The association of selected student characteristics with student ratings of teachers

Abstract

The piimaiy purpose of this study was to deteimine if there were significant associations between selected student demographic characteristics and the mean student ratings of teachers in the Lincoln County Wyoming School District. A major goal was to assist teachers in understanding the relationship, if any, between mean student ratings of teachers and the student demographic profiles of teacher classrooms. The selected student demographic characteristics studied included; student gender, special education designation, honor roll status, low socioeconomic status and average class attendance. The student demographic characteristics and the student rating of teacher data were collected in the spring of 1996. Teacher and student data were coded to protect individual information in accordance with the Iowa State University Human Subjects Release agreement. The achievement data were converted to standardized scores to allow comparisons across grades, classrooms and course examinations. Statistical tests were used to analyze the student demographic data and the student ratings of teachers to ensure that variability existed between classrooms and teachers. Statistical tests were then run on each selected student demographic characteristic to determine if there were significant associations with student ratings of teachers. Finally a statistical regression was performed to determine if any associations existed between groups of demographic characteristics and the student ratings of teachers. This study foimd no significant associations between student ratings of teachers and selected student demographic characteristics in the Lincoln County Wyoming School District.

A factor analysis of K-12 student feedback items and the association of these items to criterion-referenced tests in reading, language arts, and mathematics

“…4. Recently, Strasser (1999) foimd no significant difference in how boys and girls rate their teachers. Furthermore, no significant differences were found among measures of socio-economic status and high/low achieving smdents with ratings of teachers.…”

The development and implementation of 360 Degree Feedback® for administrators of a K-12 public school district

“…Further work by Strasser (1999) examined the variabililty to smdents who were able to rate teacher effectiveness as related to student achievement. Gender did not affect the ratings, nor did the uiclusion of special education students in the rating system.…”