TO

FROM
DATE
RE

Interested Parties
Global Strategy Group
December 15, 2015
New York State Teacher Evaluation Research

As New York, and the country, continue to debate the methods for evaluating and rewarding teachers,
Educators4Excellence wanted to understand the perceptions of teachers in the state. Global Strategy Group,
on behalf of Educators4Excellence, conducted a live telephone survey with 601 public school teachers from
September 30th to October 5th. The margin of error at the 95% confidence level is +/- 4.1%. Margins of error on
subsamples are greater.

Overall Views on Evaluations

RATING OF CURRENT SYSTEM

FAIR/

NOT
Teachers want feedback that helps them improve, but EXCELLENT
/GOOD
GOOD POOR
they do not believe that evaluation systems, either
9
39
50
TOTAL
current or future, can accomplish this. They do
10
35
53
Men
recognize that having a rigorous system is important
9
41
50
Women
and prefer approaches that focus on principal
15
47
37
18-32
10
44
45
33-40
observations andto some extentparent and student
6
34
59
41-48
feedback.
7
35
55
49-56
More than three-fourths of teachers care more about
7
40
53
57+
having a rigorous evaluation system that helps them
12
42
46
Men 18-44
improve over a system that only identifies the lowest
6
29
63
Men 45+
10
42
48
Women 18-44
performing teachers.
7
40
52
Women 45+
Yet, only 9% of teachers believe the current system
8
36
55
White
for evaluating teachers works, while half believe it is
13
49
36
African-Amer/Hispanic
a poor way to measure teacher effectiveness.
14
56
30
New York City
7
31
59
Suburbs
Roughly two-thirds of teachers (65%) believe the
7
35
58
Upstate
current evaluation system is worse than the previous
11
42
46
High needs teacher
system which rated teachers as satisfactory or
6
33
58
Non-high needs
unsatisfactory.
14
40
45
0-14 years teaching
Teachers who work in high needs schools, defined as
5
38
56
15-24 years teaching
8
36
55
25+ years teaching
schools where more than half of students are on free
11
38
50
Elementary
or reduced lunch, have slightly less negative feelings
7
42
50
Middle School
towards the current evaluation system (46%) than
8
37
54
High School
those not teaching in high needs schools (58%).
9
41
50
LA/English/Reading
Teachers in New York City have less negative
8
45
46
Math
10
42
48
Democrats
impressions of the current system, with 30%
7
40
50
Ind/Oth
believing its a poor tool, compared to 59% in the
9
32
58
Republicans
suburbs and 58% upstate.
Teachers are not optimistic about the evaluation system being implemented this year. A majority believe its
effectiveness will be poor (53%).

Specific Elements of Evaluations

Teachers prefer evaluations that incorporate observations and other qualitative measures. Most oppose
including student test scores in evaluations.
In describing their ideal evaluation system, 39% of teachers include observations from those in their school
like principals and administrators. Eighty-six percent feel principal observations are valuable.
However, few teachers value feedback from outside observers like district officials (25%). More than four in
five teachers (81%) believe that feedback from outside observers is less important than feedback from
principals and others within their school.
A plurality of teachers, 41%, believe parent and student feedback via survey results could be valuable tool
in measuring teacher effectiveness.
Teachers do not place much importance on student test results or other measures of performance as part
of their evaluation. Teachers in non-high needs schools are even more resistant to including student test
growth in their evaluations (61% should not be included) than those in high needs schools (56% should not
be included). Just 38% of teachers overall believe that test results should have some impact on evaluations.
Only 3% of teachers include test results in descriptions of their ideal evaluation system.

Copyright 2015
E4E - New York State Teacher Survey 09.15

September 30 - October 5, 2015

8596

601 Interviews
Margin of Error: +/- 4.0%

S1. Are you at least 18 years old and live at [ADDRESS ON FILE]?

Yes ..............................................................................................................
100%
No ................................................................................................................
Don't know/Refused ....................................................................................
-

SPS. Are you currently a teacher in a public school?

Yes ..............................................................................................................
100%
No ................................................................................................................
Don't know/Refused ....................................................................................
-

SCS. Are you currently a teacher in a charter school?

Yes ..............................................................................................................
No ................................................................................................................
100
Don't know/Refused ....................................................................................
-

How would you rate the effectiveness of the currently used New York
State teacher evaluation system which rates teachers on a scale of Highly
Effective, Effective, Developing and Ineffective, with 60% of a teachers'
score from principal evaluations?

Excellent ......................................................................................................
2%
Good ............................................................................................................
7
Fair ..............................................................................................................
18
Not so good .................................................................................................
21
Poor .............................................................................................................
50
(Don't know/Refused) ..................................................................................
1

Q1.

VOL:

Please rate on a 0 to 10 scale where 0 means significantly worse and

10 means significantly better, whether or not the current evaluation
system is worse or better at measuring teachers' effectiveness compared
to a previous system where teachers were rated as either satisfactory or
VOL:
unsatisfactory?
Q2.

VOL:

Significantly better (9-10) ............................................................................

2%
Somewhat better (6-8) .................................................................................
16
Neutral (5)....................................................................................................
13
Somewhat worse (2-4) ................................................................................
24
Significantly worse (0-1) ..............................................................................
41
(Don't know/Not sure) ..................................................................................
3
(Refused) .....................................................................................................
-

NET BETTER (6-10)....................................................................................

19%
NET WORSE (0-4) ......................................................................................
65

MEAN ..........................................................................................................
2.86

Based on what you know, how effective do you think the new teacher
evaluation system, which will be implemented in the 2015-2016 school
year, will be?
Q3.

VOL:

Excellent ......................................................................................................
*
Good ............................................................................................................
3
Fair ..............................................................................................................
15
Not so good .................................................................................................
20
Poor .............................................................................................................
53
(Don't know/Refused) ..................................................................................
7

Global Strategy Group

8596 E4E - New York State Teacher Survey 09.15

Page 2/5

Now I'm going to read you a list of measures used to evaluate teacher effectiveness. Some are part of the new evaluation system,
some are not. For each one, tell me how valuable that measure is to you when thinking about how to improve your teaching, where 0
means the measure is worthless and 10 means it is highly valued. Here's the first one...
VALUED
Highly
(9-10)

Some
(6-8)

NOT VALUED
Neutral
(5)

Not very
(2-4)

NET

Worthless
(0-1)

NOT
VALUED

MEAN

Principal observations and

feedback ..............................................................................................................................................................................................
38%
48
8
3
2
*
86%

7.75

Student and parent survey results .............................................................................................................................................

13%
29
19
23
15
2
*
41%

38

5.03

Outside evaluators like district

official observations and feedback .............................................................................................................................................
6%
19
13
25
34
2
*
25%

60

3.40

Student growth on test results .....................................................................................................................................................

5%
17
15
28
33
2
*
22%

60

3.41

In a few words, please describe your ideal evaluation system for

measuring teacher effectiveness.

(Don't
know)

(Ref.)

VALUED

Principal/Administrative observations ..........................................................

39%
Peer evaluations ..........................................................................................
21
Objective observing (General) ....................................................................
17
Student growth ...........................................................................................
16
District specific evaluations .........................................................................
6
Parent feedback .........................................................................................
5
Student feedback ........................................................................................
4
No standardized test results .......................................................................
4
Test results .................................................................................................
3
Portfolio ......................................................................................................
3
Self-evaluation ............................................................................................
1
No answer ..................................................................................................
14
Other ............................................................................................................
-

Q8.

I'm now going to read you pairs of statements, for each one, please tell me which one comes closer to your view, even if neither is
exactly right.
Q9. Which comes closer to your view?
VOL:

Student growth on test results should not be included in

evaluations ..................................................................................................
58%
Test results should have some impact on evaluations ................................
38
(Don't know/Refused) ..................................................................................
3

VOL:

I care more about having a rigorous evaluation system

that helps me improve as a teacher ............................................................
77%
I care more about having an evaluation system that
only identifies the lowest performing teachers ............................................
16
(Don't know/Refused) ..................................................................................
7

VOL:

Feedback from outside observers is less important than

feedback from principals and others in my school ......................................
81%
Feedback from outside observers is as important as
feedback from principals and others in my school ......................................
17
(Don't know/Refused) ..................................................................................
3

Q10. Which comes closer to your view?

Q11. Which comes closer to your view?

Global Strategy Group

8596 E4E - New York State Teacher Survey 09.15

Q12. Which comes closer to your view?

Page 3/5

VOL:

The new evaluation system places too much emphasis

on tests and undercuts the authority of principals .......................................
86%
The new evaluation system implemented in the 2015 to
2016 school year is an important tool that allows
leaders of low income, high needs schools identify the
right teachers who are most able to help students who
are struggling ...............................................................................................
8
(Don't know/Refused) ..................................................................................
6

VOL:

Student growth on test results should account for less

than 50 percent of teacher evaluations. ......................................................
94%
Student growth on test results should account for more
than 50 percent of teacher evaluations. ......................................................
5
(Don't know/Refused) ..................................................................................
1

VOL:

I prefer an evaluation system that rates teachers as

ineffective, developing, effective, or highly effective. ..................................
47%
I prefer an evaluation system that rates teachers as
unsatisfactory or satisfactory. ......................................................................
46
(Don't know/Refused) ..................................................................................
7

VOL:

18-25 ...........................................................................................................
1%
26-32 ...........................................................................................................
13
33-40 ...........................................................................................................
24
41-48 ...........................................................................................................
23
49-56 ...........................................................................................................
19
57-64 ...........................................................................................................
12
65+...............................................................................................................
2
(Refused) .....................................................................................................
4

VOL:

Did not complete high school ......................................................................

Graduated high school ................................................................................
Attended technical/vocational school ..........................................................
Attended some college but no degree.........................................................
Graduated two-year college with Associate's degree .................................
1
Graduated four-year college with Bachelor's degree ..................................
5
Obtained Master's, PhD, or other professional degree ...............................
93
(Refused) .....................................................................................................
1

VOL:

Yes-Respondent ..........................................................................................
46%
Yes-Household ............................................................................................
8
No ................................................................................................................
45
(Refused) .....................................................................................................
1

VOL:

0-5 ...............................................................................................................
10%
6-10 .............................................................................................................
12
11-15 ...........................................................................................................
23
16-20 ...........................................................................................................
23
21-25 ...........................................................................................................
15
26-30 ...........................................................................................................
7
31+...............................................................................................................
8
(Refused) .....................................................................................................
2

Q13. Which comes closer to your view?

Q14. Which comes closer to your view?

Now I have just a few final questions for statistical purposes.

D101. In what year were you born?

What is the last grade of school or level of education you

completed?
D102.

Are you or is anyone in your household an active or retired member

of a labor union?
D103.

DYEARS. How many years have you been teaching?

Global Strategy Group

8596 E4E - New York State Teacher Survey 09.15

DGRADE. What grade do you primarily teach?

Page 4/5

VOL:

Kindergarten ................................................................................................
6%
Early elementary - 1st through 3rd grade ....................................................
14
Late elementary - 4th through 5th grade .....................................................
14
Elementary special education .....................................................................
5
Middle school - 6th through 8th grade .........................................................
23
Middle school special education ..................................................................
1
Early high school - 9th through 10th grade .................................................
15
Late high school - 11th through 12th grade.................................................
14
High school special education .....................................................................
1
Other (Specify) ............................................................................................
5
(Refused) .....................................................................................................
2

VOL:

Math .............................................................................................................
15%
Science ........................................................................................................
11
Language Arts/English/Reading ..................................................................
23
Visual or Performing Arts ............................................................................
4
Physical Education ......................................................................................
3
Foreign Language .......................................................................................
4
History/Social Sciences/Government ..........................................................
10
Special Education ........................................................................................
7
Multiple/core subjects ..................................................................................
17
Technology/shop .........................................................................................
2
Other (Specify) ............................................................................................
2
(Refused) .....................................................................................................
3

VOL:

Strong Democrat .........................................................................................

25%
Weak Democrat ...........................................................................................
16
Independent / Closer to the Democrats.......................................................
14
Independent.................................................................................................
16
Independent / Closer to the Republicans ....................................................
6
Weak Republican ........................................................................................
8
Strong Republican .......................................................................................
11
(Don't Know/Refused) .................................................................................
5

DSUBJCT. What subject do you primarily teach?

When it comes to politics, do you generally think of yourself as a

strong Democrat, not very strong Democrat, strong Republican, not very
strong Republican, or Independent? [IF INDEPENDENT/DON'T KNOW] Do you
think of yourself as closer to the Democratic Party or the Republican
Party?
P1.

DEMOCRAT (NET) .....................................................................................

41%
INDEPENDENT (NET) ................................................................................
40
REPUBLICAN (NET) ...................................................................................
20

DEMOCRAT W/ LEANERS (NET) ..............................................................

54%
REPUBLICAN W/ LEANERS (NET) ............................................................
25
D105. When it comes to politics, do you generally think of yourself as:

VOL:

Very liberal ...................................................................................................

13%
Somewhat liberal .........................................................................................
26
Moderate .....................................................................................................
35
Somewhat conservative ..............................................................................
15
Very conservative ........................................................................................
7
(Refused) .....................................................................................................
4

LIBERAL (NET) ...........................................................................................

39%
CONSERVATIVE (NET) ..............................................................................
22

Global Strategy Group

8596 E4E - New York State Teacher Survey 09.15

To ensure we have a representative sample, could you please tell

me your race? [IF BLACK/WHITE/OTHER] Do you consider yourself Hispanic,
Latino, or Spanish-speaking American?
D300.

VOL:

Page 5/5

Black/African-American ...............................................................................
9%
White/Caucasian .........................................................................................
75
Hispanic/Latino ............................................................................................
10
Asian-American ...........................................................................................
2
Native American ..........................................................................................
Other (SPECIFY) .........................................................................................
1
(Refused) .....................................................................................................
2

Gender [BY OBSERVATION]

Male .............................................................................................................
25%
Female.........................................................................................................
75

Region [FROM SAMPLE]

NYC: Manhattan ..........................................................................................

4%
NYC: Brooklyn .............................................................................................
8
NYC: Queens ..............................................................................................
7
NYC: Bronx ..................................................................................................
6
NYC: Staten Island ......................................................................................
1
Suburbs: Long Island...................................................................................
19
Suburbs: Lower Hudson Valley ...................................................................
9
Suburbs: Upper Hudson Valley ...................................................................
6
Upstate: Central/North: Cities ......................................................................
5
Upstate: Central/North: Rural ......................................................................
16
Upstate: Western: Cities ..............................................................................
10
Upstate: Western: Rural ..............................................................................
8

New York City ..............................................................................................

28%
Suburbs .......................................................................................................
33
Upstate ........................................................................................................
39