Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Principals’ Perceptions of Barriers to Teacher Dismissal

  • Published:
Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although scholars and popular press writers are critical of school district failures to remove inadequately performing teachers, little has been said about the thinking of principals on this issue. Because principals are the front-line implementers of evaluation policy, their beliefs about barriers (real or perceived) are likely to influence their actions. This study asked elementary and middle school principals in the state of Oregon to identify barriers to deal effectively with inadequately performing teachers. Results demonstrated that principals believe teacher unions to be the most significant barrier, and blame the union representatives more often than the language of the negotiated contract. In addition, principals identify the amount of time required to engage in the process as a barrier. Continued study of principal beliefs about these factors may suggest (1) areas of needed reform in the implementation of evaluation and (2) administrative training needs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Blackman, M.C., & Fenwick, L.T. (2000). The Principalship: Looking for Leaders in a Time of Change. Education Week 19(29), 68, 46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bridges, E.M. (1992). The Incompetent Teacher: Managerial Responses. Bristol, PA: Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chase, R.F. (1997). National Press Club. http://www.nea.org/newunion/.

  • DeMitchell, T.A., & Fossey, R. (1997). The Limits of Law-Based School Reform: Vain Hopes and False Promises. Lancaster, PA: Technomic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellett, C.D. (1987). Emerging Teacher Performance Assessment Practices: Implications for the Instructional Supervision Role of the School Principal. In W. Greenfield (Ed.), Instructional leadership: Concepts, Issues and Controversies. (pp. 302-327). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellett, C.D., & Garland, J. (1987). Teacher Evaluation Practices in our 100 Largest School Districts: Are They Living up to “State-of-the-Art” Systems? Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, 1(1), 69-92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, M. (1988). Effecting a Reconciliation Between Supervision and Evaluation: A Reply to Popham. Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, 1(3), 275-280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavely, C., Berger, N., & Follman, J. (1992). Actual Incidence of Incompetent Teachers. Educational Research Quarterly, 15(2), 11-14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, M. (1998). Teachers Evaluating Teachers: Peer Review and The New Unionism. New Brunswick: Social Philosophy and Policy Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leithwood, K.A., Begley, P.T., & Cousins, J.B. (1990). The Nature, Causes and Consequences of Principals’ Practices: An Agenda for Future Research. Journal of Educational Administration, 28(4), 5-31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loup, K.S., Garland, J.S., Ellett, C.D., & Rugutt, J.K. (1996). Ten Years Later: Findings from a Replication of a Study of Teacher Evaluation Practices in our 100 Largest School Districts. Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, 10(3), 203-226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Painter, S.R. (1999). Principals’ Efficacy Beliefs about Teacher Evaluation, to be published 2000, in Journal of Educational Administration.

  • Popham, J. (1988). The Dysfunctional Marriage of Formative and Summative Teacher Evaluation. Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, 1(3), 269-280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poston, W.K., & Manatt, R.P. (1993). Principals as Evaluators: Limiting Effects on School Reform. International Journal of Educational Reform, 2(1), 41-48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweitzer, P. (1998). Firing offenses. National Review, 50(15), 27-29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toch, T. (1996, February 26). Why Teachers Don’t Teach. U.S. News and World Report, 120(8), 62-71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, P.D. (1997). Lake Woebegon: Where all Teachers are Competent (or, Have we Come to Terms with the Problem of Incompetent Teachers?). Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, 11(2), 103-126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, D.W., & Wilson, R.E. (1998). The Promise of a New Day: Senate Bill 880 and its Impact on Teacher and Administrator Employment and Accountability. Willamette Law Review, 38, 269-325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wise, A.E., Darling-Hammond, L., McLaughlin, M.W., & Bernstein, H.E. (1984). Teacher Evaluation: A Study of Effective Practices, Santa Monica, CA: Rand.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arizona State University West, USA

    Suzanne R. Painter

Authors
  1. Suzanne R. Painter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Painter, S.R. Principals’ Perceptions of Barriers to Teacher Dismissal. Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education 14, 253–264 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008144215978

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008144215978

Keywords

Search

Navigation