About Catalpa

Experience

Research on PBI Methodology

Catalpa conducts field and document based research on defining the underlying conceptual structure of an existing visit protocol, of the quality of the practice of teams following the protocol and of the rigor and utility of the findings and reports its produces. Catalpa studies have considered what components lead to valid and useful findings and how well a current protocol succeeds in generating useful and rigorous findings.

See Resources: Visit Theory and History and Implications for School Reform and Research for a full list of documents in this area.

The following studies have broken new ground in considering how professional peer visits work as rigorous research. The central Catalpa report for each study is listed.

American School Accreditation

Accreditation Standards and School Improvement: Putting Methodology in its Proper Place.NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education). 1998. View »

Visiting Accreditation: Strengthening the Regional Accreditation Process. LAB at Brown. NEASC (New England Association for Schools and Colleges). 1999. View »

Rigor and Utility: The Efficacy of AdvancED's Practices for Conducting School Evaluation Visits and Preparing Team Reports. A Special Catalpa Study, 2011. AdvancED (Formerly NCA -- the North Central Association for Schools and Colleges and SACS the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools). (Copyrighted and distributed by AdvancED, Alpharetta, GA.)

British School Inspection

Reaching for a Better Standard: English School Inspection and the Dilemmas of American School Accountability. Teachers College Press, 1996.

State School Accountability (SALT)

SALT 360° Feedback and Evaluation Study:
PHASE ONE REPORT TO RIDE AND SALT LEADERSHIP, 2001.
View »

THE VALUE OF RHODE ISLAND'S SALT SCHOOL VISIT
A survey study of the perceptions of SALT visit team members. Catalpa, 2005. View »

 

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