Abstract:
This qualitative multiple case study was based on in-depth interviews with participants from three different schools. Each school used a different High-Stakes Accountability Model for teacher evaluation: RISE Evaluation and Development (RISE), Teacher Advancement Program (TAP), and Peer Assistance and Review (PAR). The purpose of this study was to analyze which of the models’ characteristics teachers and administrator perceived to be most effective in promoting professional development and student achievement. The Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation’s Utility Standards were used as a conceptual framework. Major findings include: structured evaluation models facilitate professional growth when they include training and feedback and promote positive changes to instruction, and they promote increased student achievement when the process results in more data-informed and student-focused teaching.
