Evaluating America’s Teachers
Mission Possible?
- W. James Popham - University of California, Los Angeles, USA
When teacher evaluations are fair, everyone wins.
Poor evaluation systems don’t just hurt teachers—they hurt students, too. That’s why America can’t afford to wait for the teacher-evaluation problem to be solved. To provide balanced, accurate, and rigorous evaluations that take into account each teacher’s particular circumstances, only one system can work: evidence-governed collegial judgment.
As states and schools scramble to find workable responses to accountability mandates, well-informed educators can make key contributions. Start here with
- A discussion of common evaluation systems, including testing, value-added models, and observations
- Analysis of federal guidelines and state responses
- Action steps teachers and school leaders can take to influence policy
- A clear rationale and strategies for implementing a teacher evaluation model based on human judgment
Evaluating America’s Teachers demonstrates that the vision is possible: effective teacher evaluations that benefit schools as a whole.
“Teachers, administrators, and policy makers rejoice! Here is a single book, from a nationally recognized scholar, that makes sense of the issues involved with the evaluation of teachers.”
—David C. Berliner, Regents’ Professor Emeritus
Arizona State University
“Once again Jim Popham has brought insight and clarity to a complex topic that only a person of his stature and expertise could provide.”
—Robert J. Marzano, CEO
Marzano Research Laboratory
“In an effective and diplomatic manner, Jim suggests concrete ways policymakers, along with local school leaders and teachers, can make sure our students are protected from summative teacher-evaluation systems that do more harm than good. No one should make policy at any level or strive to build a defensible teacher evaluation system without studying this book.”
—Rick Stiggins, Retired Executive Director
Assessment Training Institute
"In Evaluating America's Teachers, Jim Popham brings clarity to the critically important and divisive issue of teacher evaluation. Drawing on a deep reservoir of technical knowledge in assessment and evaluation, Dr. Popham uniquely combines expertise, perspective, and wisdom to present an authentic path forward for policymakers, administrators, and teachers to address the evaluation of teachers in ways that honor the work they do with children in classrooms. If we commit to the disciplined thought and action called for in this eminently readable book, America's teachers and children will thrive."
"Evaluating America’s Teachers by James Popham is an enlightening description of methods utilized to evaluate teachers, with strengths and weaknesses described for each method. Federal mandates have positioned teachers on the receiving end of evaluations that are poorly understood in terms of reliability, validity, and bias. This book provides insight on teacher evaluation not only for teachers, but administrators and policy makers as well. It informs readers of the essentials involved in teacher evaluation."
"Once again Jim Popham has brought insight and clarity to a complex topic that only a person of his stature and expertise could provide."
"I believe the book will be a very good resource to educators. This book focuses on the hottest topic in the field of education right now and the author clearly has a great deal of experience with the subject. In addition, his use of humor makes the book an enjoyable read."
"This book hits squarely on a topic for which district and state policy makers need current information. It is too bad this book was not out during the roll out of teacher evaluations in states everywhere. I am sure the author's wisdom could have certainly helped in selecting tests that effectively measure teacher effectiveness."
"I could see using this text in a book study with my administrative team as we discuss how we can ensure effectiveness in our assessments of classroom performance. His explanation of what to look at for evidentiary source makes more sense than anything the state put out, but in the end, the state will dictate a good part of what will be used in the evaluation."
"I see Evaluating America's Teachers: Mission Possible? as a direct attempt to address this controversial issue head on. In this book the author addresses the need for teacher accountability and addresses the hurdles and pitfalls which are often encountered in states and school districts attempts to develop a comprehensive and all encompassing fair teacher evaluation process."
"I find the book to be an interesting and effective guide to help a state or school district purse a teacher evaluation process that can measure the true progress of a teacher's competence and value."
"I like many of his proposals about the format of a quality teacher evaluation system. As a New York state high school principal, I feel our state is working to put many of these recommendations into practice."
"It is an incredible discussion of the problem. VERY in-depth and comprehensive. It really is one of the best summaries of testing I have ever read, and it makes an incredible case for improving the teacher evaluation dilemma"