Examining the validity of ratings from a classroom observation instrument for use in a district's teacher evaluation system

Title:	Examining the validity of ratings from a classroom observation instrument for use in a district's teacher evaluation system
Description:	The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of teacher evaluation scores that are derived from an observation tool, adapted from Danielson's Framework for Teaching, designed to assess 22 teaching components from four teaching domains. The study analyzed principals' observations of 713 elementary, middle, and high school teachers in Washoe County School District (Reno, NV). The findings support the use of a single, summative score to evaluate teachers, one that is derived by totaling or averaging all 22 ratings. The findings do not support using domain- or component-level scores to evaluate teachers' skills, because there was little evidence that these scores measure distinct aspects of teaching. The information that the total score provides predicts the learning of teachers' students. While the relationship is moderate, it is evidence to support interpreting the observation score as an indicator of teachers' effectiveness in promoting learning.
Online Availability:	Download, view and print the report as a pdf file. (367KB)
Cover Date:	May 2016
Web Release:	May 31, 2016
Print Release:	May 31, 2016
Publication #:	REL 2016135 General Ordering Information
Center/Program:	REL
Associated Centers:	NCEE
Authors:	Andrea Lash, Loan Tran, and Min Huang: WestEd
Type of Product:	Making Connections
Keywords:	Classroom School Districts Teachers • performance evaluations
Questions:	For questions about the content of this Making Connections, please contact: Amy Johnson.