Deconstructing Disinformation on Student Growth Percentiles & Teacher Evaluation in New Jersey | School Finance 101

Deconstructing Disinformation on Student Growth Percentiles & Teacher Evaluation in New Jersey | School Finance 101:

Deconstructing Disinformation on Student Growth Percentiles & Teacher Evaluation in New Jersey

by schoolfinance101

CROSS-POSTED FROM: http://njedpolicy.wordpress.com/
Deconstructing Disinformation on Student Growth Percentiles & Teacher Evaluation in New Jersey (Printable Policy Brief): SGP_Disinformation_BakerOluwole

Bruce D. Baker, Rutgers University, Graduate School of Education
Joseph Oluwole, Montclair State University

Introduction

This brief addresses problems with, and disinformation about New Jersey’s Student Growth Percentile (SGP) measures which are proposed by New Jersey Department of Education officials, to be used for evaluating teachers and principals and rating local public schools. Specifically, the New Jersey Department of Education has proposed that the student growth percentile measures be used as a major component for determining teacher effectiveness:

“If, according to N.J.A.C. 6A:10-4.2(b), a teacher receives a median student growth percentile, the student achievement component shall be at least 35 percent and no more than 50 percent of a teacher’s evaluation rubric rating.” [1]

Yet those ratings of teacher effectiveness may have consequences for employment. Specifically, under proposed