The efficacy of portfolios for teacher evaluation and professional development: Do they make a difference?

A multiyear study of a small school district introducing the use of portfolios as part of a new evaluation system was conducted to determine the efficacy of portfolios in the evaluation of teacher performance both for accountability and professional development purposes. The portfolio system was found to be particularly useful in documenting teacher performance in the areas of assessment and professionalism-ones not readily observable during classroom visits by administrators. Based on summative evaluation results, the introduction of portfolios assisted administrators in making finer distinctions about the quality of teacher performance. Survey and focus group data indicated that teachers and administrators viewed portfolios as fair and accurate measures of performance but had concerns about their feasibility given the time demands of development. Portfolios were found to clearly support the accountability purposes of teacher evaluation, but further research is needed to delineate the conditions under which portfolios can be used to foster professional development.