Teacher evaluation, curricular autonomy and professional development: trends and tensions in the Portuguese educational policy

Abstract

For the past two years, teacher evaluation has been the most visible aspect of educational policy in Portugal. The model that was established in 2008 has prompted not only strong reactions among teachers but also many passionate discussions in the context of the Portuguese society at large. In this article, we discuss issues of teacher evaluation by relating them to issues of teachers’ curricular autonomy and professional development, considering that these may be regarded as three pillars of what we envisage as a renewed teacher professionalism that might contribute to improving the quality of teaching and learning. Our analysis of recent measures suggests that a deficit of formative devices in teacher evaluation is narrowing opportunities for teachers’ professional development, which, combined with legislative initiatives that limit the alleged promotion of teachers’ curricular autonomy, may pose serious threats to the advancement of Portuguese teachers’ professionalism.