How Teacher Evaluation Methods Matter for Accountability: A Comparative Analysis of Teachers Using Principal Interviews and Value-Added Measures

• In Event: Methodological Issues in Teacher Evaluation Policy

Abstract

Policymakers are revolutionizing teacher evaluation by placing greater focus on teachers’ value-added scores and classroom observations of practice and by increasing the stakes attached to evaluations. This study examines the potential implications of different evaluation methods by asking: How do teacher value-added measures differ from principals’ impressions of teacher effectiveness? To answer this, we compare the characteristics associated with teacher value-added scores and principals’ ratings and descriptions of the same teachers. The study therefore informs the ways in which the choice of evaluation methods may affect both the composition of the teacher workforce and the daily work of teachers.

Authors

• Douglas N. Harris, Tulane University

• William Kyle Ingle, University of Louisville

• Stacey A. Rutledge, Florida State University