New York City plan to grade teachers with 'value-added' data is destructive
New York City plan to grade teachers with 'value-added' data is destructive, says Diane Ravitch
By Diane Ravitch
The New York City Department of Education is rating every teacher in grades four through eight based on their students' reading and math performance gains. Claiming it has no choice under Freedom of Information Laws, it now wants to release the ratings - with the teachers' names attached - to the press. A court will decide the question next month.
On the surface, this may sound like a good idea. If students make great gains on tests between one year and the next, doesn't that prove that their teacher is effective? If their scores stagnate or decline, isn't it the teachers'
By Diane Ravitch
The New York City Department of Education is rating every teacher in grades four through eight based on their students' reading and math performance gains. Claiming it has no choice under Freedom of Information Laws, it now wants to release the ratings - with the teachers' names attached - to the press. A court will decide the question next month.
On the surface, this may sound like a good idea. If students make great gains on tests between one year and the next, doesn't that prove that their teacher is effective? If their scores stagnate or decline, isn't it the teachers'