Principals’ Attitudes Towards on-site Evaluations: Contributions to Sustained School Reform

• In Event: Contested Reforms: Fighting for an Education for the Public Good

Abstract

Test-based accountability provides limited guidance for sustained school reforms, whereas on-site evaluations offer broader and more nuanced insights. The effectiveness of transforming inspection feedback into long-term improvements largely depends on school leaders’ attitudes. Grounded in organizational change theory, this study investigates principals’ perceptions of school inspection feedback, including its effectiveness, appropriateness, and their readiness to implement changes. A large U.S. district that has incorporated school inspections serves as the case study. Findings reveal that principals hold strong positive attitudes toward inspections, which are linked to sustained change. However, due to the district's accountability framework prioritizing test-based measures, principals expressed ambivalence about fully implementing inspection-driven reforms. This study underscores the challenges of integrating expert on-site evaluations within test-based accountability systems, highlighting the tensions that arise when balancing both approaches.

Author

• Pablo Bezem, Arizona State University