Morgaen Donaldson

Director, Center for Education Policy Analysis

Associate Professor, Educational Leadership

Coordinator, Learning, Leadership and Education Policy Ph.D. Program (Leadership and Education Policy Concentration)

Primary Research Theme

People and the City

Secondary Research Themes

Economic and Community Development, Governance and Urban Services

Recent Cities-related Projects

  • District Policies Related to Principal Evaluation, Learning-Centered Leadership, and Student Achievement: This federally funded project investigates school districts’ efforts to develop principals’ skills through evaluation and professional learning opportunities. The study draws on data from 25 urban, suburban, and rural school districts in Connecticut, Michigan, and Tennessee.
  • An Analysis of New Haven, Connecticut Public Schools’ Human Capital System: This federally funded study investigated New Haven, Connecticut Public Schools’ efforts to strengthen its educator workforce through the provision of leadership opportunities and professional learning.
  • Educator Evaluation Pilot Program Study: This study, funded by the Connecticut General Assembly, examined the implementation of Connecticut’s educator evaluation system in 14 school districts ranging from large, urban sites, such as Bridgeport, to small rural ones, such as Eastward.

Selected Urban-Related Publications

Donaldson M.L., Woulfin S. (2018). From Tinkering to Going “Rogue”: How Principals Use Agency When Enacting New Teacher Evaluation Systems. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.

Mayer A., Lechasseur K., Donaldson M. (2018). The structure of tracking: Instructional practices of teachers leading low- and high-track classes. American Journal of Education.

Donaldson M., Mavrogordato M. (2018). Principals and teacher evaluation: The cognitive, relational, and organizational dimensions of working with low-performing teachers. Journal of Educational Administration.

Donaldson M., LeChasseur K. (2017). New Haven Public Schools Professional Educator Program: Progress to Date, Year 4 Report. [no publisher provided].

Fernandez E., LeChasseur K., Donaldson M. (2017). Responses to Including Parents in Teacher Evaluation Policy: A Critical Policy Analysis. [no publisher provided].

LeChasseur K., Donaldson M., Femc-bagwell M., Fernandez E. (2017). Brokering, buffering, and the rationalities of principal work. Journal of Educational Administration.

Weiner J.M., Woulfin S.L., Donaldson M. (2017). How long-term planning processes can improve state led turnaround in Connecticut. [no publisher provided].

Donaldson M., LeChasseur K. (2016). New Haven Public Schools Professional Educator Program: Progress to Date, Year 3 Report. [no publisher provided].

Weiner J., Donaldson M., Dougherty S.M. (2016). Missing the Boat–Impact of Just Missing Identification as a High-Performing School. Leadership and Policy in Schools.

Steinberg M.P., Donaldson M.L. (2016). The new educational accountability: Understanding the landscape of teacher evaluation in the post-NCLB era. Education Finance and Policy.

Donaldson M.L. (2016). Teacher evaluation reform: Focus, feedback, and fear. Educational Leadership.
Donaldson M.L., Woulfin S., LeChasseur K., Cobb C.D. (2016). The Structure and Substance of Teachers’ Opportunities to Learn about Teacher Evaluation Reform: Promise or Pitfall for Equity?. Equity and Excellence in Education.

Donaldson M., Woulfin S.L., LeChasseur K., Cobb C.D. (2016). Teachers’ learning in the context of evaluation. Equity and Excellence in Education.

Donaldson M.L., LeChasseur K., Mayer A. (2016). Tracking instructional quality across secondary mathematics and English Language Arts classes. Journal of Educational Change.

Woulfin S.L., Donaldson M.L., Gonzales R. (2016). District Leaders’ Framing of Educator Evaluation Policy. Educational Administration Quarterly.

Donaldson M. (2016). Focus, Feedback, and Fear: New Teacher Evaluation Systems at a Crossroads. [no publisher provided].

Donaldson M., Cobb C.D. (2015). Implementing Student Learning Objectives and Classroom Observations in Connecticuts Teacher Evaluation System. Teachers College Press.

Donaldson M., LeChasseur K. (2015). New Haven Public Schools Professional Educator Program: Progress to Date, Year 2 Report. [no publisher provided].

LeChasseur K., Welton A., Donaldson M. (2015). Situating teacher inquiry: A micropolitical perspective. School Effectiveness and School Improvement.

Donaldson M.L., Papay J.P. (2015). An idea whose time had come: Negotiating teacher evaluation reform in New Haven, Connecticut. American Journal of Education.

Donaldson M., Papay J. (2015). An idea whose time had come: Negotiating teacher evaluation reform in New Haven CT. American Journal of Education.