A mixed methods study exploring the realities and perceptions of principal evaluation

Principals play a critical role in how a school performs and what type of culture it will have. However, most principal evaluation relies heavily on practices and beliefs grounded in 20th century educational paradigms or adheres to outdated behavioral checklists. This mixed methods study explores the current realities of principal evaluation in southeastern Idaho and the perceptions of 127 principals and superintendents. Findings suggest that there is a variance between written evaluation policies and current practices. Further, there was a statistically significant difference in the perceptions of principals and superintendents in nearly every aspect of principal evaluation studied. The study supports the need to revise and examine current practices being employed to assess principal job performance