Add as a preferred source on Google

Special Issue of Educational Researcher Examines Value-Added Measures

  • 03/12/15

Washington, D.C. ─ The American Educational Research Association has published a special edition of its peer-reviewed journal Educational Researcher (ER) devoted to examining value-added measures (VAM). 

Since 2009, President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top initiative has brought on a wave of value-added-based accountability measures, with value-added now embedded in policy in more than 30 states. AERA’s journals have examined the validity and reliability of value-added measures over the past six years. This special issue of ER considers the key questions, the best available evidence emerging on the use of value-added, and the large remaining holes in the research literature in four feature articles, one essay, and three commentaries. 

Articles from leading scholars cover a range of topics, from challenges in the design and implementation of teacher evaluation systems, to the emerging use of teacher observation information by principals as an alternative to VAM data in making teacher staffing decisions. 

In their introduction, special issue editors Douglas N. Harris of Tulane University and Carolyn D. Herrington of Florida State University challenge researchers to participate in the important conversation about value-added by providing rigorous evidence, noting that successful policy implementation and design are the product of evaluation and adaption. 

The complete contents of the special issue, listed below, are provided at no cost by AERA. 

Special Issue of Educational Researcher on Value-Added Measures

Introduction to the Special Issue
“The Use of Teacher Value-Added Measures in Schools: New Evidence, Unanswered Questions, and Future Prospects,” by Douglas N. Harris and Carolyn D. Herrington

Feature Articles
“Using Student Test Scores to Measure Teacher Performance: Some Problems in the Design and Implementation of Evaluation Systems,” by Dale Ballou and Matthew G. Springer 
“Exploring the Potential of Value-Added Performance Measures to Improve the Quality of the Teacher Workforce,” by Dan Goldhaber 
“Make Room Value-Added: Principals’ Human Capital Decisions and the Emergence of Teacher Observation Data,” by Ellen Goldring, Jason A. Grissom, Christine Neumerski, Marisa Cannata, Mollie Rubin, Timothy Drake, and Patrick Schuermann 
“Teacher Perspectives on Evaluation Reform: Chicago's REACH Students,” by Jennie Y. Jiang, Susan E. Sporte, and Stuart Luppescu 

Reviews/Essays
“Will VAMs Reinforce the Walls of the Egg-Crate School?” by Susan Moore Johnson

Commentaries
“The Value in Value-Added Depends on the Ecology,” by Henry Braun 
“Can Value-Added Add Value to Teacher Evaluation?” by Linda Darling-Hammond 
“Value Added: A Case Study in the Mismatch Between Education Research and Policy,” by Stephen W. Raudenbush 

About AERA
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national professional organization devoted to the scientific study of education. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook and Twitter. 

Featured

  • Empowering People Through Smart, Sustainable Campuses

    Sustainability is facing increasing scrutiny, with some questioning its costs and priorities. Yet for universities, it remains an essential driver of resilience, operational efficiency and long-term competitiveness. At the same time, there is a growing recognition that sustainable transformation is not just about reducing energy consumption and emissions to comply with tightening regulations ‒ it’s about creating vibrant, comfortable environments where people can thrive, innovate and connect. For university leadership, this is a complex balancing act, with rising energy costs and limited budgets only adding to the challenge.

  • Image credit: O

    Strategic Campus Assessment: Moving Beyond Reactive Maintenance in Educational Facilities

    While campuses may appear stable on the surface, building systems naturally evolve over time, and proactive assessment can identify developing issues before they become expensive emergencies. The question isn't whether aging educational facilities need attention. It's how institutions can transition from costly reactive maintenance to strategic asset management in a way that protects both budgets and communities.

  • Malibu High School Campus Completes $102M Phase 1 of Construction

    Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., recently announced that it has completed phase 1 of construction for its new campus, a news release reports. The first phase consisted of developing and modernizing the site of a former elementary school into a new, 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility.

  • abstract representation of hybrid learning environment

    The Permanence of Change: Why Hybrid Is the New Baseline

    Hybrid learning is here to stay, and it's reshaping how campus spaces function.

Digital Edition