SAC Staff Evaluation & Professional Development 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the primary purpose of a formal teacher evaluation system?
- To rank teachers for merit pay distribution
- To improve teaching practice and student learning through structured feedback and professional growth (Correct answer)
- To identify teachers for termination
- To satisfy state reporting requirements only
Correct answer: To improve teaching practice and student learning through structured feedback and professional growth
Effective teacher evaluation systems are designed primarily to promote professional growth and improve instructional quality, which in turn improves student outcomes.
Question 2: What is a pre-observation conference primarily used for?
- Reviewing the teacher's personnel file
- Discussing the lesson's goals, student needs, and what the administrator should focus on during the observation (Correct answer)
- Informing the teacher of deficiencies
- Reviewing previous observation scores
Correct answer: Discussing the lesson's goals, student needs, and what the administrator should focus on during the observation
The pre-observation conference allows the administrator and teacher to collaboratively establish the context, goals, and focus of the upcoming classroom observation.
Question 3: Which approach to professional development is most strongly associated with sustained changes in teaching practice?
- One-time all-day workshops with outside presenters
- Job-embedded, collaborative, ongoing professional learning tied to classroom practice (Correct answer)
- Online self-paced modules completed independently
- Annual district-wide training days
Correct answer: Job-embedded, collaborative, ongoing professional learning tied to classroom practice
Research consistently shows that job-embedded professional development—such as coaching, PLCs, and collaborative planning—produces lasting changes in practice.
Question 4: A tenured teacher is receiving an unsatisfactory evaluation. What must an administrator typically do before initiating dismissal proceedings?
- Immediately place the teacher on administrative leave
- Provide documented support, a remediation plan with clear expectations, and time to improve (Correct answer)
- Report the teacher to the state licensing board
- Reassign the teacher to a non-teaching role
Correct answer: Provide documented support, a remediation plan with clear expectations, and time to improve
Due process for tenured teachers requires administrators to document concerns, provide specific feedback, implement a formal remediation or improvement plan, and allow time to remediate before dismissal.
Question 5: What is the primary function of a Professional Learning Community (PLC)?
- To satisfy state professional development hour requirements
- To bring teachers together to collaboratively examine student data and improve instruction (Correct answer)
- To plan school social events
- To discuss school policy changes
Correct answer: To bring teachers together to collaboratively examine student data and improve instruction
PLCs are collaborative teams focused on examining student learning evidence, refining instructional practices, and holding each other accountable for continuous improvement.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of differentiated supervision for staff?
- Applying the same formal observation cycle to all teachers regardless of experience
- Tailoring the evaluation process and professional development support based on teacher experience and performance level (Correct answer)
- Reducing observations for veteran teachers entirely
- Only formally evaluating non-tenured teachers
Correct answer: Tailoring the evaluation process and professional development support based on teacher experience and performance level
Differentiated supervision adapts the intensity and type of support and oversight to match individual teacher needs, experience, and performance, maximizing growth for all staff.
SAC Staff Evaluation & Professional Development 1
Which of the following is the primary purpose of a formal teacher evaluation system?