Teacher evaluation and local control in the US: an investigation into the degree of local control afforded to districts in defining evaluation procedures for teachers in non-tested subjects and grades

Abstract

Many states only recently incorporated indicators of student achievement into teacher evaluation systems for Non-Tested Subjects and Grades (NTSG). This study examines how practices related to the inclusion of student achievement measures vary across states as to the discretion left to districts in defining and implementing evaluation systems for teachers in NTSG. For each state, information about current practices was obtained through document analysis and, when provided, feedback from state department representatives. We find substantial variation in state polices. Some states — notably those that received Race to the Top funding — afford districts with considerably less local control than others. Results presented here provide rich descriptive information and highlight the need for future studies related to local control and teacher evaluation.