BEST IN CLASS: AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEACHER QUALITY INDICATORS AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN NORTH CAROLINA

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  • March 22, 2019
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  • SINQUEFIELD, JASON
    • Affiliation: School of Education, Educational Leadership Graduate Program
Abstract
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between North Carolina’s common teacher quality indicators and student performance. To that end, this study sought to determine in what way North Carolina’s teacher quality indicators significantly predicted student growth as measured by EVAAS scores, as well as the profile of the North Carolina teacher whose students exceeded expected growth. Spence’s (1974) Signal Theory was used to explain the dissonance between what is used by educators (i.e. years of experience, master’s degree, and North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Rubric rating) and the state (EVAAS status) to demonstrate high quality teaching. The study used secondary data sets containing North Carolina teacher quality and school and teacher demographic data furnished by local, state, and national agencies for the 2010-2011 through 2013-2014 school years, totaling more than 101,000 teacher observations. Multiple regression analyses were run to investigate relationships using teacher and school variables and informed answers pertaining to the research questions of the study. A number of controls for teacher, school, and district effects were included in regression models. Results showed a significant positive relationship for teacher years of experience and North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Rubric ratings with EVAAS scores. Higher school non-White populations consistently yielded a significant negative relationship with EVAAS scores. Lastly, teachers who were White, male, had higher North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Rubric ratings, and taught at non-Title 1 schools with smaller minority student populations were found to have the highest probability of exceeding expected growth. In addition to connecting North Carolina to existing research on the efficacy of teacher quality indicators in predicting student performance, this study also offers information to educational leaders and policy makers interested in improving teacher recruitment, compensation, and retention strategies. However, this study also raises concerns on the existing system of teacher evaluation in North Carolina, as the comprehensive models used explained no more than five percent of the variation in EVAAS scores. Similarly, demographic characteristics of teachers and schools had a significant impact on student performance that will require further research and investigation in order to improve the explanatory power of the findings presented.
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Advisor
  • SCOTT, CHRISTOPHER
  • THOMPSON-DORSEY, DANA
  • GIBBS, BRIAN
  • HOUCK, ERIC
  • BROWN, KATHLEEN
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduation year
  • 2018
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