Special Education Teacher Evaluation: Examining Current Practices and Research

In light of state and district policies emphasizing more rigorous systems of teacher evaluation—with many based in part on student growth scores—this chapter provides an overview of the unique conceptual and procedural challenges associated with evaluating special education teachers. The authors begin by asking: How has our field conceptualized effective special education teaching? This question guides a comprehensive literature review of existing measures of teacher evaluation, with a specific emphasis on what is known about how these measures function for special education teachers. The authors then provide a formal review of all 50 states’ policies and practices surrounding the evaluation of teachers of students with disabilities. These policies are examined to reveal whether and how policy makers identify challenges specific to the evaluation of special educators. The authors conclude by offering concrete steps that district and school administrators could take to improve evaluation systems for special educators.