Reply to "Teacher of the Year" quits over Common Core tests

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[quote=Anonymous]These studies, however, have taken place in districts in which VAMs are used for low-stakes
purposes. The models fit under these circumstances do not necessarily predict the relationship
between VAM scores and student test score gains that would result if VAMs were implemented
for high-stakes purposes such as awarding tenure, making salary decisions, or dismissing
teachers.
The quality of education is not one event but a system of many interacting components. The
impact of high-stakes uses of VAMs on the education system depends not only on the statistical
properties of the VAM results but on their deployment in the system, especially with regard to
how various types of evidence contribute to an overall evaluation and to consequences for
teachers.
From your article that shows that VAM (value added models) DO work:

[quote]It is unknown how full implementation of an accountability system incorporating test-based
indicators, such as those derived from VAMs, will affect the actions and dispositions of teachers,
principals and other educators. Perceptions of transparency, fairness and credibility will be
crucial in determining the degree of success of the system as a whole in achieving its goals of
improving the quality of teaching. Given the unpredictability of such complex interacting forces,
it is difficult to anticipate how the education system as a whole will be affected and how the
educator labor market will respond. We know from experience with other quality improvement
undertakings that changes in evaluation strategy have unintended consequences. A decision to
use VAMs for teacher evaluations might change the way the tests are viewed and lead to changes
in the school environment. For example, more classroom time might be spent on test preparation
and on specific content from the test at the exclusion of content that may lead to better long-term
learning gains or motivation for students. Certain schools may be hard to staff if there is a
perception that it is harder for teachers to achieve good VAM scores when working in them.
Overreliance on VAM scores may foster a competitive environment, discouraging collaboration
and efforts to improve the educational system as a whole. [/quote][/quote]

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