Chicago Teachers Speak Up On Using Student Test Scores in Evaluations

The teachers union in the nation's third-largest school district have concerns about using student test scores as a measure of an educator's effectiveness, according to this story from the Chicago Tribune. It's worth noting (again, and even again) that there is no consensus among researchers as to the best way to factor in standardized test data when it comes to teacher evaluations. Many districts and states are moving at high speed toward using student data as a factor in evaluating teachers, in part because of federal incentives that offer desperately needed funding in exchange for pledges to reform. In case you missed it, the National Council on Teacher Quality has a new report detailing just how fast that reform train is moving. (You can find the link here.)

NCTQ is also taking issue with Florida's plan to use schoolwide (rather than individual classroom) student reading scores to evaluate teachers, even those who are responsible for separate subjects such as math. For more on that issue, I suggest you read an excellent piece from the Hechinger Report (click here for the link).

In a blog post about the Florida policy and the Hechinger story, NCTQ says "It's non-sensical decisions like this one that play right into the hands of the anti-test, (Diane) Ravitch crowd."

Have a question, comment concern for the Educated Reporter? Email me at erichmond@ewa.org. I'm also on Twitter at EWAEmily.