This bibliography includes scholarly journals, dissertations, papers, and books published primarily from 1980 through December 1984 that focus on teacher evaluation and merit pay. These materials are presented in separate chapters, according to the type of publication in which they appeared. In addition to materials identified and annotated from a literature search of several education databases, the authors wrote to public school districts with student populations of over 5,000 requesting copies of their teacher evaluation materials. They received 348 sets of evaluation documents and these materials are annotated in the chapter entitled School District Publications. Other materials prepared by school districts are included in the chapter entitled Papers.

A new concern for the quality of education and of teachers is being translated into merit-pay, career-ladder, and master-teacher policies that presuppose the existence of effective teacher evaluation systems. School district administrators must understand the educational and organizational implications of the teacher evaluation system that they adopt, because that system can define the nature of teaching and education in their schools. In particular, the system can either reinforce the idea of teaching as a profession, or it can further deprofessionalize teaching, making it less able to attract and retain talented teachers. The present study focused on the actual operation of teacher evaluation procedures in school systems. It examined not only the instruments and procedures, but also the implementation process and the organizational contexts within which they operate. This approach enabled the authors to observe whether and how teacher evaluation results are used by the organization. It also indicated the broader organizational conditions needed to initiate and sustain effective teacher evaluation practices.

Reward your best teachers for the great work they do! Is your school system considering teacher merit pay? Now is the time to understand the potential benefits and pitfalls of performance-based teacher pay, as well as how today’s most successful programs were developed. Drawing on substantial research with school districts, Gary Ritter and Joshua Barnett provide a step-by-step approach to setting up a merit pay system in your school district. Readers will find An overview of existing merit pay programs and their strengths and weaknesses A review of the 12 most common myths about merit pay, and how school leaders can respond Six guiding principles for designing a merit pay program, along with how-to’s and timelines for every phase Guidance on creating balanced assessments based on multiple measures of teacher effectiveness, and developed in collaboration with teachers Ensure that your district’s merit pay program supports teachers’ professional growth, schoolwide progress, and student achievement. "Ritter and Barnett bring much-needed researched clarity to this complex issue. For school administrators, education policy makers, legislators, and others interested in school reform, this book is a must-read." —Rod Paige, Former U.S. Secretary of Education "This guide is a useful resource for undertaking merit pay, preventing pitfalls, and most importantly, offering solid recommendations for creating well-designed implementations." —Gary Stark, President and CEO National Institute for Excellence in Teaching

A worthy successor to 'The Handbook of Teacher Evaluation', this landmark volume is an important source of information for anyone concerned with teacher evaluation, training and development.