ERIC Number: ED512286
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Jun
Pages: 14
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: ISBN-978-0-9814-6047-5
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Rethinking Teacher Evaluation: Findings from the First Year of the Excellence in Teaching Project in Chicago Public Schools. Policy Brief
Sartain, Lauren; Stoelinga, Sara Ray; Krone, Emily
Consortium on Chicago School Research
Researchers have raised a number of questions about whether student achievement data can be used fairly or accurately for purposes of teacher evaluation. Others have noted that achievement data alone cannot provide teachers with the information they need to improve their practice. Recognizing these limitations, the federal government and many states have specified that student test score data should be just one of a variety of measures used to evaluate teachers. Other measures would likely include some form of classroom observation, which in turn has generated new demand for tools that principals and others can use to judge whether effective teaching is taking place. The Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching, which attempts to delineate the observable components of effective teaching, is perhaps the most well-known example of such a tool. Districts including Chicago, Cincinnati, and Las Vegas have adopted the Framework to structure teacher evaluation. A team of researchers from the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) at the University of Chicago is studying the implementation of the Danielson Framework in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and providing real-time, objective feedback to the district on its new pilot teacher evaluation program, the Excellence in Teaching Project. This policy brief describes the first year of implementation in CPS and highlights key early findings and policy implications from the study. The findings presented are relevant for policymakers contemplating how best to support the design and development of effective teacher evaluation systems. They are particularly important for districts seeking valid, reliable ways to measure and evaluate the complex activity of teaching. (Contains 12 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Public Schools, Teacher Effectiveness, Teacher Evaluation, Evaluation Methods, Program Implementation, Methods Research, Test Reliability, Test Validity, Administrator Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Audits (Verification), Consortia, Pilot Projects, Program Descriptions, Classroom Observation Techniques
Consortium on Chicago School Research. 1313 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 773-702-3364; Fax: 773-702-2010; Web site: http://ccsr.uchicago.edu
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: Joyce Foundation
Authoring Institution: Consortium on Chicago School Research
Identifiers - Location: Illinois
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A