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Addressing Teacher Evaluation Appropriately

An APA Division 15 Policy Brief

In this policy brief, Lavigne and Good argue that the most commonly used practices to evaluate teachers—statistical approaches to determine student growth like value-added measures and the observation of teachers—have not improved teaching and learning in U.S. schools.  They have not done so because these approaches are problematic, including the failure to adequately account for context, complexity, and that teacher effectiveness and practice varies.  With these limitations in mind, the authors provide recommendations for policy and practice, including the elimination of high-stakes teacher evaluation and a greater emphasis on formative feedback, allowing more voice to teachers and underscoring that improving instruction should be at least as important as evaluating instruction.

Extending The Discussion

A Special Podcast With Drs. Alyson Lavigne, Thomas Good, & Jeff Greene

Drs. Alyson L. Lavigne & Thomas L. Good sit down with host Jeff Greene to discuss their Division 15 Policy Brief, their new book, and the challenges (and opportunities) of teacher evaluation.

 

For School Leaders, Superintendents, & Principals

An Actionable Practice Brief

Drs. Alyson L. Lavigne & Thomas L. Good provide guidance on how to use student achievement and observational data in a special extension of their work designed specifically for school leaders, superintendents, and principals.

 

For More:

This brief is based primarily on a recent publication by Alyson L. Lavigne and Thomas L. Good (2019): Enhancing Teacher Education, Development, and Evaluation: Lessons Learned from Educational Reform. New York, NY: Routledge.