Online-ISSN 2411-2933, Print-ISSN 2411-3123 December 2016 International Educative Research Foundation and Publisher © 2016 pg. 196 Quest for Teacher Effectiveness Parameters: A Survey of Public and Private Schools in North-Rift Kenya. Kosgei K Zachariah Moi University, School of Education P.O Box 3900 Eldoret, Kenya Tirop Anastacia Moi University, School of Education P.O Box 3900 Eldoret, Kenya Abstract Teacher effectiveness is the capacity of teachers to perform their duties optimally and achieve desired educational goals and standards. The purpose of this study was to establish the factors influencing teacher effectiveness and quality education in public and private secondary schools in the north rift region. To establish factors that influence the effectiveness of teachers, the study employed descriptive research design, which entailed the collection of data using questionnaires observations and interviews. The target populations for the study were teachers and head teachers in selected public and private secondary schools. Stratified sampling method was used in the selection of permanent and temporary teachers, whereas purposive sampling method was used in the selection of head teachers. The study sampled 22 temporary teachers from the private schools and 100 teachers from public schools, where 13 were temporary teachers and 87 were permanent teachers. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings showed that a myriad of parameters gravitate around the teacher effectiveness concept and the earlier these parameters are isolated and teased out the better for the education fraternity. The study therefore recommends that parameters such administration, teachers, students, and classroom be leveraged to improve teacher effectiveness in both public and private secondary schools. Background and statement of the problem Effectiveness of the teachers is an issue in the education system that has puzzled both education experts and parents. While education experts are designing curricula and appropriate training to enhance effectiveness of teachers, parents are searching for effective schools where they can entrust the future of their children (Bandura, 2007). In Kenya, private and public schools provide two kinds of schools that have different forms of teachers with different effectiveness. Conventionally, it is expected that schools with teachers who are well paid and in pensionable terms would perform better than the one with non-pensionable teachers who are paid poorly on contract terms. Gordon, Kane, and Staiger (2006) state that recent evidence