S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K

EVALUATION AND HIGH-STAKES TESTING SURVEY

January 2012

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

Methodology & Demographics

• Survey was sent to educators in January 2012• 4,403 educators responded

– 77% of responders were teachers, 12% were administrators

Professional Position

AdministratorTeacherOther

12%77%13%

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

Key Findings

• 91% of educators believe teacher evaluations help them grow as professionals.

• 85% of educators think it is unfair to use high-stakes student test scores in teacher evaluations.

• 55% of educators believe high-stakes test scores are an accurate measure of teacher effectiveness.

• 60% of all educators support using teacher evaluations as criteria for firing or tenure decisions.

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K

SURVEY RESULTS

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K

TEACHER EVALUATION IMPACT

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

91% of educators believe teacher evaluations help them grow as professionals. 63% of these educators also support using evaluations as criteria for tenure or firing decisions.

No Yes0%

100%

9%

91%

"Do you feel that teacher evaluations can help you grow as a teacher?"

No Yes0%

100%

37%

63%

Educators who believe evaluations help them grow professionally: Do you sup-port using evaluations as criteria for

tenure or firing decisions?(n: 3997)

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

In represented schools around the country, only 61% of educators have evaluations that affect whether a teacher is fired or receives tenure.

No Yes0%

100%

39%

61%

"Do the teacher evaluations at your school affect whether or not a teacher is fired or gets tenure?"

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K

PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHER EVALUATIONS

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

While only 22% of overall responders believe teacher evaluations that include high-stakes student test scores are an accurate measure of teacher effectiveness, 51% of administrators believe they are an accurate measure.

No Yes0%

100%

78%

22%

49% 51%

83%

17%

"Can teacher evaluations that include high stakes student test scores be an accurate measure of

teacher effectiveness?"

OverallAdministratorsTeachers

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

12% of teachers support using high-stakes student test scores in evaluations for firing or tenure decisions, compared to 31% of administrators.

No Yes0%

100%

85%

15%

69%

31%

88%

12%

"Is it fair to use teacher evaluations that include high-stakes student test scores as criteria for firing teachers or giving tenure?"

OverallAdministratorsTeachers

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

55% of educators have teacher evaluations that include high-stakes student test scores as a measure of teacher effectiveness.

No Yes0%

100%

55%

45%

"Do the teacher evaluations at your school include high-stakes student test scores as a measure of

teacher effectiveness?"

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

In schools that included high-stakes student testing in evaluations, evaluations were more likely to be used in tenure or firing decisions than in schools that did not include high-stakes testing in evaluations.

High-Stakes Tests Included in Evaluations

High-Stakes Tests Not Inlcuded in Evaluations

0%

100%

48%

31%

52%

69%

Correlations between the inclusion of high-stakes testing in evaluations and whether or not evaluations impact

tenure or firing decisions.

Evaluations Af-fect Tenure or Firing Decisions

Evaluations Do Not Affect Ten-ure or Firing Decisions

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

Among educators who support high-stakes test scores as an accurate measure of teacher effectiveness, 54% believe the scores should be used as criteria for tenure or firing decisions.

No Yes0%

100%

46%54%

Educators who believe high stakes test scores accurately measure teacher effectiveness: Do you believe the scores

should be used for tenure or firing decisions?(n: 949)

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

Educators at schools that include evaluations in firing and tenure decisions and educators at schools that do not include evaluations in firing and tenure decisions both support using evaluations as part of these decisions.

Schools in which Evaluations Effect Tenure or Firing Decisions

Schools in which Evaluations Do Not Ef-fect Tenure or Firing Decisions

0%

100%

65%

52%

35%

48%

"Are you in support of using teacher evaluations as criteria for firing or granting tenure?"

Educators Who Support

Educators Who Do Not Support

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

Of educators who support using teacher evaluations as criteria for firing or granting tenure, 23% believe high-stakes testing should be factored in.

No Yes0%

100%

77%

23%

Educators supporting evaluations used for firing or granting tenure: Do you believe high-stakes testing

should be factored into evaluations?(n: 2593)

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012

36% of educators believe being granted tenure damages the quality of teaching.

No Yes0%

100%

64%

36%

“Does tenure damage the quality of teaching?”

S C H O O L I M P R O V E M E N T N E T W O R K January 2012