Elementary Principal Perceptions of the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model

The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) had been in a state of reform since being awarded the Race to the Top Grant. Few teachers admit that an evaluation influenced them significantly; additionally, few administrators agreed that when they evaluated a teacher, it did not significantly affect the teacher or students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the perceptions of building‑level principals regarding the effectiveness (i.e., increased teacher participation and quality) and efficiency (i.e., produces the required results) of the TEAM in regard to teacher evaluations. Four elementary school principals from East Tennessee participated in the study. The researcher provided data from this study to inform stakeholders of strengths and weaknesses of the state evaluation model. Additionally, the researcher used the data to provide recommendations for improvements to the TEAM model and to identify support principals needed to adapt their leadership style to effectively execute TEAM mandates. The research revealed that the principals believed the model was a strong one that was research based; however, the model could prove to be ineffective in the delivery and inefficient in the follow‑through if the proper supports were not in place