NASSP Statement Rejects Value-Added Measurement in Teacher Evaluation

Reston, Va. The NASSP Board of Directors has given preliminary approval to a statement that rejects the use of Value-Added Measurement systems to make decisions about retention, dismissal and compensation of teachers and principals.

Value-added measurement (VAM)--statistical measures of student growth, which employ complex algorithms to determine teacher contributions to their students’ learning—has become a common element of teacher and principal evaluation systems. Lured by the promise of a statistical measurement for effective teaching, state policymakers have incorporated VAM to account for as much as 50% of an overall evaluation. These policies have been instituted over the consistent objections of researchers who have identified systematic biases and other inherent flaws in VAM systems.

“We are using value-added measurement in a way that the science does not yet support,” said Mel Riddile, a former National Principal of the Year and chief architect of the NASSP statement. “We have to make it very clear to policymakers that using a flawed measurement both misrepresents student growth and does a disservice to the educators who live the work each day.”

The statement further points to a series of current initiatives that conspire to depress student growth scores. The new evaluations coincide with the adoption of more rigorous college- and career-ready standards accompanied by new assessments. “The fears accompanying any new evaluation system have been magnified by the inclusion of data that will get worse before it gets better,” the statement says. “Principals are concerned that the new evaluation systems are eroding trust and are detrimental to building a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement necessary to successfully raise student performance to college and career-ready levels.”

The statement includes a series of recommendations for teacher evaluation, including the use of multiple observations and multiple data sources. NASSP also recommends that principals use VAM to measure school improvement, to determine the effectiveness of programs and instructional methods, and to target professional development activities. The statements calls on states and districts to make the data available so principals can make such decisions in a timely manner.

At its November meeting, the NASSP’s Board of Directors stated its intent to adopt the statement. Following a 60-day comment period ending January 5, the board will consider final adoption of the statement during its February 2015 meeting at NASSP Conference Ignite ’15 in San Diego, CA.

Featured

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • ProTeam Launches GoFit 6 HEPA Backpack Vacuum

    Technology leader Emerson recently introduced the new ProTeam GoFit 6 HEPA backpack vacuum, according to a news release. The vacuum was designed to capture 99.97% of particulates down to 0.3 microns—including atmospheric hazards like lead dust, mold spores, and other particulates—through an advanced filtration system.

  • California High School Starts Construction on New CTE Building

    Analy High School, part of the West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) in Sebastopol, Calif., recently broke ground on a new Career Technical Education (CTE) Building, according to a news release. The 15,000-square-foot facility will offer specialized facilities for students in engineering, welding, culinary arts, agricultural sciences, and design thinking.

  • modern college building with circuit and brain motifs

    Anthropic Introduces Claude for Education

    Anthropic has launched a version of its Claude AI assistant tailored for higher education institutions. Claude for Education "gives academic institutions secure, reliable AI access for their entire community," the company said, to enable colleges and universities to develop and implement AI-enabled approaches across teaching, learning, and administration.

Digital Edition