Program Evaluation: Professional Development for Educators

Educator professional development programs may be developed and implemented at the statewide, regional, or local level. These professional development programs may focus on educating particular students or teaching certain academic subjects. The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available in PDF format from the links below.

Rider 42 Professional Development Academies

In 2009, the Rider 42 Professional Development Academies became part of a comprehensive initiative to ensure students met or exceeded standards in English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, Career and Technical Education, and the English Language Proficiency Standards. 

The evaluation report and executive summary are available from the links below:

Rider 42 Professional Development Research Study (University of Texas at Dallas Education Research Center, January 2011)
Executive Summary (19 pages)

      Texas Principal Excellence Program

      The Texas Principal Excellence Program (formerly known as the School Leadership Pilot program) focused on improving student academic achievement, graduation rates, and teacher retention at campuses rated academically unacceptable.

      The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

      Final Report on the Evaluation of the Texas Principal Excellence Program (TxPEP) (Learning Point Associates, December 2008)
      Executive Summary (11 pages)

      Interim Report on the Evaluation of the Texas Principal Excellence Program (TxPEP) (Learning Point Associates, March 2008)
      Executive Summary (8 pages)

      Beginning Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program

      Beginning Teacher Induction and Mentoring (BTIM) program was a professional development program launched in Fall 2007. The goals of BTIM were increasing the retention rate of 1st and 2nd year teachers and providing support and training for mentor teachers. 

      The evaluation report and executive summary are available from the links below:

      Evaluation of the Beginning Teacher Induction and Mentoring (BTIM) Program (ICF International, January 2009)
      Executive Summary (18 pages)

        Texas Adolescent Literacy Academies

        Beginning in Spring 2008, Texas Adolescent Literacy Academies (TALA) was a professional development program that developed reading academies for teachers to help improve middle school students’ academic literacy.

        The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

        Evaluation of Texas Adolescent Literacy Academies (TALA): Case Study Report (ICF International, June 2011)

        Evaluation of Texas Adolescent Literacy Academies (TALA): Final Report (ICF International, December 2010)
        Executive Summary (19 pages)

        Evaluation of the Texas Adolescent Literacy Academies (TALA): Interim Report #2 (ICF International, December 2010)
        Executive Summary (19 pages)

        Evaluation of the Texas Adolescent Literacy Academies (TALA): Interim Report #1 (ICF International, May 2009)
        Executive Summary (10 pages) 

          Mathematics Instructional Coaches Pilot Program

          Mathematics Instructional Coaches (MIC) pilot program's purpose was to increase the expertise of teachers who instructed students in mathematics at the middle school, junior high school, or high school level. The goal was to identify coaching programs that enhanced teacher performance. Eligible school districts or campuses had to have at least 65% economically disadvantaged student populations and a 60% or below passing rate for all students on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)-Mathematics test during each of the three preceding school years.

          The evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

          Mathematics Instructional Coaches Pilot Program: Case Study Reports, 2008 - 2010 (ICF International, June 2011)

          Evaluation of the Mathematics Instructional Coaches Pilot Program: A High School Success Pilot Program, February 2011 Report (ICF International, February 2011)
          Executive Summary (15 pages)

          Educator Professional Development Programs at the Local and Regional Levels

          In 2005, TEA began collecting data on educator professional development programs at the local and regional levels. The corresponding evaluation included expert reviews of promising professional development programs, surveys of district administrators and teachers, and an assessment of teachers’ perceptions of their access to high quality professional development opportunities.

          The evaluation report and executive summary are available from the links below:

          Evaluation of Educator Professional Development Programs Implemented at the Regional and Local Levels (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, December 2006)
          Executive Summary (4 pages)

          Student Success Initiative: Teacher Reading and Math Academies and Science Teacher Quality Grants

          The Student Success Initiative (SSI) was implemented in 1999. In 2004, TEA and external consulting firms evaluated three specific statewide professional development initiatives: (1) the Teacher Reading Academy, (2) Teacher Mathematics Academy, and (3) Science Teacher Quality Grants.

          The evaluation report and executive summary are available from the links below:

          Evaluation of Student Success Initiative Teacher Training Academies (Gibson Consulting Group, December 2004)
          Executive Summary (17 pages)

          Contact: ProgramEval@tea.texas.gov