by Joey Garrison at The Tennessean:
Tennessee’s largest teachers union
has turned against the policy of including student learning
gains in
the evaluation of teachers, a flip that shows its growing discomfort with a
major Race to the Top reform.
gains in
the evaluation of teachers, a flip that shows its growing discomfort with a
major Race to the Top reform.
When Tennessee applied for $501
million in federal Race to the Top funds in 2010, a critical part in landing
the coveted grant was that competing stakeholders reach accord on major
education policy overhauls. That especially meant the Tennessee Education Association,
which agreed to sign on to a new
teacher
evaluation system that based 35 percent of scores on academic growth of
students.
teacher
evaluation system that based 35 percent of scores on academic growth of
students.
Now, TEA leaders have publicly
denounced that system’s reliance on what is known as the Tennessee Value-Added
Assessment System, which uses a complex formula to track student gains and dips
against predicted performance. Tennessee had collected value-added data
for years,
but its First to the Top law finally tied the numbers to policies.
for years,
but its First to the Top law finally tied the numbers to policies.
“We do not contend students’
results are inappropriate for use in an evaluation,” TEA President Gera
Summerford said. “Our position is that value-added results are too volatile and
too imprecise for such important decisions.” . . . .
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