English Leadership Quarterly, Volume 36, Number 3, February 2014

Teacher evaluations have long been a source of confusion, anxiety, and debate, but over the years, the biggest change has been to tie evaluations even more closely to student test scores, thus ignoring the challenges of a diverse population and the benefits of individualized instruction. In spite of this, teachers understand the importance and need for accountability. Just not that kind. Teachers need formative assessment that will help them grow professionally and improve their practice. This issue’s authors offer options for evaluations that can accomplish just that.