What Did We Learn from Race to the Top Teacher Evaluation Systems?

We reviewed and synthesized 35 peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2014-2018 that investigated district leaders’, principals’, and/or teachers’ interpretations of and experiences with Race to the Top teacher evaluation systems. We analyzed evidence of how educators’ prior experiences, beliefs, values, organizational contexts, and community needs may have contributed to a teacher evaluation policy-practice divide.

Our findings revealed three main implications for district- and systems-level instructional supervision and evaluation practices:

1. leaders should develop and provide relevant, differentiated supports for principals and teachers to implement and refine teacher evaluation processes;
2. leaders should maintain focus on stakeholders’ professional relationships and a sense of community; and
3. leaders should utilize teacher evaluation processes to foster a systemic culture of professional growth.