Date of Award
Summer 2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Public Administration (DPA)
Department
Public Policy and Administration
Committee Chairperson
Michelle Wade, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Mark Davis, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Brian Ulmer, Ph.D.
Abstract
This study presents an examination of the Pennsylvania Teacher Effectiveness System (TES) as delineated by Act 13 of 2020, assessing its impact on professional growth and observation as perceived by teachers and teacher evaluators. The research deployed a mixed-methods approach to derive a comprehensive understanding of the TES's efficacy. Key themes that emerged from the narratives include:
Feedback and Professional Development: Teachers valued constructive and practical feedback that could help them improve their teaching practices.
Perception of Evaluation Criteria: Some teachers felt that certain aspects of the evaluation did not accurately reflect their teaching effectiveness or overlooked the unique challenges they faced.
Relationship and Trust: Trust and a positive relationship between the teachers and their evaluator was seen as crucial for a meaningful evaluation process.
Impact of Evaluation on Teaching Practices: Some respondents felt motivated to improve and adapt their methods, while others felt that certain evaluation criteria were misaligned with their educational goals or teaching context.
Systemic Challenges and Suggestions: Participants suggested tailored evaluation criteria, better support systems for teachers, and recognition of the diverse teaching contexts and challenges in different schools.
Personal and Professional Growth: Some teachers expressed a desire for more opportunities for professional development and learning from best practices.
A dominant finding was the strong preference for the Teacher Observations & Practice Rating component, reflecting a trend toward valuing personalized and actionable feedback. Building Level Data/School Performance Profile was deemed less effective, signaling a potential gap between evaluative criteria and the realities of teaching practice.
Recommended Citation
Stetler, Jeremy, "An Evaluation of the Teacher Effectiveness Framework in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Its Perceptions from Pennsylvania Public-School Teachers and their Evaluators K-12." (2024). West Chester University Doctoral Projects. 281.
https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/all_doctoral/281
Included in
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons, Leadership Commons, Other Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, Performance Management Commons, Training and Development Commons