Evaluation of Elementary and Junior High Schools in Taiwan:

Practices and Challenges

Abstract

This study analyzed the characteristics of elementary and junior high school evaluation in Taiwan. Document analysis was used to examine the evaluation systems of seven local governments across Taiwan. The context of Taiwanese educational evaluation was first analyzed. Then, referring to a theoretical framework, this study investigated the evaluation practices of elementary and junior high schools in terms of purposes, organization, evaluators, procedures, criteria, methods, reporting, and intended evaluation use. Finally, challenges involving school evaluation systems were discussed. This study highlighted how government-mandated school evaluation practices are structured and challenged in the context of education reform.