Date of Award

4-1987

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education

First Advisor

Gene Henderson

Second Advisor

Jeanne M. Donovan

Abstract

In 1984 the Missouri Committee for Performance Based Evaluation together with the Missouri Association of School Librarians developed criteria for evaluating the school librarian. The model consists of 20 criteria with descriptors that are appropriate to the responsibilities of the librarian. It was recommended by the committee that all school districts in Missouri adopt or adapt this method for evaluating the librarians in their schools. The purpose of this study was to determine how many school districts in St. Louis County evaluate librarians according to the Missouri Performance Based Evaluation for Librarians, and if not by this method, what methods were used.

In November, 1986 a letter was mailed to one head librarian in each of the 23 school districts in St. Louis County requesting information regarding forms and procedures for evaluating the librarians in their school districts. Follow-up phone calls were made in December , and by the end of that month, information had been received from 19 of the 23 school districts.

It was found that 12 school districts in St. Louis County evaluated the librarian on an evaluation form designed specifically for the school librarian. Seven of these 12 districts evaluated the school librarian according to the Missouri Performance Based Evaluation for Librarians format recommended by the state. Based on the returns of 19 school districts, it appeared that half the librarians in St. Louis County school districts were evaluated according to a form specifically designed to cover the responsibilities of the school librarian.

The remaining seven districts which continued to evaluate the librarian according to a teacher evaluation form or not at all, seemed to be failing to recognize the varied responsibilities and the unique role of the school librarian in the total school program.

Included in

Education Commons

Share

COinS