Follow up Question Guide for Ed Writers (on Teacher Evaluation)
I was reviewing the past few days of news coverage on NJ teacher evaluations and came across the following quote, which was not-so-amazingly left unchallenged:
Here’s a reporters’ guide to follow up questions….
Mr. Cerf… can you show me exactly what research comes to that conclusion? (this should always be the immediate follow up to the ambiguous “research shows” comment)
Exactly how is “far and away” measured in that research?
And what is meant by “best gauge of effectiveness?”
That is, what is the valid measure of effectiveness against which test scores are gauged? (answer… uh… test scores themselves)
So, Mr. Cerf, are you trying to tell me that the Gates MET study proved that test scores are “far and away” the
Cerf said research shows test scores are “far and away” the best gauge of teacher effectiveness, and to not use test score data would be “very anti-child.”http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/05/state_board_of_education_adjus.html
Here’s a reporters’ guide to follow up questions….
Mr. Cerf… can you show me exactly what research comes to that conclusion? (this should always be the immediate follow up to the ambiguous “research shows” comment)
Exactly how is “far and away” measured in that research?
And what is meant by “best gauge of effectiveness?”
That is, what is the valid measure of effectiveness against which test scores are gauged? (answer… uh… test scores themselves)
So, Mr. Cerf, are you trying to tell me that the Gates MET study proved that test scores are “far and away” the