Evaluating Teachers in the Big Easy: How Organizational Context Shapes Policy Responses in New Orleans

Abstract

Although multiple-measure teacher evaluation systems have gained popularity in the United States, few studies have examined their implementation or how they are shaped by organizational context. New Orleans provides a strategic case to examine the enactment of a state teacher evaluation policy in a highly decentralized setting with variation in organizational context. Utilizing a multiple case study approach, we analyzed documents and interviews in eight case study schools. We found that schools varied in their responses to teacher evaluation—in ways that were reflective, compliant, and/or distortive—and that the type of response was not associated with governance model, school authorizer, or level of autonomy. Instead, shared instructional leadership and structures for frequent collaboration appeared to facilitate more reflective responses.

From Tinkering to Going “Rogue”: How Principals Use Agency When Enacting New Teacher Evaluation Systems

“…In addition, some principals reduce the pressure new evaluation systems place on teachers. Marsh et al (2017) found that some principals provided extensive coaching to teachers as they developed their lesson plan for their formal observation, thus reducing its authenticity or validity as a performance measure.…”

Sustaining change towards racial equity through cycles of inquiry

“…The type of data provided (Horn et al, 2015), leadership styles and the framing of conversations about the purpose of incorporating data into every-day practices (Hallett, 2010;Marsh, Bush-Mecenas, Strunk, Lincove, & Huguet, 2017;Spillane, Parise, & Sherer, 2011) and the quality of social interactions during data use matter greatly, especially when issues of trust, power, and professional identity come into play (Datnow & Castellano, 2000;Marsh & Farrell, 2015). The quandary posed by Goren (2012), "data, data, and more data-what's an educator to do?"…”

Policy Implementation, Principal Agency, and Strategic Action: Improving Teaching Effectiveness in New York City Middle Schools

“…A rich literature on policy implementation provide evidence that well-designed policies, successful in smaller pilots, often disappoint when implemented at scale (Fixsen et al, 2005). Numerous studies have found that principals do not implement teacher evaluation systems in the ways consistent with the policy’s design (Donaldson & Mavrogordato, 2018; Donaldson & Woulfin, 2018; Marsh et al, 2017; Stecher et al, 2018; Youngs, 2007; Youngs & King, 2002). The reasons underlying failed implementation are varied.…”

“…Policies intended to improve teaching effectiveness are usually designed by states or districts but implemented by school leaders. However, these school leaders have been insufficiently featured in the teaching effectiveness literature, though this has shifted somewhat in the last decade (Donaldson & Woulfin, 2018; Grissom, 2011; Harris et al, 2010; Marsh et al, 2017). The studies that do foreground the role of principals suggest they are critical actors in policies targeting teacher evaluation and development (Burch & Spillane, 2005; Donaldson, 2013; Kardos et al, 2001; Smylie & Hart, 1999; Youngs, 2007).…”

“…In setting the foundation for that future work, this study makes three important contributions to the growing body of studies that focus on principal beliefs and strategic action in policy implementation (Donaldson & Woulfin, 2018; Marsh et al, 2017; Youngs, 2007). First, we examine these relationships across hundreds of principals working in numerous school contexts, unlike the prior research which has focused on small numbers of school leaders in smaller districts (Donaldson & Mavrogordato, 2018; Sinnema & Robinson, 2007; Youngs, 2007; Youngs & King, 2002; for an exception, see Goldring et al, 2015).…”