Degree Date

12-2017

Document Type

Dissertation - Public Access

Degree Name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Academic Discipline

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

James L. Schott, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Daniel C. Buckman, Ed.D.

Third Advisor

Tamara K. Cornwell, Ed.D.

Abstract

It is no secret that school accountability is a common theme heard in discourse among governmental and local officials. This theme reaches across educational institutions throughout the Nation. Parents, policymakers, and educators are calling for and demanding educational reform to improve the quality of instruction taking place within schools. Improving student achievement scores on standardized tests is the driving force behind the demand for educational reform. Consequently, education reform efforts must focus on teacher quality and improved student performance.

The relationship between the evaluation ratings of classroom teachers and student achievement is an ongoing topic of leaders in and outside the education profession and in particular educational policy-makers. As indicated by several researchers, teacher quality is a critical factor influencing student performance. Having the ability to distinguish between levels of performance for teachers and school administrators can help districts provide instructional support to develop and strengthen teacher practices and ultimately improve student achievement.

Determining how to measure effective teaching practices is one of the primary challenges facing the education profession. Therefore, continued efforts are underway to search for valid and reliable ways to measure teacher performance. If used correctly, the process used to evaluate teachers can help teachers develop and strengthen their instructional practices. Additionally, if the school district’s teacher evaluation system is based on sound theory and practice and used with fidelity, teachers can be held accountable for student learning. Therefore, the district in my study wants to take appropriate actions to identify some of the most effective ways to improve the teacher evaluation process through enhanced support for teachers and school based administrators. It now uses the Marzano Instructional Framework in this effort. And my study addresses how to make it more effective.

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