Reframing teacher and school leader evaluation: a growth- and motivation-oriented model for developmental accountability

Purpose This paper examines the limitations of documentation-based evaluation systems for teachers and school leaders, which often prioritize procedural compliance over the relational and motivational dimensions of professional practice. It aims to develop a more growth- and motivation-oriented approach to evaluation within post-transitional educational contexts. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a conceptual and reflective approach grounded in long-term professional experience and informed by relevant literature, including strategic human resource management and self-determination theory. Rather than presenting empirical findings, the paper develops a theoretical and practice-informed framework that reconceptualizes evaluation as a developmental and self-regulating process. Findings The paper argues that highly formalized and documentation-driven evaluation systems may have limited developmental impact and can weaken intrinsic motivation and professional agency when they are insufficiently integrated into broader human resource practices. Research limitations/implications As a conceptual and reflective contribution, the arguments advanced are context-sensitive and require further empirical research to test, refine, and validate the proposed framework across diverse educational settings. Practical implications The paper proposes a self-regulating, growth- and motivation-oriented evaluation cycle that integrates multi-dimensional assessment, meaningful differentiation, motivational alignment, consequence architecture, and recursive re-evaluation, offering a structured perspective for school leaders and policymakers. Originality/value By reframing evaluation as a continuous developmental process rather than a static scoring event, the paper contributes an integrated conceptual model that connects accountability, motivation, and organizational learning in context-sensitive educational environments.