Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) for Fine Arts Educators
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Authors
Miller, Brianna
Issue Date
2025-10
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
evaluation , education , fine arts , Educational Leadership & Learning Lifelong
Alternative Title
Abstract
The problem addressed by this study was the ineffectiveness of current fine arts teacher evaluation practices. The purpose of this action research was to explore perceptions held by evaluators and fine arts teachers regarding the effectiveness of the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) in terms of how well the tool achieves validity and alignment with expected performance goals in the evaluation of fine arts educators. Eisner’s theories of educational connoisseurship and criticism, which highlight the connection between content-specific understanding and quality evaluative feedback, served as the conceptual framework. Purposive sampling was used to identify ten fine arts educators and three evaluators who had completed at least one T-TESS evaluation cycle; participants were recruited through email and social media outreach. Participants completed a five-item questionnaire via Qualitrics and a semi-structured interview via Zoom. Clarke and Braun’s six-step thematic analysis process was used to analyze the transcribed data; NVivo was used throughout coding. The findings indicated that while participants appreciated T-TESS’ structure and focus on best teaching practices, the tool was perceived as ineffective for evaluating fine arts educators due to its inability to address the subjective aspects of fine arts instruction. Participants recommended supplementary arts-specific rubrics, the involvement of content experts, and evaluator participation in fine arts training to increase the perceived accuracy and helpfulness of evaluative feedback. This study contributes to practice by advocating for equity in teacher evaluations and highlighting the need for systems supporting the professional growth of fine arts educators. The findings offer pathways for the design and implementation of more authentic and effective evaluation tools by offering practice-based solutions and emphasizing evaluator connoisseurship.