Abstract

This study examined the perceptions of principals of public schools in the Makkah Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the effectiveness of their school districts' evaluation systems for special education teachers in promoting professional development and job performance accountability. Using an exploratory quantitative approach employing an online questionnaire, the study obtained the opinions of 498 principals of public schools from three cities in the Makkah region namely, Makkah, Jeddah, and Taif. The study found that the principals believed that the overall process of evaluation was effective. Nevertheless, the study's findings highlight the need for enhancing knowledge and training regarding the evaluation process and to redirect the focus of evaluation on the growth and development of special education teachers. In addition, the study recommends that evaluation systems for special education teachers must consider their classroom control, management, and organization and also consider the special education teachers' knowledge and usage of techniques and materials for teaching. Limitations and opportunities for future research are also provided.

Keywords: principals, special education teachers, public schools, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, effectiveness, teacher evaluation