Value-Added Teacher Evaluations

How Do You Rate Value-Added Teacher Evaluations?

September 4, 2010

The great teaching debate has everyone talking. The Los Angeles Times recently released the results of the LA Unified School District's value-added scores which measure how well a teacher has improved a student's test scores compared to the previous year. The difference between a student's current score and her expected performance based on past test scores is the teacher's estimated "value." Fans of this system say it should be used to grant merit bonuses and tenure. What's your opinion?

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4 Comments

2 years 36 weeks

I realize that by being Anonymous, I may lose credibility... But I also realize how my actions can negatively affect my career as, AN EDUCATOR. LA is doing their teachers a huge disservice when they look at merit pay. I am a good educator who chooses to work in an inner city school, with a largely transient population, huge numbers of special education students and large numbers of English Language Learners. Should I be punished because I choose to work with this population? Middle class and upper class students tend to do better on tests, as most tests are written for this portion of the population. Students who's parents are home, or have good jobs during the day, tend to be good students regardless. Inner city children, SpEd, or ELL, have more challenges personally that override the importance of school. When are lawmakers going to realize that these very students that I work with, who really need the most help, from the most educated and best teachers, might have to be taught by the worst, least paid educators. Honestly, if I had a great gig, where my students always performed, always paid lab fees, had their materials, did their homework... I may be tempted to change schools. As it is now, I am in a school that values my time and energy, education, and hopes for a National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. Yes, the education system needs reforms. Yes, some (in some cases, a lot) of teachers are doing piss-poor jobs. Test scores though, is not the way to go.