Teacher Evaluation Reform: Principals' Beliefs about Newly Adopted Teacher Evaluation Systems

Principals in one Western state were surveyed about teacher evaluation systems commonly used across the state. Findings suggest that principals' beliefs about aligning practice to performance expectations, about how much the view of professional practice is growth-oriented, and the degree to which systems use multiple measures are the variables that best measure teacher performance. Principals agreed the most important purpose for teacher evaluation is to provide formative feedback for teachers. Finally, principals reported they were able to assess teacher behaviors and strategies at least somewhat well, regardless of the model used.