Local District Implementation of State Mandated Teacher Evaluation Policies and Procedures: The North Carolina Case

Although the states voice in the evaluation of North Carolinas teachers has been strong during recent years, inconsistent levels of resources and support have led to mixed results within and across districts. There have also been mixed messages regarding state support for locally developed alternative teacher evaluation systems. When the Excellent Schools Act of 1997 called for sweeping changes in the evaluation of teachers, it appeared to confer preferred status upon the NC Teacher Performance Appraisal System (TPAS) as a valid teacher evaluation instrument and to require locally developed alternatives to be at least as valid as the NC TPAS. A study of teacher evaluation practice in 27 North Carolina school districts 14 years after the initial implementation of the NC TPAS revealed more inconsistencies in teacher evaluation practice and somewhat lower support for the NC TPAS among teachers and administrators than desirable. The results illustrated that local implementation of state mandates is a complex and political process.