Relationship Between Teachers’ Professional Efficacy Beliefs and Their Evaluation of a New Teacher Evaluation System in New Jersey

This research study examines the relationship between teachers' professional efficacy beliefs and their evaluation of a new teacher evaluation system implemented in New Jersey. Conducted by researchers at Rutgers University's Center for Effective School Practices, the study surveyed 2,760 preK-12 teachers from 25 public school districts who participated in the pilot testing of New Jersey's statewide teacher evaluation program during the 2012-2013 school year. Using Bandura's social cognitive theory as a framework, the researchers developed a mediation model to test whether teachers' beliefs about their ability to impact student outcomes influenced their acceptance of the new evaluation system. The study found that professional efficacy was positively associated with perceptions of system fairness and accuracy, which in turn predicted teachers' self-reported changes in instructional practice. Importantly, the relationship between efficacy and practice change was mediated rather than direct, suggesting that teachers' judgments about the evaluation system's attributes serve as critical intermediary factors. The findings indicate that teachers with lower professional efficacy were more likely to view the evaluation system as unfair or inaccurate, leading to less willingness to modify their teaching practices. This research has significant implications for educational reform implementation, suggesting that successful teacher evaluation systems require not only technical accuracy but also attention to building teacher confidence and ensuring meaningful teacher involvement in the design and implementation process.