The DC IMPACT Study Results : Already Obsolete
In October 2013, researchers Thomas Dee of Stanford University and James Wyckoff of the University of Virginia published (or somehow made public) a working paper on limited aspects of the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) teacher evaluation system, IMPACT, which was introduced in 2009– during the time that Michelle Rhee was chancellor of DC schools.
The beginning of the paper includes this disclaimer:
NBER (National Bureau of Economic Research) working papers are circulated for discussion and comment purposes. They have not been peer reviewed or been subject to the review by the NBER Board of Directors that accompanies official NBER publications. [Emphasis added.]
Nevertheless, this does not stop the media from offering the public such definitive headlines as Study: Program in DC Removed Bad Teachers and Controversial Teacher Evaluation System is Working in DC, Study Says.
In this post, I would like to examine some details regarding what the Dee and Wyckoff working paper offers– and what it does not.
I located the copy of the paper used here in pro-privatizer Frederick Hess’ article on