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 Oklahoma from the State of the States 2022: Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policies report.
Objective Student Growth Measures: Oklahoma does not require student growth to play a role in principal evaluation ratings.
Link to Teacher Effectiveness/Instructional Leadership: Oklahoma requires the principal assessment tool to include "observable and measurable characteristics of personnel and site management practices that are correlated to student performance success, including but not limited to ... organizational and school management, including retention and development of effective teachers and dismissal of ineffective teachers."
Improvement Plans: Oklahoma does not require that principals rated less-than-effective are placed on improvement plans.
Surveys: Oklahoma state policy does not mention surveys for the purposes of principal evaluation.
Require objective measures of student growth to play a role in principal evaluation ratings.
There is a clear link between school leadership and school outcomes. Therefore, Oklahoma should require principal evaluations to include objective measures of student growth. This will allow districts to more accurately identify effective principals, who are more adept at attracting and retaining effective teachers.
Ensure that principals receiving less-than-effective ratings are placed on a professional improvement plan.
Oklahoma should adopt a policy requiring principals who receive even one less-than-effective evaluation rating to be placed on structured improvement plans. These plans should identify noted deficiencies, define specific action steps necessary to address these deficiencies, and describe how and when progress will be measured.
Require or explicitly allow surveys.
Oklahoma should require—or at the very least, explicitly allow—survey data to be included in a principal's evaluation rating. These data could be derived from school climate, teacher, student, or school community surveys and are necessary to provide data about a principal's overall leadership of the school community.
Oklahoma had no comment on this goal.
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.