A Four-Year Study of Teacher Evaluation Implementation From the Principals' Perspective

• In Event: 29.090 - Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: 29.090-18 - Social Movements, Culture, and Context in Educational Change

Abstract

This four-year qualitative study followed 14 principals in a southeastern state as they implemented a new teacher evaluation system under Race To The Top mandates. The study examined principal adaptations to policy and the degree to which they incorporated changes during the implementation. The study focused on the intersection of two influential forces: the aggressively reform-driven nature of new evaluation policies and the roles, perceptions, and responses of principals, as the central figures in policy implementation at the school. The principals’ responses in our study demonstrate an early effort to manage the implementation and a delayed effort to lead under RTTT accountability. Principals exhibited strong leadership with some evaluation components but deferred decisions on high impact evaluation components.

Authors

• Mary Lynne Derrington, The University of Tennessee

• John Wilson Campbell, Alcoa City Schools