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By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton Student perception surveys (SPSs) can be used in evaluations of instructors. They are important for a variety of reasons, all of which have been outlined in our latest series on survey usage in state evaluation systems. Students know their teachers best and spend the most amount of time observing them. Research […]

By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton In conjunction with the release of the MET study 3 years ago, multiple states began investing in research on using student surveys in order to evaluate teachers. In Ohio, the American Institute for Research (AIR) conducted a study on student surveys. More specifically, AIR examined the costs and benefits of survey […]

By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton In continuing our deep dive into the use of surveys in statewide evaluations, we further examined NCTQ’s database in order to determine whether or not states with successful principal effectiveness ratings utilize surveys and educator feedback when evaluating administrators. When doing this, we found that NCTQ not only awards points to […]

By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton State Spotlight: Iowa and the Use of Student Surveys in Teacher Professional Practice Evaluations Recently, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) released its annual State of the States report for the year 2019. In this report, state teacher and principal policies were evaluated and compared to one another in order […]

By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton Currently, 31 states use surveys in evaluations of teachers and principals. Previous research has shown that student, teacher, parent, and community feedback yields gains both in and out of the classroom. Teachers wanting to improve need to listen to their students, and principals should actively seek out staff feedback if they […]

By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton   The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) recently released the first report in a series of three on tracking states’ teacher policies. This particular report focused on evaluation policies for teachers and principals. This report is particularly important in that it places all 50 states and the District of Columbia […]

By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton Teachers Want More Collaborative Working Time, and Survey Insights are the Key to Giving Them What They Need It’s no secret that teaching is not an easy profession. In today’s particular climate, teachers are faced with increasingly difficult tasks and confronted with burdens that restrict their autonomy and willingness to continue […]

By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton   Why Surveys Matter Surveys are an important tool in determining what education stakeholders need. Policymakers and practitioners can gain a lot of knowledge and insight into the needs of their students, parents, teachers, and administrative staff through the use of well-designed surveys. That is why more and more evaluative processes […]

By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton   A few months ago, Education Dive asked as handful of veteran administrators what advice they’d give new principals beginning their first year. Interestingly, much of what was said brings to mind previous blog posts using Gates Foundation research to identify what makes a strong school leader. It’s reassuring to see […]

By Grace Shelton @GraceCShelton A Response to Teacher Input in EdWeek Last spring, EdWeek released a series of 3 blog posts that included teacher responses to the question: “Should teachers encourage student evaluations of their classes and their teaching? If not, why not? If so, what are the best ways to do it?” Each teacher […]