Policies That Define Instruction: A Systematic Review of States' and District's Recommendations for Evaluating Special Educators

Educational policies addressing instruction may fail to acknowledge that effective instruction is not the same for all learners. We reviewed teacher evaluation systems across all states and the 25 largest districts to determine how states and districts approach the evaluation of special education teachers, a policy aimed at improving teaching effectiveness. We found that most states and districts did not provide guidance to schools for adapting evaluation systems for these teachers. Some states provided guidance on technical aspects of special education teacher evaluation, such as incorporating student achievement into special education teachers' scores. Districts were more likely to focus on instructional considerations. We discuss the implications of these findings for policies that aim to promote the use of effective instructional practices.