Teacher Evaluation: Policy Issues in Brief (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Sept. 4, 2013 |
| Report Number |
R43212 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Jeffrey J. Kuenzi, Specialist in Education Policy |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Teacher evaluation has historically been largely the responsibility of local school administrators working within broad rules set by state law and collective bargaining agreements. These rules generally identify the procedures and circumstances under which a teacher may be dismissed for poor performance and have little to do with conducting teacher evaluation. Until recently, only a handful of states had implemented statewide teacher evaluation policies and federal policy had been silent on the issue of evaluating teacher effectiveness.
In 2006, Congress authorized the Teacher Incentive Fund to support pay-for-performance programs that provide incentive pay to effective teachers. Regulatory guidance for this program (which was later enacted in statute) marked the federal government's first foray into teacher evaluation policy. The federal role in this area was further expanded through passage of the Race to the Top program in 2009, which required states to implement specific education reforms such as including student achievement in teacher evaluation systems. This action brought about a "sea change" in state-level policymaking. For example, between 2009 and 2012, the number of states requiring that student achievement be factored into teacher evaluation doubled from 15 to 30.
Congressional interest in teacher evaluation policy has continued through efforts to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), last authorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110). In the 113th Congress, committees of jurisdiction in both chambers reported ESEA reauthorization bills containing provisions on teacher evaluation. The House bill (H.R. 5, the Student Success Act) would make teacher evaluation reforms optional, and the Senate bill (S. 1094, the Strengthening America's Schools Act) would make teacher evaluation reforms mandatory. These reforms may (in the case of H.R. 5) or must (in the case of S. 1094) meet guidelines similar to the requirements for teacher evaluation in current federal policy. On July 19, 2013, the House passed H.R. 5 and referred the measure to the Senate. S. 1094 has not received floor debate.
Although there is general congressional interest in teacher evaluation reform, strong disagreement exists over whether these changes should be mandated or simply supported by the federal government. Moreover, some argue that no federal role is appropriate in this matter. Among those who think there is some appropriate federal role, there remain several areas of dispute, including the following: How much weight should student learning have in teacher evaluation? Which staffing decisions should be tied to teacher evaluation outcomes? Should evaluation reform include school leadership? Should federal funds be provided to support the development of evaluation systems and evaluator training? What role, if any, should teacher evaluation systems play in the accountability of teacher preparation programs? Should current federal requirements for the equitable distribution of teacher quality include an effectiveness component?
