Principals' Use of Rating Scale Categories in Teacher Evaluation

• In Event: 42.062 - Classroom Observations: Reliability, Validity, and Use in Determining Teacher Effectiveness

Abstract

Observations of teaching practices by school principals are commonly used in teacher evaluation systems nationwide. This study addresses the quality and validity of principals’ ratings by examining the use of rating categories across principals, teaching episodes, and teaching practices. For example, does a score of “4” have the same meaning regardless of which principal, teaching episode, or practice is rated? Analysis uses data from 265 school districts in a partial credit formulation of the Many Facet Rasch model. Results showed that rating categories are not equivalent across all teaching episodes and midpoint categories are underutilized. Such analysis is important for interpretation of classroom observation data, and for identifying needed improvements in training and development of rating rubrics.

Authors

• Stefanie Anne Wind, The University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa

• Chia-Lin Tsai, University of Missouri

• Sara Bernice Grajeda, University of Delaware

• Christi Crosby Bergin, University of Missouri