“Teacher evaluation: going from
bad to worse?” is a very thought provoking
article in today’s Washington Post that describes what is happening in Dallas ISD. It quotes ample research to make the case against using student tests in teacher evaluation. See this article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/01/01/teacher-evaluation-going-from-bad-to-worse/
.
The basic message from the article is: “Most boards and superintendents understood that collegiality, not competition, is what is needed for schools to improve.”
Dallas ISD cannot continue to ignore the wealth of research related to teacher evaluation and improving student achievement. Why have public debates of this research been avoided by current Dallas ISD leadership?
To build up justification for the TEI in Dallas ISD the DISD administration quoted the millions of dollars of research done by the Gates Foundation in the use of testing in the evaluation of teachers (http://www.dallasisd.org/Page/23362). Then, DISD ignored the same Gates Foundation when that foundation recommended a delay in using tests for teacher evaluations! See “Gates Foundation urges delay in using tests for teacher evaluation” at http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/gates-foundation-urges-delay-in-using-tests-for-teacher-evaluation/2014/06/10/d037c7fa-f0e1-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html .
The parents must demand that Dallas ISD pay attention to the research studies that are linked to these and many other articles. The amount of classroom time being stolen for teacher evaluation purposes is destroying student motivation. The joy of learning must be restored! Teacher evaluation should not demand this much of an investment from a school district, and from students!
The basic message from the article is: “Most boards and superintendents understood that collegiality, not competition, is what is needed for schools to improve.”
Dallas ISD cannot continue to ignore the wealth of research related to teacher evaluation and improving student achievement. Why have public debates of this research been avoided by current Dallas ISD leadership?
To build up justification for the TEI in Dallas ISD the DISD administration quoted the millions of dollars of research done by the Gates Foundation in the use of testing in the evaluation of teachers (http://www.dallasisd.org/Page/23362). Then, DISD ignored the same Gates Foundation when that foundation recommended a delay in using tests for teacher evaluations! See “Gates Foundation urges delay in using tests for teacher evaluation” at http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/gates-foundation-urges-delay-in-using-tests-for-teacher-evaluation/2014/06/10/d037c7fa-f0e1-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html .
The parents must demand that Dallas ISD pay attention to the research studies that are linked to these and many other articles. The amount of classroom time being stolen for teacher evaluation purposes is destroying student motivation. The joy of learning must be restored! Teacher evaluation should not demand this much of an investment from a school district, and from students!
