Supporting Principals in Implementing Teacher Evaluation Systems is the latest policy brief from NASSP and NAESP. It is the product of two months of work from a committee of elementary, middle level, and high school principals from the across the country who are all experiencing different challenges and opportunities in conducting classroom observations, mentoring and coaching teachers, and providing personalized professional development opportunities in their schools.
Principals know-as does the rest of the educational community-that teacher quality is the single most important school-based factor in student achievement. Principals want their schools and students to achieve. In light of that desire, principals want the teacher evaluation process to be successful. A successful process is predicated on meaningful feedback, mentoring, and coaching, as well as appropriate support for principals to execute evaluation models that accomplish the goal of evaluation-to improve instruction and learning in the school building.
Supporting Principals in Implementing Teacher Evaluation Systems offers policymakers and district leaders seven recommendations to support principals as new teacher evaluation systems take root:
- Require states and districts to spend at least 10% of Title II funds from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) on high-quality professional development tied to new federal reforms that have changed school leadership roles and responsibilities.
- Provide high-quality training, credentialing, and ongoing professional development on teacher evaluation for principals.
- Respect the professional judgment of principals in the teacher evaluation process, and ensure sufficient opportunities for principals to provide direct feedback on the teacher evaluation models to verify that the evaluations are leading to improved teaching and learning in schools.
- Reduce the number of observations required for teachers who demonstrate effectiveness and focus their evaluation on professional growth plans to maximize the time for principals to engage in instructional coaching.
- Provide consistent funding for schools to hire assistant principals and other school administrators who provide direct support for teachers in every elementary, middle, and high school.
- Provide personalized professional development for all teachers to support collaboration and best practices within school districts and schools to improve instruction and learning.
- Provide principals with effective technology and related tools to facilitate efficient observations and support them to disseminate timely feedback to teachers as well as personalize professional development and learning opportunities.
Most agree that good teachers are the most crucial element in student success, but if the link between good principals and good teachers can be improved, students can only stand to benefit.
For more information, and the link to the full pdf of the report, please visit: https://www.naesp.org/teacher-evaluation
