Teacher Satisfaction with the Evaluation Process Points to the Importance of Principal Leadership

Teachers with more positive perceptions of their school principal were more likely to be satisfied with their evaluations process, according to a new report. The analysis by Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands highlights the importance of principals establishing a positive school professional climate.

This study was conducted in collaboration with the Northeast Educator Effectiveness Research Alliance to explore what factors contribute to teacher satisfaction with new evaluation processes. The study used data from the National Center for Education Statistics 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey and the 2012-13 Teacher Follow-up Survey.

Specifically, the study used logistic regression analysis to examine whether teachers’ satisfaction with their evaluation was associated with two measures of school professional climate (principal leadership and teacher influence), teacher and school characteristics, and the inclusion of student test scores in the evaluation system. 

 

The findings reinforce current literature about the importance of the school principal in establishing positive school professional climate. The report recommends additional research related to the implementation of new educator evaluation systems.

Key findings include:

•    Most teachers (79 percent) reported being satisfied with the evaluation process;

•    Principal leadership was associated with teachers’ satisfaction with the evaluation process;

•    Teachers who were rated at the higher levels on their evaluation expressed more satisfaction with the evaluation process than teachers who were rated at lower levels; and

•    Teachers whose evaluation process included student test scores were less likely to be satisfied with the evaluation process than teachers whose evaluation process did not include student test scores.