Chad D. Ellett

Teacher Evaluation, Teacher Effectiveness and School Effectiveness: Perspectives from the USA

This article provides historical overviews of the conceptual and research and development focus of teacher evaluation, teacher effectiveness and school effectiveness research in the USA. Pertinent literature is cited and arguments are made that these lines of inquiry have coexisted for nearly four without adequate integration. With the fourth stage of school effectiveness research in process, there is a recognition that within school context variables, particularly teacher effectiveness, have important effects on school improvement and school outcomes. Similarly, there is the recognition that findings from school effectiveness research have relevance for studies of teacher effectiveness and ongoing developments in teacher evaluation. Examples of: (a) new generation, learner-centered teacher evaluation systems in the USA that are informed by teacher and school effectiveness research; and (b) the fourth stage of school effectiveness research are described. It is proposed that these lines of research should be merged as completely as possible.

Teacher Evaluation, Leadership and Learning Organizations

This article presents the argument that meaningful teacher evaluation in schools can be an important catalyst for organizational learning and school improvement when it is linked to broader conceptions of leadership in schools. A state-of-the-art teacher evaluation, assessment and professional growth system is described and the manner in which this system is linked to leadership density, organizational learning, and school improvement is detailed. Findings from two contrasting case studies of schools implementing this new system are presented and implications of the findings for linking teacher evaluation systems, newer conceptions of school leadership, and school improvement are described.

How Valid are the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Assessments for Predicting the Quality of Actual Classroom Teaching and Learning? Results of Six Mini Case Studies

Six mini case studies of teachers certified by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) were completed using systematic classroom observations, individual teacher interviews, and semi-structured individual and focus group interviews with school site administrators and colleague teachers. Classroom teaching practices of six teachers (2 elementary, 2 middle/Jr. High, 2 High School) in a large southeastern urban district were assessed by two trained observers, and semi-structured interviews with school-site personnel were completed by two additional trained researchers. The findings clearly showed considerable variation among these teachers in the quality of teaching and learning in their daily practices. Two teachers were clearly exemplary, two were rather average, and two were considered rather ineffective in the quality of classroom teaching and learning. Interviews with school-site personnel were somewhat mixed in corroborating findings from actual classroom observations and assessments. Implications of the findings for the validity of NBPTS certification in everyday practice, the meaning of NBPTS certification, and policy decisions such as performance-based pay supplements for NBPTS certified teachers are discussed.

Structural Coupling, Robustness and Effectiveness of Schools

Explores the relationships between teacher perceptions of the structural coupling in their schools and their perceptions of school robustness and effectiveness in a research study of 73 participating schools. Pearson product‐moment correlations of mean scores from each school produced significant relationships, suggesting that teacher perceptions of relatively tight coupling of goal direction/vision and work supervision structures, and relatively loose coupling of manipulative control structures, are associated with their positive perceptions of school robustness and effectiveness as well as student achievement and attendance.

Web-Based Support for Teacher Evaluation and Professional Growth: The Professional Assessment and Comprehensive Evaluation System (PACES).

This article describes the recent development, implementation, and web-based support for a new comprehensive system designed for the annual evaluation and professional growth of all teachers in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), Miami, Florida. The Professional Assessment and Comprehensive Evaluation System (PACES) has been designed to meet new legislative mandates in Florida for approval of district teacher evaluation procedures and mandates that require all teachers and school support/resource personnel (e.g., school counselors, library/media specialists, school psychologists) to develop and implement an annual professional development plan that targets student outcomes. The PACES has also been developed to embrace newer philosophies of professional teaching practice and prominent theories of teaching and learning. Included in the article is an overview of the PACES and a description of current and developing web-based supports for the total PACES effort in M-DCPS. These supports were designed to: (a) enhance the learning of teachers, administrators, and other educators; (b) maintain updated information about program policies and procedures; (c) prepare members of PACES Professional Growth Teams (mentor teachers); (d) provide technology-based supports for the ongoing professional development of teachers, administrators, and other educators; (e) increase the efficiency of collecting and processing information from PACES evaluations and professional growth activities; and (f) facilitate the development of a more cohesive learning community among educators and learners in M-DCPS.

Five Years after Implementation: The Role of the District in Maintaining an Ongoing School Improvement Process

ABSTRACT The longitudinal study reported here provides insight into the role of the school district in implementing and maintaining the essential elements of a nine‐year statewide improvement project called SPUR five years after the termination of state funding and external support. Key to the conceptualization of SPUR were findings from the comprehensive Rand Study (McLaughlin & Marsh, 1978) on successful change efforts emphasizing the importance of implementing an ongoing improvement process. On‐site visits to six districts and a follow‐up survey of all 66 participating school districts were used to determine maintenance of the process, factors facilitating/impeding maintenance, and long‐term benefits. Results suggest that SPUR represents a viable improvement process that can be implemented and maintained in districts and schools with positive outcomes. Individual and organizational efficacy as well as an increased capacity for change and innovation were found to be directly related to the level of dist...

School learning environment, organizational structures and effectiveness: A synthesis of research in 443 schools

Abstract This chapter is a synthesis of findings from five research studies linking school learning environment and organizational characteristics to multiple indices of school effectiveness. Descriptions of a variety of new measures of school level environment characteristics are included and implications of the findings for research and theory development in the future study of school learning environments, schools as organizations and school effectiveness are discussed.

Developments in the Preparation and Licensing of School Leaders: The Work of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium

Volume 13, Number 3, of the Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education is a special issue developed under the leadership of Joseph F. Murphy of Vanderbilt University. The articles discuss some of the recent and important work of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), which operates under the auspices of the Council of Chief State School Officers and in cooperation with the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. In carrying out its work, the ISLCC has brought together some 30 states, a variety of professional associations, and a number of universities to reexamine, conceptualize, and redefine the meaning of school leadership as we approach the next century. Core principles grounded in a broad view of education and society and accompanying content standards have been developed by the ISLCC as a basis for several decision-making and education-improvement contexts, including licensure, certification, program improvement, and candidate assessment.

Lead Program Provides Support, Development for New Principals

The Leadership in Educational Administration Development (LEAD) program helps new princi bals hone their administrative skills and establishes for them a net ork of support and information. One such program is described here.

School Environmental Robustness, Holding Power and Achievement: Implications for Effective Middle Schools

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to explore the construct of school “holding power” (as measured by teacher perceptions of school environmental robustness and generalized job satisfaction) and its relationship to school outcomes of achievement and attendance. Of particular interest, were the results of analyses completed with a sample of middle schools. The Robustness Semantic Differential (RSD) and Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS) were administered to approximately 1600 teachers in 80 schools. The results of correlation and multiple regression analyses demonstrated rather strong positive relationships between school environmental robustness characteristics and school attendance and achievement. Teacher satisfaction was inversely related to these school outcomes. Implications of the findings for understanding the middle school environment and for completing additional studies within this line of inquiry are discussed.