This study's purpose was to investigate the differences in scores and written comments given by two appraisal groups in their evaluation of a music teacher using the Texas Teacher Appraisal System (TTAS). One appraiser group had musical training while the other group specialized in other subjects. Analyses of both group's appraisal scores showed no significant differences. An examination of the written comments revealed that both appraisal groups focused on the same aspects of the lesson and used similar vocabulary. The TTAS instrument was a consistent measure of generic teacher behaviors in the music lesson, but it did not measure specific music teaching behaviors or encourage suggestions for improving musical instruction.

The purpose of this study was to determine if appraisers using the TTAS in Texas perceived themselves as being objective in the evaluation process. The population for this study was 213 appraisers, both elementary and secondary, chosen randomly from four educational service areas in four regions of Texas. Data were obtained from a 25-item questionnaire mailed to the appraisers. The organization of this study includes a statement of the problem, the research questions, a review of the literature, the methods and procedures used to collect the data, the analysis of the data, and a summary of the findings, conclusions, implications, and recommendations for additional research. Data from the 213 returned questionnaires were treated with the chi-square test of independence. The analysis of data revealed the following: 1. Regardless of the level, elementary or secondary, of the administrator, the majority of respondents held the same views. 2. Regardless of the region of Texas from which the respondents came, the majority of respondents held the same views. 3. Regardless of the number of years of experience of the appraisers, the majority of respondents held the same views. 4. The majority of respondents felt they are objective in their use of the TTAS. The implications are that the TTAS instrument is being used as was its intention, and that the appraisers feel comfortable in the use of the TTAS. Since the TTAS is effective as seen through a majority of respondents, it may be used in future revisions of the current instrument or by other districts as a model by which to begin construction of their own appraisal instruments.

The purpose of this study was to determine the interrater reliability of the Texas Teacher Appraisal System instrument. The performance indicators, criteria, domains, and total instrument were analyzed for inter rater reliability. Five videotaped teaching episodes were viewed and scored by 557 to 881 school administrators trained to utilize the Texas Teacher Appraisal System. The fifty-five performance indicators were analyzed for simple percentage of agreement. The ten criteria, four performance domains, and) the whole instrument were analyzed utilizing Ruder-Richardson Formula 20. Indicators were judged reliable if there was 75 percent or greater agreement on four of the five videotaped exercises. Criteria, domains, and the whole instrument were judged reliable if they yielded a -Ruder-Richardson Formula 20 score of .75 or greater on four of the Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions v/ere drawn: 1. Forty-eight of the fifty-five performance indicators were reliable in evaluation teacher performance. 2. Seven of the performance indicators were unreliable in evaluating teacher performance. 3. None of the ten performance criteria appeared to be reliable in evaluating teacher performance. 4. None of the four performance domains appeared to be reliable in evaluating teacher performance. 5. The whole instrument was reliable in evaluating teacher performance. 6. Reliability problems with the criteria and domains appeared to be an underestimate of reliability of the Kuder-Richardson Formula 20.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are personal and demographic characteristics which can predict the most accurate teacher appraisers. The demographics were limited to the following: campus-level job assignment, employing district size, sex, race, number of years of experience as an administrator, previous level of teaching experience, and curriculum area taught by the appraiser. The 622 subjects were school administrators trained to utilize the Texas Teacher Appraisal System. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Where an independent variable was significant (.05), a follow-up ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison were employed. Based on the findings of this study the following conclusions were drawn: 1. A summary data set indicated there was little evidence that any of the demographic variables was a significant predictor of accuracy in the evaluation process. 2. Six different data sets indicated that varying instructional settings and methodologies can influence evaluator accuracy. The campus assignment, years of experience, content area taught, race, and sex of the appraisers were all identified in at least one of the exercise sets as having significance. Except for sex and race, none of the variables was found to be significant when the overall prediction equation with all demographic variables was evaluated. 3. In the prediction equations of this study the percent of variance was so minute that social significance could not be established. 4. The Texas Teacher Appraisal System can be used by appraisers with various backgrounds and experiences without a reduction of accuracy. 5. School boards can appoint appraisers with various backgrounds and experiences without a reduction of accuracy in the process.

This study considered the appraisal patterns of 29 teacher appraisers from a single high school district over a two year period. It discussed the district's efforts to assist its appraisers in evaluating teachers, and compared the frequency and range of the exceptional quality scores and overall performance scores assigned to teachers evaluated.

This study investigates the inter-rater reliability of appraisers who award exceptional quality points on the Texas Teacher Appraisal Instrument. Inter-rater reliability was measured when appraisers scored exceptional quality points after viewing a videotaped lesson. Comparisons were made between appraisers when grouped according to elementary or secondary certification, sex, years of administrative experience, and type of training. A total of 707 subjects from 56 school districts participated in the study. Five research hypotheses were formulated with the .05 level of significance for acceptance. All hypotheses were tested by correlation of coefficients, multiple response procedures, frequencies, and percentages. The data measuring inter-rater reliability of the appraisers in training imply that there is very little reliability in the awarding of exceptional quality points on the Texas Teacher Appraisal Instrument. The findings of this study are that certification, sex, administrative experience, and type of training made no significant differences when scoring the instrument. Therefore, it is concluded that the scoring of exceptional quality points is a subjective, professional judgment made by each appraiser when observing a teacher. Since no significant reliability was found, the scoring of exceptional quality points cannot be supported as a reliable means of determining the quality of teaching in Texas schools. Generally, elementary certified appraisers awarded fewer exceptional quality points than secondary appraisers, males awarded slightly more points than females, appraisers indicated no noticeable trend because of years of administrative experience, and less experienced appraisers had the tendency to award more points than experienced appraisers. Therefore, inter-rater reliability in awarding exceptional quality points cannot be expected on a consistent basis. Each appraiser, regardless of certification, sex, years of administrative experience or training, will use his or her own professional judgment when scoring the instrument.

The purpose of this study is to develop a prototype instrument that may be used in conjunction with the Texas Teacher Appraisal System instrument to appraise the competencies expected of school library media specialists.

The purposes of this study were (1) to determine the scores on the quantitative portion of the SAT for 110 students and these students' math teachers' ratings on the TTAS, (2) to determine the nature of the relationship of the students' SAT scores to their teachers' TTAS ratings, and (3) to determine the nature of the relationship of the students' SAT scores to their sex. It was hypothesized that (1) there would be no significant relationship between a student's math score as measured by the quantitative portion of the SAT and the effectiveness of the student's math teacher as measured by the TTAS, and (2) there would be no significant relationship between a student's math score as measured by the quantitative portion of the SAT and the student's sex. The 110 subjects (60 males and 50 females) In this study took the quantitative portion of the SAT during the 1986-87 school year. This sample was drawn from a large suburban high school in the North Texas area. The effectiveness of the math teachers who taught the 110 students was measured by the Texas Teachers Appraisal System (TTAS). The statistical analyses indicated that (1) there was no significant relationship between a higher SAT score and a math teacher's higher TTAS rating and (2) there was no significant relationship between male and female SAT scores. Recommendations for future research include: (1) does the TTAS actually measure teacher effectiveness, (2) do appraisers in Texas follow state mandated training procedures, (3) does the quantitative portion of the SAT contain sexually biased items, (4) does the SAT actually predict student ability, (5) do teachers respond in like manner to male and female students, (6) does the high school curriculum tend to favor one sex more than the other.