Teacher Evaluation Practices In Early Childhood Special Education

Abstract

As the field of early childhood special education continues to evolve, increased emphasis is being placed on program evaluation as it relates to the larger issue of efficacy. One dimension of program accountability that has received little attention is teacher (interventionist) evaluation. This exploratory study examines teacher evaluation practices that are currently being used with early childhood special educators in public school preschool handicapped programs in Virginia. Several parameters of the evaluation process are addressed, including the frequency and scope of evaluation procedures and the applicability of standard evaluation forms to preschool professionals. A comparison of teachers' rankings of selected teacher competencies with those found on standard evaluation forms reveals a discrepancy. A further discrepancy is revealed between items on standard evaluation forms and specific content areas for state-approved preschool handicapped teacher endorsement.