School Teacher Evaluation: Perceptions, Purposes and Conditions for an Effective Evaluation Framework

School teacher evaluation (STE) has emerged as a key policy instrument for enhancing educational quality, teacher professionalism, and accountability. In Greece, its implementation remains a contested and urgent issue due to recent policy reforms and longstanding resistance within the educational community. This study examines stakeholders' perceptions of the purposes, methods, and implementation conditions of STE in the Greek context. A mixed-methods case study design was employed, involving a sample of 50 teachers, 50 parents, and 4 principals from two Primary schools, one Junior high and one Senior high school. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires administered to teachers and parents, followed by qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with the four principals. The study's novelty lies in its triangulated, multi-stakeholder perspective, which remains underexplored in Greece. Findings indicate broad agreement on the importance of STE for improving educational standards and student outcomes. However, tensions arise between developmental and accountability-oriented approaches, with teachers favouring formative evaluation and parents emphasising accountability. The study contributes by identifying key conditions for effective STE implementation in Greece, including transparency, multiple data sources, trust, and stakeholder communication, highlighting the need for context-sensitive and supportive evaluation practices.