Implementing change: the devolution of teacher evaluation policy under the every student succeeds act

Abstract

The devolution of federal education policy and initiatives from No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Race to the Top to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), have far-reaching effects. ESSA reduces the federal footprint by shifting the power and giving autonomy for educational decision making back to state education policy makers. Officials in Kansas are continuing the devolution of policy by granting local school districts the authority to determine the most appropriate ways to enact the requirements of the new federal law. This scenario has recently been seen with teacher evaluation requirements in Kansas as ESSA has eliminated the mandate that student performance measures (SPMs) be included in teacher evaluation. Using a theoretical frame built upon the importance of implementation processes, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine administrator and teacher perceptions in one Kansas public school district regarding the district's navigation of the SPM policy implementation process as it shifted from NCLB to ESSA. Findings indicate the district's implementation procedures led to inconsistent practices with SPM use, and that educators valued increased local control even though challenges accompanied the increased authority. The results of this study may assist other local educational decision makers navigate similar change efforts in their schools.