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This research brief summarizes a study that examined the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of school professional climate and their satisfaction with the process for evaluating their performance.

The researchers used the responses of a nationally representative sample of teachers to examine whether teachers’ satisfaction with the evaluation process 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.

Some Key Findings

• Most teachers reported being satisfied with the process by which they were evaluated
• Teachers reported positive perceptions of their principal’s leadership but perceived themselves to have little influence over school policies
• Of the two concepts used to measure school professional climate — principal leadership and teacher influence — only principal leadership was associated with teachers’ satisfaction with the evaluation process
• Teachers who were rated at the highest level on their teacher evaluations in 2011/12 expressed more satisfaction with the evaluation process that year than teachers who were rated at lower levels
• 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

The findings are useful to educators involved in evaluating teachers, including school leaders, staff developers, coaches, and other leaders.

Read the full report.

This brief was completed by the Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands in collaboration with the Northeast Educator Effectiveness Research Alliance.