A Study of the Perceptions of Special Education Administrators and Teachers on the Use of the Danielson Framework for Teaching as an Evaluation Method for Self-Contained Special Education Teachers

The purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to identify and compare the perceptions of administrators and special education teachers in self-contained classrooms in three areas: the effectiveness of the Danielson Framework For Teaching (FFT) as an evaluation tool for special education teachers in the state of Pennsylvania, the importance of including components deemed essential by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) in the evaluation of special education teachers, and the evidence of the inclusion of the CEC components in the Danielson FFT. A purposive sampling of Intermediate Unit administrators and special education teachers in self-contained classrooms in the state of Pennsylvania was the focus of this study. Quantitative data was collected via a web-based survey through Survey Monkey that collected both demographic and perception data using the Administrator/ Teacher Perceptions of the Danielson Framework for Teaching tool. A review of literature found that each state has the autonomy to choose its own evaluation method and modify the tool to best fit the needs of that state, but there were no studies conducted on the perceptions of administrators and special education teachers in the state of Pennsylvania. The sample consisted of 56 administrators and 76 special education teachers from 19 Intermediate Units in the state of Pennsylvania. The survey was administered in the fall of 2019. The variables in the study were the perceptions of the effectiveness of the Danielson FFT, perceptions of the importance of including the components deemed essential by the CEC in an evaluation of special education teachers, and the perceptions of the evidence of the inclusion of those components in the Danielson FFT. Administrators’ and special education teachers’ perceptions were measured using the Administrator/ Teacher Perception of the DFFT. A One- Way ANOVA test was conducted on each of the variables, and the means of each group (administrators and special education teachers) were compared. There was no statistically significant difference in the perceptions of administrators and special education teachers on the overall effectiveness of the Danielson FFT. Both groups agreed that the Danielson FFT is not an effective evaluation method for special education teachers. There was a statically significant difference in perceptions of administrators and teachers on the importance of including in evaluations components deemed essential by the CEC. While both groups agree that is important to include the components deemed important by the CEC, teachers’ perceptions were stronger than perceptions of administrators. Additionally, there was a statistical difference in the perceptions of administrators and teachers on the evidence of the inclusion of the CEC components in the Danielson FFT. While both groups do not see the evidence of the components deemed important by the CEC, administrators see slightly less evidence than teachers