Development and Validation of the Teacher Evaluation Needs Identification Survey'

Abstract

Although current accountability trends have drawn considerable attention to the evaluation of teacher performance, little research has been conducted in this area. One reason for this lack of research is the sparsity of quality instruments for assessing the status of teacher evaluation programs. The purpose of this article was to describe the procedures used to develop and validate an instrument appropriate for assessing the status of teacher evaluation practices in schools, the Teacher Evaluation Needs Identification Survey (TENIS). Data are presented substantiating the reliability and validity of TENIS as well as its sensitivity to differences in teacher evaluation programs. Such evidence strongly supports the use of this instrument in research studies focusing on teacher evaluation practices in schools.