The McREL (Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning) Educator Effectiveness and Evaluation Systems

• In Event: Innovations in Measuring and Assessing Instructional Leadership in Schools

Abstract

The McREL Educator Effectiveness and Evaluation Systems constitute teacher and principal evaluation systems. The teacher evaluation system is supported by a standards-based design capturing five standards of 21st century teacher expectations of performance. The five standards include; 1.) Teacher Leadership. 2.) Classroom Culture and Learning Environment. 3.) Content Knowledge. 4.) Instructional Pedagogy. 5.) Teacher Professionalism. This evaluation system was developed in a collaborative effort with North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The evaluation system was subjected to a pilot test followed by a field test. These trials included McREL’s approach to item and rubric development and analysis, design of internal processes of data collection, scoring and reporting and formal feedback and professional development planning. This evaluation tool was subjected to a bi-directional analysis to determine the degree and depth of alignment to the InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards.
McREL has developed two principal evaluation systems. The first, in collaboration with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, McREL has developed a standards-based principal evaluation system that is modeled after the teacher evaluation system. The second, developed to support McREL research on effective school-leaders, is grounded in McREL’s meta-analysis (Marzano, Waters, & McNulty, 2005). This evaluation system is grounded the framework components of; managing change, focus of leadership and developing purposeful communities. Through an external evaluator, the complementing professional development program to this evaluation system is in the reporting phase of a large randomized control efficacy study.
McREL’s project management team is responsible for the design, development and implementation of these systems. Project management is a collaborative effort between our Field Service department and our Research and Evaluation department. This team is responsible for overseeing the design, development and implementation of our evaluation systems. McREL has established protocols and procedures for project management and continuing validation study. Our validation process requires data analysis, interpretation and dissemination of findings on the instruments (rubrics and collateral forms) and the protocols that accompany the use of the instruments. Our primary goal is to substantiate the use of our evaluation instruments and support processes against a predetermined set of performance criteria. This is done by (a) generating sample scores and systematically determining whether those scores demonstrate expected distributions and patterns; and (b) collecting feedback directly from pilot participants about their experiences with the process. When appropriate, McREL will work with relevant state and local departments to access needed data (e.g., local LEAs for site recruitment and logistics, human resource departments for participant data collection, assessment offices for student performance metrics).

Authors

• Louis F. Cicchinelli, McREL

• Charles Igel, McREL