisor.

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The next step is to design a research methodology that can account for the contribution of external factors so as to determine a concise description of the characteristics of effective teacher practice that most measurably improve student learning.

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Many studies cannot be generalized beyond the context of the school environment creating a significant gap in the conclusions drawn by current research. Research has been fragmented, small scale, or based on weak-inference designs or instrumentation. The influences of policy and leadership have not been adequately addressed when determining teacher effectiveness. Methods of measuring school effects as well as the impact of curriculum or professional development and evaluations of educational interventions or programming have also been ignored in most studies to date.

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An analyses conducted by Hallinger and Murphy (2014) concluded that teacher evaluation is characterized by overly optimistic interpretations of the underlying literature and a tendency to overlook research design limitations when studying teacher effectiveness by not accounting for other school-level factors. Few studies have been undertaken examining the variability of teacher effect using alternative models or data from the same teachers over time or across different course offerings. Current value-added analyses rely extensively upon unproven statistical assumptions that fail to adequately address external factors as well as the quality of instruction and the impact on student learning (Toch & Rothman, 2008).

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Significance of the Issue Being Researched

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Significance of the Issue Being Researched

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Systematic research is needed to determine whether any evaluation model can reliably assess teacher effectiveness given its potential impact upon student achievement, teacher tenure and employment, and the retention and recruitment of individuals into the profession. Evaluation systems base performance expectations upon broad domains of practice which can unintentionally de-emphasze the personal traits of teachers highly valued by administrators (Harris, Inge, & Rutledge, 2014).

The implementation of a reliable research-based teacher evaluation system is critical given the increasing demands placed upon local district officials to allocate limited resources to administer multiple high-stakes tests and to provide ongoing professional development to teachers. Without a specific definition of teacher effectiveness and a means to measurebly differentiate the qualities of practicioners, little progress can be made in improving student learning.

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Teacher evaluation refers to a process that can "(1) differentiate teachers on a regular basis using at least three performance levels, (2) use multiple valid measures in determining each teacher’s performance level, and (3) include, as a significant factor, data on student growth for all students and other measures of professional practice." (71820 Federal Register Vol. 79, No. 232)

Student achievement for non-tested grades and subjects is defined as any "alternative measures of student learning and performance, such as student scores on pre-tests and end-of-course tests; student performance on English language proficiency assessments; and other measures of student achievement that are rigorous and comparable across schools." (71820 Federal Register Vol. 79, No. 232)

Student growth is defined as "the change in student achievement for an individual student between two or more points in time. An applicant may also include other measures that are rigorous and comparable across classrooms." (71820 Federal Register Vol. 79, No. 232)

Highly effective teacher means "a teacher whose students achieve high rates ... of student growth .. [which  may include supplementary measures such as] multiple observation-based assessments of teacher performance or evidence of leadership roles (which may include mentoring or leading professional development learning communities) that increase effectiveness of other teachers in the school or local educational agency." (53823 Federal Register Vol. 77, No. 171)

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The accountability measures imposed on districts as a result of No Child Left Behind and Race To The Top has sparked an examination of whether a significantly measureable relationship exists between teacher quality and student achievement. Few current evaluation models account for the organization’s influence on teacher effectiveness despite evidence that administrators emphasize the context in personnel decisions. (Harris & Rutledge, 2010). There is little evidence that current evaluation systems provide sufficient meaningful feedback to improve teacher quality and as a consequence have minimal impact on improving student achievement.  A review of the literature shows that historically evaluative methods vary from classroom observations, designed to measure teacher practices against a set of standards, to those including value-added models, measuring teacher contributions to gains in student achievement.

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(1) Stronge’s Qualities of Effective Teachers includes six performance standards describing highly effective teachers as demonstrating an extensive professional knowledge; using data and differentiate instructional planning; engaging students in higher order thinking and/or enhanced performance skills; using a variety of assessments based to evaluate student learning; creating a dynamic learning environment; and participating in high level personal/professional growth (Stronge, 2007).

(2) Marzano's Effective Supervision: Supporting the Art and Science of Teaching delineates four domains with specific elements dealing with classroom strategies and behaviors; planning and preparation; reflecting on teaching; and, collegiality and professionalism. (Marzano, Frontier,  & Livingston, 2011).

(3) Danielson's 2013 Edition of Framework for Teaching retains the original model's four domains of planning and preparation, the environment, delivery of service (instruction), and professional responsibilities. Content-specific examples and minor revisions to the language of selected subcomponents have been added to the generic framework to better align with the implications of the Common Core Standards in the areas of curriculum and assessment (Danielson, 2013).

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As an iterative process, the purpose of the literature review is to assess extent and quality of current research addressing the ability of teacher evaluation models to precisely identify the characteristics of and strategies employed by highly effective classroom teachers absent the influence of external factors. Specifically, the research will be collected, analyzed, and synthesized to determine whether there are evaluation frameworks, including value-added models, that support teacher improvement which can positively impact student achievement.

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The accountability provisions of Race To The Top mandates school districts to implement a system to evaluate and improve teacher quality. School administrators conduct annual teacher evaluations based upon the assumption of a clearly-defined, shared understanding of the characteristics of and external factors contributing to effective teacher practice. The variation among educators to promote student achievement has presented a challenge in designing frameworks and evaluation instruments that can readily and consistently define and differentiate the attributes of highly effective versus ineffective teachers.

Given that under fifty percent of teachers nationwide can be evaluated solely on high-stakes student test scores, the alternative is employing a system based upon classroom observations and multiple artifacts from various sources. The question is whether practice-based evaluation systems can yield a teacher performance rating predictive of the ability of the individual to improve student learning. This study will examine the efficacy of the Stronge Teacher Effectives Evaluation System (TEPES) in identifying highly effective teachers with respect to their impact on student academic growth and on curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.

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RQ1. What components of the Stronge Teacher Effectiveness Performance Evaluation System (TEPES) have been most/least successfully implemented by teachers and administrators?
RQ2. What do teachers and administrators perceive as the key factors supporting and/or impeding successful implementation of TEPES?
RQ3. From the perspective of teachers, in what ways has TEPES informed or affected their teaching practice and assessment of student learning?
RQ4. What qualities or behaviors distinguish a highly effective from an effective teacher according to teachers and administrators?
RQ5. Are high quality teachers equally effective in instructing and assessing students across different types of classes and content areas?
RQ6. Is a TEPES teacher rating of highly effective associated with student test scores that are above average? What instructional and assessment practices are evident among teachers rated as highly effective?

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Overview of the teacher effectiveness performance evaluation system.

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James Stronge - Teacher Performance Evaluation

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In this insightful video author and educator James Stronge, a 2012 Hawker Brownlow Education conference presenter, discusses how teacher evaluation should involve highlighting a teacher's strengths while positing areas where they can improve. His books give teachers the tools necessary for performance growth, highlighting how improved teacher performance is reflected in student performance growth.

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Sample of the Stronge performance indicators and appraisal rubrics differentiating levels of teacher effectiveness for instructional planning standard.