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Principal Evaluation and Observation

Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policy

Principal Evaluation and Observation

The state should require annual evaluations with frequent observations of all principals. This goal was new in 2017.

Best practices

New York requires annual evaluations and multiple observations for all principals. At least one observation is conducted by a supervisor or other trained administrator; a second is conducted by one or more impartial, independently trained evaluators selected and trained by the district. An optional third component allows for school visits by a trained peer administrator who has been rated overall effective or highly effective the prior school year. New York requires that evaluators, including impartial and independent observers and peer observers, be appropriately trained. Lead evaluators must be certified.

Suggested Citation:
National Council on Teacher Quality. (2017). Principal Evaluation and Observation National Results. State Teacher Policy Database. [Data set].
Retrieved from: https://www.nctq.org/yearbook/national/Principal-Evaluation-and-Observation-77
Best practice 1

State

Meets goal 8

States

Nearly meets goal 9

States

Meets goal in part 8

States

Meets a small part of goal 12

States

Does not meet goal 13

States

Do states require districts to evaluate all principals each year?

2017
Figure details

Yes: AK, AL, AZ, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, LA, MA, MD, MS, NC, ND, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, WA, WV, WY

No: AR, CA, DC, HI, IL, KS, KY, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NH, NV, OR, PA, SD, VA, VT, WI

Do states require adequate principal observations or site visits?

2017
Figure details

Yes. State requires multiple observations or site visits for all principals. : CT, GA, IL, IN, LA, MA, ME, MS, NJ, NM, NY, OH, RI, SC, TN, UT

Partially. State requires multiple observations or site visits for some principals. : NV, WI

No. State requires observations or site visits but does not explicitly require at least two.: AK, AZ, HI, MN, NC, ND, OK, TX

No. State does not require principal observations or site visits.: AL, AR, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, IA, ID, KS, KY, MD, MI, MO, MT, NE, NH, OR, PA, SD, VA, VT, WA, WV, WY

Updated: December 2017

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How we graded

7H: Principal Evaluation and Observation 

  • Annual Evaluations: The state should require that all principals be evaluated annually.
  • Observations: The state should require that all principals receive multiple observations over the course of the school year.
  • Certified Evaluators: The state should require that all principal evaluators be trained and certified.
Annual Evaluations
One-quarter of the total goal score is earned based on the following:

  • One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point if it requires that all principals are evaluated annually.
Observations
One-half of the total goal score is earned based on the following:

  • One-half credit: The state will earn the full one-half of a point if it requires that all principals receive multiple observations annually.
  • One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point if it requires all principals to be annually observed but does not require multiple observations.
Certified Evaluators
One-quarter of the total goal score is earned based on the following: 

  • One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point it requires principal evaluators to be trained and certified.

Research rationale

Research demonstrates that there is a clear link between school leadership and school outcomes.[1] Principals foster school improvement by shaping school goals, policies and practices, and social and organizational structures.[2] Principals vary significantly in their effectiveness, and research suggests that high-quality principals positively affect student achievement, in-school discipline, parents' perceptions of schools, and school climates.[3] Further, principals affect teacher retention and recruitment;[4] effective principals are more adept at retaining effective teachers and removing ineffective teachers.[5] The time principals spend on organizational management, instructional programming, and teacher evaluation is critically important for positive effects on teachers and students.[6] Because principals are an essential component of creating successful schools, their effectiveness should be regularly evaluated by trained evaluators on systems that include objective measures. Such systems will help to ensure that all principals receive the feedback and support necessary to improve their practice and, ultimately, student and school outcomes.

[1] Clifford, M., Hansen, U. J., & Wraight, S. (2014). Practical guide to designing comprehensive principal evaluation systems: A tool to assist in the development of principal evaluation systems. Center on Great Teachers and Leaders.; Rice, J. K. (2010). Principal effectiveness and leadership in an era of accountability (Brief 8). National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research.; Glasman, N. S., & Heck, R. H. (1992). The changing leadership role of the principal: Implications for principal assessment. Peabody Journal of Education, 68(1), 5-24.
[2] Hallinger, P., & Heck, R. H. (1998). Exploring the principal's contribution to school effectiveness: 1980-1995. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 9(2), 157-191.
[3] Branch, G. F., Hanushek, E. A., & Rivkin, S. G. (2012). Estimating the effect of leaders on public sector productivity: The case of school principals (No. w17803). National Bureau of Economic Research.; Louis, K. S., Leithwood, K., Wahlstrom, K. L. Anderson, S. E., Michlin, M., & Mascall, B. (2010). Learning from leadership: Investigating the links to improved student learning. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement/University of Minnesota and Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto, 42, 50.; Clark, D., Martorell, P., & Rockoff, J. (2009). School principals and school performance (No. w17803). National Bureau of Economic Research.; Leithwood, K., Louis, K. S., Anderson, S., & Wahlstrom, K. (2004). How leadership influences student learning: A review of research for the Learning from Leadership Project. New York: The Wallace Foundation.
[4] Boyd, D., Grossman, P., Ing, M., Lankford, H., Loeb, S., & Wyckoff, J. (2011). The influence of school administrators on teacher retention decisions. American Education Research Journal, 48(2), 303-333; Kimball, S. (2011). Strategic talent management for principals. Strategic management of human capital in education: Improving instructional practice and student learning in schools (pp. 133-152). New York, NY: Routledge Publishing; Rice, J. K. (2010). Principal effectiveness and leadership in an era of accountability (Brief 8). National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research.; Clark, D., Martorell, P., & Rockoff, J. (2009). School principals and school performance (No. w17803). National Bureau of Economic Research. 
[5] Beteille, T., Kalogrides, D., Loeb, S. (2009). Effective schools: Managing the recruitment, development, and retention of high-quality teachers (Working Paper 37). National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research.
[6] Grissom, J. A., & Loeb, S. (2011). Triangulating principal effectiveness: How perspectives of parents, teachers, and assistant principals identify the central importance of managerial skills. American Educational Research Journal, 48(5), 1091-1123.; Horng, E. L., Klasik, D., & Loeb, S. (2010). Principal's time use and school effectiveness. American Journal of Education, 116(4), 491-523.; Catano, N., & Stronge, J. H. (2007). What do we expect of school principals? Congruence between principal evaluation and performance standards. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 10(4), 379-399.

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