With the aim to provide teachers with more specific, frequent, and actionable feedback about their teaching, we explore how Large Language Models (LLMs) can be used to estimate "Instructional Support" domain scores of the CLassroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), a widely used observation protocol. We design a machine learning…

Responding to an Illinois law that took effect in 2010, the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA), Chicago Public Schools (CPS) created and implemented the REACH (Recognizing Educators Advancing Chicago's Students) educator evaluation and support system. REACH was piloted in 2012-13. It is still being implemented as of the 2019-20 school year,…

A key question facing teacher evaluation systems is how to combine multiple measures of complex constructs into composite indicators of performance. We use data from the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) study to investigate the measurement properties of composite indicators obtained under various conjunctive, disjunctive (or complementary),…

NCLB waiver requirements have led to development of teacher evaluation systems, in which student growth is a significant component. Recent empirical research has been focusing on metrics of student growth--value-added scores in particular--and their relationship to other metrics. An extensive set of recent teacher-evaluation studies conducted by…

Between 2009 and 2014, thirty-seven states in the United States have adopted or significantly amended their teacher evaluation laws, mostly shifting toward using measurements of student growth on achievement tests. Yet, the processes to evaluate core subjects have not always transitioned smoothly to nontested or artistic content, causing some…

Problem-­solving assessment is an essential component of multi-­tiered systems of support such as response to intervention (RTI) and positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). This authoritative work provides a complete guide to implementing a wide range of problem­-solving assessment methods, including: (1) functional behavioral…

There is currently little consensus on how special education teachers should be evaluated in a way that is effective, fair and responsive to their unique teaching responsibilities. In this paper, we explain several of the current approaches to teacher evaluation under consideration, and then provide an overview of the challenges associated with…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether third-grade teachers' instructional actions during reading comprehension lessons contributed to their students' reading comprehension achievement. Our framework focused on teachers' emphasis on three dimensions of instruction (pedagogical structure, teacher-directed instruction, and support for…

If education in Indiana is to dramatically improve, the systems and policies that collectively shape the learning experiences for students must be re-imagined. In the spring of 2011, the Indiana legislature passed IC 20-28-11.5, a new law relating to the evaluation of all certified teaching staff and administrators. Prior to this legislation,…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether third-grade teachers' instructional actions during reading comprehension lessons contributed to their students' reading comprehension achievement. Our framework focused on teachers' emphasis on three dimensions of instruction (pedagogical structure, teacher-directed instruction, and support for…

The report describes a model used to evaluate gifted programs. The model is said to rely on three sources of data: (1) structured narrative observation (the Gifted Class Activities Observation Scale); (2) teacher interviews; and (3) pupil interviews. (Sample forms appended.) The application of theory with this procedure resulted in an evaluation…

Eisner's educational criticism model produces a richer description of an English classroom than does Flanders' interaction analysis. (Author)

The authors' experiences in using three different approaches to the study and documentation of processes used in the Experience-Based Career Education model are reported. The approaches used were: ethnography, systematic observation of student behavior in natural settings, and in-depth student interviews. (Author/BP)

An overview of the function of observation systems within the context of program evaluation is illustrated by summarizing observation systems used in evaluations of primary education, compensatory education, and Follow Through programs. (Author/CM)

This paper focuses on the development of instruments to measure technology integration in learning environments. The model used as the basis for these instruments is the Technology Effectiveness Framework developed at the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory and described in "Designing Learning and Technology for Educational Reform" (B.…