The development of a practical, comprehensive, scientific, and rational evaluation index system for teachers’ ability is critically important for enhancing the quality and capabilities of educators in higher vocational colleges, as well as for fostering the high-quality development of higher vocational education. Therefore, this study first examined the suitability of the CIPP model for evaluating teachers’ ability and constructed a theoretical framework for such evaluations. This framework includes four dimensions: context evaluation, input evaluation, process evaluation, and product evaluation. Furthermore, the Delphi-AHP method was used to develop an evaluative index system that assesses teachers’ ability. This system comprises four primary indexes (fundamental ability, conditional ability, practical ability, and developmental ability), twenty secondary indexes, and fifty-six tertiary indexes. The aim is to provide a theoretical foundation for establishing a robust teachers’ ability evaluation system in higher vocational colleges.