Use of the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale in Evaluating Teacher Performance

Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS), a new quantitative method of employee performance evaluation, is advocated for teacher evaluation. Development of a BARS consists generally of five steps: a representative sample of potential raters generates the scales; the group identifies the broad qualities to be evaluated; the group formulates general statements representing various levels of performance for each quality and lists examples of behaviors at each level; a second group, representing the ratees, receives lists of the broad dimensions and of the specific behaviors and assigns the behaviors to the dimensions; raters then assign unused behaviors to describe satisfactory and unsatisfactory employees across several dimensions. A discrimination index is computed for each behavior and point values assigned to each behavior within the dimensions. Items above a criterion level of point variability are eliminated. Problems may arise with the raters' predictive acumen or possibly with the permanent assignment of values for specific behaviors. As an example of a BARS used in education, the scale developed by Marianne Price for evaluating special education teachers in the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Intermediate Unit, is appended. This scale measures professional growth, communications skills, rapport with students, planning, instructional skills, recordkeeping, behavior management, and interstaff relationships. (MH)