Uncommon Measures: Student Surveys and Their Use in Measuring Teaching Effectiveness

In an effort to develop a balanced and valid system, states and districts increasingly have moved toward using multiple measures in educator evaluation. Certain measures, such as classroom observations and value-added models, are more commonly used or considered than others. To support innovation and build collective knowledge, this series provides guidance on alternative measures of teacher effectiveness and highlights district and state contexts where these methods are used.

This document provides guidance regarding the use of student surveys, including benefits and limitations of their use, summaries of vendor-developed student surveys and how they have been used in other contexts, and guidance around implementing surveys and using student perception data effectively.