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 West Virginia from the State of the States 2022: Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policies report.
Objective student growth measures: West Virginia requires that student growth counts for a total of 20 percent of a principal's evaluation rating. Principals must develop two student learning goals.
Link to teacher effectiveness/instructional leadership: West Virginia's standards for principals, guide evaluation and have components related to instructional leadership.
Improvement plans:
West Virginia employs two types of plans to support continuous improvement. The focused support plan is when there is documented evidence indicating an area of concern. The corrective action plan is used when an evaluation is complete and shows unsatisfactory performance based on one or more of the state's standards.
Surveys: West Virginia requires administration of a stakeholder survey on the overall effectiveness of the school during the second half of the school year. These surveys provide school leaders with perceptual data to share with the evaluator at the year-end conference.
As a result of West Virginia's strong principal effectiveness policies, no recommendations are provided.
West Virginia 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.