Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policy
The data and analysis on this page is from 2019. View and download the most recent policy data and analysis on Principal Effectiveness in Missouri from the State of the States 2022: Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policies report.
Objective student growth measures: Missouri requires that impact on student learning play a "significant" role in principal evaluations.
Link to teacher effectiveness/instructional leadership: Missouri state policy does not explicitly link principal evaluations and teacher effectiveness/instructional leadership.
Improvement plans: Missouri requires principals to receive "regular and meaningful feedback." Those rated less-than-effective must receive "targeted interventions and support to encourage ongoing formative development."
Surveys: Missouri explicitly allows stakeholder, student, parent, and climate surveys for the purposes of principal evaluation.
Make an explicit link between principal evaluation and teacher effectiveness/instructional leadership.
Because the time principals spend on organizational management, instructional programming, and teacher evaluation is critically important for positive effects on both teachers and students, Missouri should evaluate its principals—to some degree—on teacher effectiveness and instructional leadership.
Missouri recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.
7G: Principal Effectiveness
Research demonstrates that there is a clear link between school leadership and school outcomes.[1] Principals foster school improvement by shaping school goals, policies and practices, and social and organizational structures.[2] Principals vary significantly in their effectiveness, and research suggests that high-quality principals positively affect student achievement, in-school discipline, parents' perceptions of schools, and school climates.[3] Further, principals affect teacher retention and recruitment;[4] effective principals are more adept at retaining effective teachers and removing ineffective teachers.[5] The time principals spend on organizational management, instructional programming, and teacher evaluation is critically important for positive effects on teachers and students.[6] Because principals are an essential component of creating successful schools, their effectiveness should be regularly evaluated by trained evaluators on systems that include objective measures. Such systems will help to ensure that all principals receive the feedback and support necessary to improve their practice and, ultimately, student and school outcomes.