In January 2012, School Improvement Network surveyed educators nationwide about the rising pressure of teacher evaluations and high-stakes student testing. More than 4,000 educators responded and overwhelmingly agreed that teacher evaluations help them grow as professionals (91%), but including high-stakes student test scores in evaluations is unfair (85%). 60% of educators also supported using evaluations as criteria for firing or tenure decisions. Learn more here: http://www.schoolimprovement.com/voices-of-education/teacher-evaluation/

1. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
January 2012
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETW ORK
January 2012
EVALUATION AND HIGH-STAKES
TESTING SURVEY

2. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
Methodology & Demographics
•
•
Survey was sent to educators in January 2012
4,403 educators responded
– 77% of responders were teachers, 12% were administrators
Professional Position
Administrator
Teacher
Other
12%
77%
13%
January 2012

3. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
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.

4. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
January 2012
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETW ORK
SURVEY RESULTS

5. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
January 2012
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETW ORK
TEACHER EVALUATION IMPACT

6. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
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.
"Do you feel that teacher evaluations can help
you grow as a teacher?"
100%
91%
Educators who believe evaluations help
them grow professionally: Do you support
using evaluations as criteria for tenure or
firing decisions?
(n: 3997)
100%
63%
37%
9%
0%
No
0%
No
Yes
Yes

7. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
January 2012
In represented schools around the country, only 61%
of educators have evaluations that affect whether a
teacher is fired or receives tenure.
"Do the teacher evaluations at your school affect
whether or not a teacher is fired or gets tenure?"
100%
61%
39%
0%
No
Yes

8. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
January 2012
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETW ORK
PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHER
EVALUATIONS

9. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
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.
"Can teacher evaluations that include high stakes
student test scores be an accurate measure of
teacher effectiveness?"
100%
83%
78%
51%
49%
Overall
Administrators
22%
17%
0%
No
Yes
Teachers

10. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
January 2012
12% of teachers support using high-stakes student test
scores in evaluations for firing or tenure
decisions, compared to 31% of administrators.
"Is it fair to use teacher evaluations that include high-stakes student
test scores as criteria for firing teachers or giving tenure?"
100%
88%
85%
69%
Overall
Administrators
31%
15%
12%
0%
No
Teachers
Yes

11. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
January 2012
55% of educators have teacher evaluations that
include high-stakes student test scores as a measure
of teacher effectiveness.
"Do the teacher evaluations at your school include highstakes student test scores as a measure of teacher
effectiveness?"
100%
55%
45%
0%
No
Yes

12. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
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.
Correlations between the inclusion of high-stakes testing in
evaluations and whether or not evaluations impact tenure
or firing decisions.
100%
69%
48%
52%
31%
0%
High-Stakes Tests Included in High-Stakes Tests Not Inlcuded
Evaluations
in Evaluations
Evaluations
Affect Tenure
or Firing
Decisions
Evaluations Do
Not Affect
Tenure or Firing
Decisions

13. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
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.
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)
100%
46%
54%
0%
No
Yes
January 2012

14. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
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.
"Are you in support of using teacher evaluations as criteria for firing or
granting tenure?"
100%
Educators Who
Support
65%
52%
48%
Educators Who Do
Not Support
35%
0%
Schools in which Evaluations Effect Tenure or Schools in which Evaluations Do Not Effect
Firing Decisions
Tenure or Firing Decisions

15. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
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.
Educators supporting evaluations used for firing or
granting tenure: Do you believe high-stakes testing
should be factored into evaluations?
(n: 2593)
100%
77%
23%
0%
No
Yes

16. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
36% of educators believe being granted tenure
damages the quality of teaching.
“Does tenure damage the quality of teaching?”
100%
64%
36%
0%
No
Yes
January 2012

17. SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
January 2012