Policies and Practices of Promise in Teacher Evaluation - Volume 28 - Improving Instructional Practice through Peer Observation and Feedback

Oct 15, 2026

The Every Student Succeeds Act enables policymakers and researchers to revisit what is known about effective teacher evaluation practices to support better-informed decisions. Principals implementing new reforms face excessive workload as they must observe and provide feedback, limiting access to high-quality, content-rich guidance. This review examines peer observation and feedback to move beyond high-stakes evaluation and toward instructional improvement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

Improving Instructional Practice through Peer Observation and Feedback

Role of peer observation and feedback

Systematic review findings (n = 38)

SPECIAL ISSUE Policies and Practices of Promise in Teacher Evaluation education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University Volume 28 Number 61 April 13, 2020 ISSN 1068-2341 Improving Instructional Practice through Peer Observation and Feedback Brady L. Ridge & Alyson L. Lavigne Utah State University United States Citation: Ridge, B. L., & Lavigne, A. L. (2020). Improving instructional practice through peer observation and feedback. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 28(61) . [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.28.5023](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.28.5023 This)[ This](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.28.5023 This) article is part of the special issue, Policies and Practices of Promise in Teacher Evaluation, guest edited by Audrey Amrein-Beardsley. Abstract: The Every Student Succeeds Act provides an opportunity for policymakers and researchers to revisit what is known about effective teacher evaluation practices to make betterinformed decisions moving forward. Principals—responsible for implementing new teacher evaluation reforms and accommodating the demands to spend more time observing and providing feedback to teachers—are overworked. They have little time to provide high-quality feedback, and may lack important content-based expertise. With these considerations in mind, we explore the role of peer observation and feedback as a vehicle to move beyond high-stakes evaluation and re-center efforts on instructional improvement. Our systematic review of extant literature (n = 38 documents, 92% peer-reviewed empirical articles) indicates that peer observation and feedback is a promising practice for instructional improvement, but one that lacks sufficient evidence. Policy, thus, can encourage innovation and research around this practice so that peer observation and feedback models can be piloted and the most effective established, as well as strategies to tackle the biggest barriers schools, particularly U.S. schools face in implementing such a practice—time. Keywords: coaching; performance; peer coaching; instructional improvement; professional development Mejora de la práctica educativa a través de la observación y retroalimentación de pares Resumen: La Every Student Succeeds Act brinda una oportunidad para que los formuladores de políticas e investigadores revisen lo que se conoce sobre prácticas efectivas de evaluación docente para tomar decisiones mejor informadas en el futuro. Los directores, responsables de implementar nuevas reformas de evaluación docente y de satisfacer las demandas de pasar más tiempo observando y brindando retroalimentación a los docentes, están sobrecargados. Tienen poco tiempo para proporcionar comentarios de alta calidad ypueden carecer de experiencia importante basada en contenido. Con estas consideracionesen mente, exploramos el papel de la observación y retroalimentación entre pares como un vehículo para ir más allá de la evaluación de alto riesgo y volver a centrar los esfuerzos en lamejora de la enseñanza. Nuestra revisión sistemática de la literatura existente ( n = 38 documentos, 92% de artículos empíricos revisados por pares) indica que la observación y retroalimentación de pares es una práctica prometedora para la mejora de la instrucción, pero que carece de evidencia suficiente. La política, por lo tanto, puede alentar lainnovación y la investigación en torno a esta práctica para que los modelos de observacióny retroalimentación de pares puedan ponerse a prueba y establecerse de la manera m ásefectiva, así como estrategias para abordar las barreras más grandes que enfrentan las escuelas, particularmente las escuelas de EE. UU. Palabras clave: coaching; actuación; capacitación; mejora educativa; desarrollo profesional Melhorar a prática instrucional através da observação e feedback de colegas Resumo: A Every Student Succeeds Act oferece aos formuladores de políticas epesquisadores uma op

FAQs

How does the Every Student Succeeds Act relate to teacher evaluation practices?

It offers an opportunity for policymakers and researchers to revisit what is known about effective teacher evaluation practices and make better-informed decisions going forward.

Why are principals challenged in implementing new teacher evaluation reforms?

They are overworked by demands to spend more time observing and providing feedback, leaving little time for high-quality feedback and potentially limiting content-based expertise.

What does the systematic review suggest about peer observation and feedback?

Peer observation and feedback are promising for instructional improvement, but the evidence base is not yet sufficient.

Oct 15, 2026

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