Selection and Evaluation of Advanced Teaching Roles
Basis partnered with the Friday Institute at North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to better understand how school districts participating in the Advanced Teaching Roles program select and evaluate advanced teachers.
Why Teacher Leadership Selection Matters
This mixed methods study is shedding light on what works – and what still needs to work – to transform promising programs into lasting solutions for students, teachers, and communities.
The Advanced Teaching Roles (ATR) program has real potential — boosting math scores, improving working conditions, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. We’re here to actualize that potential: by identifying selection and evaluation issues and dreaming up creative solutions, we can better recognize and sustain teacher-leaders that schools – and students – need most. Through research, we build stronger pipelines, foster meaningful mentorship, and boost student outcomes at scale.
Selecting teachers for leadership roles isn’t simply about identifying the best classroom performers. It requires understanding who can lift others, provide actionable feedback, and drive systemic improvement — skills that demand intentional identification and development.
Statistics
Impact in Action
While leadership is widely cited as essential for Advanced Teachers, our research shows districts rely on subjective interviews and participant familiarity rather than structured evaluation tools in selection. As one principal noted, <span> “We know who our strong teachers are — but selecting for leadership is a different ballgame.”
Our research is helping districts reimagine what great Advanced Teacher selection and evaluation can and should look like, moving beyond informal recognition toward systematic approaches that identify and develop teacher leadership capacity.
Public School Units:
18 Public School Units participating in comprehensive study of selection and evaluation practices.
Stakeholder Interviews:
96 Stakeholder Interviews capturing perspectives from district leaders to classroom teachers.
District Artifacts
47 District Artifacts analyzed for alignment with evidence-based selection and evaluation practices.
Research Studies
1,528 Research Studies screened to ground findings in national evidence on teacher leadership.
Studies
176 Studies included in targeted literature review informing best practice recommendations.
“We know who are strong teachers are – but selecting for leadership is a different ballgame.”
— North Carolina Principal
“Having an Advanced Teacher who could give me honest, actionable feedback changed how I taught – and how confident I felt.”
— North Carolina Educator
Data That Drives Decisions
North Carolina’s Advanced Teaching Roles selection and evaluation study represents one of the most comprehensive examinations of how districts identify and support teacher leaders within structured programs. By analyzing both implementation practices and stakeholder experiences, Basis is helping North Carolina, and the broader field understand how to systematically develop teacher leadership capacity. The research provides critical insights into translating teacher excellence into leadership effectiveness, offering evidence-based approaches for districts nationwide seeking to strengthen their teacher leadership pipelines.