A Study of Feedback in Teacher Evaluation Systems

Examining Evaluator Feedback Survey (2014/2015)

The purpose of this survey is to understand your thoughts on the usefulness and accuracy of your evaluation feedback. The
survey is being conducted by REL Central, which is part of a network of ten Regional Education Laboratories (RELs) funded
by the U. S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Each REL serves a designated region of the
country and focuses on the national priority of helping states and districts use data and analysis to address relevant and timely
education policy and practice issues with the goal of improving student outcomes.
You are one of a sample of teachers that was selected to represent not only you, but others in your role throughout the Central
Region; thus, it is essential that we hear back from you. Your feedback is important to us, because it will help REL Central
inform future teacher evaluation practices.
PLEASE NOTE: Your participation is voluntary, and you may skip any question or stop at any time. Per the policies and
procedures required by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183, responses to this data
collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the
sample and will not associate responses with a specific district or individual. Any willful disclosure of such information for
nonstatistical purposes, except as required by law, is a class E felony.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless
such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this survey is estimated to average 30
minutes per response including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the
data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or
any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210‐4537 or email [email protected] and reference the OMB
Control Number 1850‐0903. Note: Please do not return the completed survey to this address.

INTRODUCTION: The following survey asks questions about your experiences with the feedback you received as part of your
district's teacher evaluation system. As you answer the questions, please consider only feedback that you received from your
designated evaluator in your district during the current school year. Your designated evaluator is the person who is
responsible for providing your performance rating at the end of the school year.

1) I have read and understand these instructions.*
( ) Yes

2) As part of the district's teacher evaluation system, who was your designated evaluator in the current school year? (Select
only one - If you have more than one evaluator please pick one and refer to that evaluator as you respond to the remaining
questions.)
( ) My principal
( ) My assistant principal
( ) A peer
( ) My department chair
( ) My coach
( ) Other (please describe): _________________________________________________

3) How often did you have a feedback conversation with your designated evaluator throughout the current school year?
Feedback conversations are defined as any conversation with your evaluator in which they provided feedback specific to
observations, walkthroughs, or artifacts collected as part of your evaluation.
( ) Never
( ) Once
( ) Twice
( ) Three times
( ) Four times
( ) Five times
( ) More than five times

4) How often did you receive written feedback from your designated evaluator throughout the current school year? Written
feedback includes feedback specific to observations, walkthroughs, or artifacts collected as part of your evaluation that was
given to you in written form (either on paper or electronically).
( ) Never
( ) Once
( ) Twice
( ) Three times
( ) Four times
( ) Five times
( ) More than five times

For the following questions please keep in mind the feedback that you received throughout the current school
year from your designated evaluator.
5) Indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.
My evaluator’s feedback …

Disagree

Neither
Agree
nor
Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

()

()

()

()

()

included specific suggestions to improve my
content/subject knowledge.

()

()

()

()

()

included specific instructional strategies that I could use to
improve my teaching.

()

()

()

()

()

included specific classroom management strategies that I
could use to improve my teaching.

()

()

()

()

()

included recommendations for finding resources or
professional development to improve my teaching.

()

()

()

()

()

was provided as frequently as I needed it.

()

()

()

()

()

was provided in time for me to use it to inform my
practice.

()

()

()

()

()

Strongly
Disagree

included specific improvement suggestions.

For the following questions please keep in mind the feedback that you received throughout the current school
year from your designated evaluator.

6) Indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.

Disagree

Neither
Agree
nor
Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

()

()

()

()

()

The classroom observations or walkthroughs that
informed the feedback I received represented a typical day
in my classroom.

()

()

()

()

()

The evaluation system is accurate enough that different
evaluators reviewing the same evidence would likely give
the same ratings.

()

()

()

()

()

I would receive the same feedback if my evaluator
examined different evidence (e.g. if they observed
additional lessons or reviewed additional evidence).

()

()

()

()

()

Strongly
Disagree

The feedback I received was an accurate portrayal of my
teaching.

For the following questions please keep in mind the feedback that you received throughout the current school
year from your designated evaluator.

7) Indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.
In my opinion, my evaluator had sufficient ...

Disagree

Neither
Agree
nor
Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

()

()

()

()

()

knowledge of how my students learn to effectively
evaluate me.

()

()

()

()

()

knowledge of effective teaching practices to effectively
evaluate me.

()

()

()

()

()

understanding of the curriculum being observed to
effectively evaluate me.

()

()

()

()

()

understanding of the established teacher evaluation system
to effectively evaluate me.

()

()

()

()

()

Strongly
Disagree

knowledge of my subject/content to effectively evaluate
me.

For the following questions please keep in mind the feedback that you received throughout the current school
year from your designated evaluator.

8) Indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.

Disagree

Neither
Agree
nor
Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

()

()

()

()

()

I had access to an instructional leader (e.g. peer,
coach/mentor, administrator) who supported me in
implementing suggestions provided in my feedback.

()

()

()

()

()

I was able to observe expert teachers modeling skills that
related to my feedback.

()

()

()

()

()

I had time during the school day to plan for implementing
new strategies based on my feedback (e.g. collaborative or
individual planning time).

()

()

()

()

()

Strongly
Disagree

I had access to the professional development (formal or
informal) that I needed in order to implement suggestions
provided in my feedback.

For the following questions please keep in mind the feedback that you received throughout the current school
year from your designated evaluator.

9) Indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Because of the feedback I received from my evaluator...

Disagree

Neither
Agree
nor
Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

()

()

()

()

()

I tried new classroom management strategies in my
classroom.

()

()

()

()

()

I sought professional development opportunities (formal
or informal).

()

()

()

()

()

I sought advice from an instructional leader (e.g. peer,
coach/mentor, administrator).

()

()

()

()

()

I changed the way I plan instruction.

()

()

()

()

()

Strongly
Disagree

I tried new instructional strategies in my classroom.

Importance of Feedback Characteristics
10) When deciding how to respond to your feedback, how important was each the following?
Receiving ...

Unimportant

Slightly
Important

Important

Very
Important

Critical

specific improvement suggestions.

()

()

()

()

()

recommended next steps for finding professional
development to improve your teaching.

()

()

()

()

()

feedback within an appropriate time frame.

()

()

()

()

()

feedback as frequently as you needed it.

()

()

()

()

()

feedback with specific suggestions to improve your
content/subject knowledge.

()

()

()

()

()

specific instructional strategies that you could use to
improve your teaching.

()

()

()

()

()

specific classroom management strategies that you could
use to improve your teaching.

()

()

()

()

()

feedback that was an accurate portrayal of my teaching.

()

()

()

()

()

feedback from classroom observations or walkthroughs
that represented a typical day in my classroom.

()

()

()

()

()

11) When deciding how to respond to your feedback, how important was each the following?
Having confidence that I would receive the same feedback ...

Unimportant

Slightly
Important

Important

Very
Important

Critical

from a different evaluator if they reviewed the same
evidence.

()

()

()

()

()

if my evaluator had examined different evidence (e.g. if
they observed additional lessons or reviewed additional
evidence).

()

()

()

()

()

12) When deciding how to respond to your feedback, how important was each the following?
Having confidence that my evaluator had sufficient ...

Unimportant

Slightly
Important

Important

Very
Important

Critical

knowledge of my subject/content to effectively evaluate
me.

()

()

()

()

()

knowledge of how my students learn to effectively
evaluate me.

()

()

()

()

()

knowledge of effective teaching practices to effectively
evaluate me.

()

()

()

()

()

understanding of the curriculum being observed to
effectively evaluate me.

()

()

()

()

()

understanding of the established teacher evaluation system
to effectively evaluate me.

()

()

()

()

()

Importance of Access to Learning Opportunities
13) When deciding how to respond to your feedback, how important was each the following?

Unimportant

Slightly
Important

Important

Very
Important

Critical

Having access to the professional development (formal or
informal) that I needed in order to implement suggestions
provided in my feedback.

()

()

()

()

()

Having access to an instructional leader (e.g. peer,
coach/mentor, administrator) who supported me in
implementing suggestions provided in my feedback.

()

()

()

()

()

Being able to observe expert teachers modeling skills that
related to my feedback.

()

()

()

()

()

Having time during the school day to plan for
implementing new strategies based on my feedback (e.g.
collaborative or individual planning time).

()

()

()

()

()

For the following question please keep in mind the feedback that you received throughout the current school
year from your designated evaluator.
14) To what extent did the feedback you received from your designated evaluator improve your instruction?
( ) Not at all
( ) A little
( ) A lot

15) Including this year, please indicate how many years of teaching experience you have.
()1

( ) 12

()2

( ) 13

()3

( ) 14

()4

( ) 15

()5

( ) 16

()6

( ) 17

()7

( ) 18

()8

( ) 19

()9

( ) 20

( ) 10

( ) more than 20

( ) 11
16) Please indicate the grade level that you teach currently (select one or more):
[ ] Early Childhood

[ ] 6th Grade

[ ] Kindergarten

[ ] 7th Grade

[ ] 1st Grade

[ ] 8th Grade

[ ] 2nd Grade

[ ] 9th Grade

[ ] 3rd Grade

[ ] 10th Grade

[ ] 4th Grade

[ ] 11th Grade

[ ] 5th Grade

[ ] 12th Grade

17) Please indicate the subject and/or students that you teach currently (select one or more):
[ ] Language Arts
[ ] Math
[ ] Science
[ ] Social Studies
[ ] Non-core subjects (i.e., physical education, art, technology)
[ ] English Language Learners
[ ] Special Education
[ ] Intervention
[ ] Other: _________________________________________________

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Email Address: _________________________________________________
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Thank You!
Thank you for taking the REL Central Examining Evaluator Feedback Survey. We greatly appreciate your
participation.