Validation of Student, Principal, and Self-Ratings in 360° Feedback ® for Teacher Evaluation

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the performance of K–12 students on criterion-referenced reading, language arts, and mathematics tests, and the relationship of those measures of student achievement to teacher performance measures by principals, students, and self-ratings by the teachers, with the intent of improving student performance through improved teaching. A total of 988 students, thirty-five teachers, and four principals participated in this project. The teacher performance questionnaires were preexisting instruments that had been used in previous studies and had proven to have validity, reliability, and discriminating power. The questionnaires consisted of twenty items each that represent positive descriptors of teacher behavior. There were four groupings of questionnaires for all three rater groups: lower elementary (K–2), upper elementary (3–5), middle school (6–8) and high school (9–12). The criterion-referenced tests were district developed in conjunction with an extensive curriculum renewal process conducted through the Iowa State University School Improvement Model (SIM). All three rater groups completed the questionnaires rating the teacher using a five-point, Likert-type scale. The data then were analyzed to determine what relationships, if any, existed between the ratings and student achievement as measured by the criterion-referenced examinations. The paramount finding was that student ratings of teachers were the best predictor of student achievement on district-developed, criterion-referenced tests and showed the strongest positive relationship to student achievement when compared with those of principals and teachers.