Washington's Teacher and Principal Evaluation System: Examining the Implementation of a Complex Policy

Washington state’s new teacher and principal evaluation system (TPEP) represents one of the most substantial changes in statewide education policy in recent years. Districts and schools face distinct challenges in trying to implement a complex evaluation system like TPEP. Using a backward mapping strategy to investigate the implementation of TPEP, this study examined issues associated with an evaluation policy that seeks to serve dual purposes of accountability and instructional improvement. In this study, we investigated factors that impact the quality, substance, and sustainability of the new evaluation policies.