Cross-Informant Agreement for Measuring Educators' Instructional and Behavioral Management Practices

• In Event: The Varied Uses of Assessment Data for Instructional Improvement: Contexts and Trends

Abstract

The present study examined rating patterns among principals, teachers, and independent observers on ratings of instructional and behavioral management strategies using the Classroom Strategies Scales (Reddy & Dudek, 2014). Four subsamples were analyzed from a larger sample comprised of 317 general education teachers from 73 elementary schools located within 39 districts from New Jersey and New York. Estimates of convergent and discriminant validity for classrooms with three informants (i.e., principals, teachers, independent observers) were used to assess rating patterns and examine rater dyad agreement. Using multitrait-multimethod logic, pairs of similar informants (independent observers-independent observers; independent observers – principals) versus dissimilar informants (independent observers-teachers; principals- teachers) were compared. Implications for teacher evaluation methods are discussed.

Authors

• Linda Reddy, Rutgers University

• Christopher M Dudek, Rutgers University - New Brunswick/Piscataway

• Adam Lekwa, Rutgers University