!

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BUILDING
RESEARCH-BASED
TEACHER EVALUATIONS
1 January 2012
MET Made Simple: Building Research-Based Teacher Evaluations

New findings from the Gates Foundations Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project can help policymakers
develop research-based evaluation systems that could unleash the untapped potential in the nations teaching force.


Introduction
Theie is no shoilage of ieseaich on lhe inpoilance of good leaching. Ioi decades, sludy aflei sludy has
shovn lhal lheie aie Iaige diffeiences in effecliveness fion one leachei lo anolhei and lhal lhese
diffeiences can have a IifeIong inpacl on sludenls. A iecenl sludy lhal liacked 2.5 niIIion sludenls ovei
2O yeais deleinined lhal lhose vilh highIy effeclive leacheis aie noie IikeIy lo allend coIIege, eain
highei saIaiies, Iive in lellei neighloihoods, and save noie foi ieliienenl. They aie aIso Iess IikeIy lo
have chiIdien as leenageis.
1


Yel lheie has leen IillIe ieseaich on exaclIy hov schooIs can gel an accuiale picluie of lheii leacheis
peifoinance in lhe cIassioon. Slales and schooI disliicls have leen Iefl IaigeIy lo lheii ovn devices vhen
il cones lo lhis singuIaiIy inpoilanl lask.

The iesuIls have leen disaslious. As ve docunenled in oui 2OO9 sludy !"# %&'(#) *++#,)- ./0 12)&3425
62&5/0# )3 7,84395#'(# 24' 7,) 34 :&++#0#4,#; &4 !#2,"#0 *++#,)&<#4#;;, nosl leacheis aie evaIualed
infiequenlIy and accoiding lo Iov slandaids. They iaieIy ieceive feedlack lhal heIps lhen inpiove.
NeaiIy eveiy leachei is IaleIed good oi gieal, no nallei hov nuch piogiess lheii sludenls aie
naking. In lhe end, lhe enliie piofession has suffeied fion lhis negIigenl appioach.

Cioundlieaking nev findings fion lhe iII and MeIinda Cales Ioundalions Measuies of Lffeclive
Teaching (MLT) piojecl hoId lhe polenliaI lo ansvei ciuciaI queslions aloul hov lo assess leacheis
peifoinance.
2
Ioi lhe pasl lvo yeais, MLT ieseaicheis have conducled a ieseaich piojecl of
unpiecedenled scope, invoIving 3,OOO leacheis in six schooI disliicls acioss lhe counliy. Using goId
slandaid ieseaich nelhods, lhey have lesled a nunlei of evaIualion appioaches, incIuding sludenl
achievenenl dala, cIassioon olseivalions, and suiveys of sludenls. Theii nosl iecenl iepoil, Calheiing
Ieedlack foi Teaching, piovides a veaIlh of piaclicaI inpIicalions foi inpioving leachei evaIualions.

This papei is inlended foi poIicynakeis vho aie deveIoping lellei leachei evaIualions and aie Iooking
foi vays lo appIy nev ieseaich findings quickIy. Il sunnaiizes lhe Iessons fion MLT and piovides
ieconnendalions on hov lhese Iessons can le appIied iighl nov.

Oui peispeclive is infoined ly a caiefuI ieviev of lhe MLT findings as veII as oui diiecl expeiience
designing and inpIenenling evaIualion syslens in slales and uilan schooI disliicls acioss lhe counliy. Il
is lhe lesl of vhal ve knov al lhis nonenl. We do nol pielend lhal lheie aie easy ansveis lo eveiy
chaIIenge, oi lhal oui ideas viII aIvays le iighl. Hovevei, MLT is shedding Iighl on queslions lhal have
leen pooiIy undeislood unliI nov. As educalois, ve have a iesponsiliIily and oppoilunily lo pul lhis
vaIualIe nev infoinalion lo use.


1
Chetty, Raj; Friedman, John; and Rockoff, Jonah. (2011). The Long-Term Impacts of Teachers: Teacher Value-Added and Student Outcomes in Adulthood.
National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 17699, December 2011.
2
Disclosure: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one of several major philanthropies that provide funding support to TNTP.
2 January 2012

The New MET Report: Four Key Lessons

Lesson #1: Teachers generally appear to be managing their classrooms well, but are
struggling with fundamental instructional skills.

!"# %&'(#) *++#,) and counlIess olhei sludies have shovn lhal assigning high ialings lo neaiIy aII leacheis
~as nosl cuiienl leachei evaIualion syslens do~ignoies vide vaiialions in effecliveness and slunls
leacheis giovlh ly giving lhen a faIse picluie of lheii peifoinance. The MLT sludy suggesls lhal
decades of ialings infIalion have cone al a high piice.

As lhey lesled seveiaI connonIy used cIassioon olseivalion iuliics in nuIlipIe disliicls, lhe MLT
ieseaicheis veie alIe lo iale lhe cIassioon peifoinance of a significanl sanpIe of leacheis acioss lhe
counliy (1,333). The liends veie cIeai. Acioss nuIlipIe iuliics and in nuIlipIe disliicls, caiefuIIy liained
ialeis iepoiled siniIai findings: a najoiily of leacheis had nasleied lasic cIassioon nanagenenl skiIIs
lul sliuggIed vilh noie advanced insliuclionaI skiIIs.

Ioi exanpIe, neaiIy lhiee-quaileis of leacheis olseived using lhe DanieIson Iianevoik foi Teaching
veie ialed pioficienl oi highei al nanaging cIassioon lehavioi, and noie lhan haIf veie pioficienl oi
dislinguished al nanaging cIassioon pioceduies. ul onIy aloul one-lhiid veie ialed al Ieasl
pioficienl in using queslioning and discussion lechniques, and Iess lhan one-lhiid veie pioficienl oi
lellei in connunicaling vilh sludenls~insliuclionaI skiIIs lhal aie essenliaI lo heIping sludenls
naslei lhe conlenl of a Iesson.
3
The findings veie sliikingIy siniIai on foui olhei iuliics lesled in lhe
piojecl.

Considei lhese findings foi a nonenl. Anong a sanpIe of noie
lhan 1,OOO leacheis, onIy aloul one in lhiee vas alIe lo Iead a
cIassioon discussion oi connunicale vilh sludenls al lhe IeveI
defined as pioficienl ly lhis iuliic. In lhe ienaining
cIassioons, leacheis peifoined al eilhei a lasic oi
ineffeclive IeveI.

These iesuIls niiioi lhe findings of anolhei iecenl sludy ly lhe Consoiliun on Chicago SchooI Reseaich
4

and sland in slaik conliasl lo lhe acluaI ialings assigned lo leacheis in nosl disliicls~even sone disliicls
lhal have aIieady pul noie iigoious evaIualion syslens in pIace. The gap lelveen officiaI leachei
evaIualion ialings and acluaI cIassioon peifoinance appeais lo le shockingIy vide. Lducalion Ieadeis
and poIicynakeis shouId anlicipale lhal any accuiale nev evaIualion syslen viII iesuIl in faiiIy Iaige
dovnvaid coiieclions in ialings.


3
Gathering Feedback for Teaching: Combining High-Quality Observations with Student Surveys and Achievement Gains. (2012). The Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. Page 26.
4
Sartain, Lauren; Stoelinga, Sara Ray; and Brown, Eric R. (2011). Rethinking Teacher Evaluation in Chicago: Lessons Learned from Classroom Observations,
Principal-Teacher Conferences and District Implementation. Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute.
The researchers found that, among a random sample of 280 teachers across Chicago Public Schools, the percentage receiving at least one unsatisfactory
rating jumped from the districts historic 0.3 percent rate to 8 percent after the adoption of a new teacher evaluation system, including observations that followed
the Framework for Teaching rubric. About three-quarters of teachers received positive ratings for classroom management skills; just over half were highly rated
on instructional skills.
Better evaluations can give teachers
a real opportunity to reach their full
potential in the classroom.
3 January 2012
This is a soleiing ieaIily, lul il poinls lo lhe enoinous unlapped polenliaI in lhe cuiienl leachei
voikfoice. The piolIen is nol lhal leacheis aie nol voiking haid enough oi aie incapalIe of nasleiing
advanced insliuclionaI skiIIs. InfIaled evaIualion ialings aie a synplon of syslenic negIecl of leacheis
ovei nany decades: a faiIuie lo sel cIeai, iigoious expeclalions aloul good insliuclion, a faiIuie lo give
leacheis lhe feedlack and suppoil lhey need lo neel lhose expeclalions, and a faiIuie lo le honesl vilh
leacheis vhen lhey faII shoil. ellei evaIualions lhal give leacheis honesl feedlack and neaningfuI
deveIopnenl oppoilunilies iepiesenl lhe fiisl slep lovaid ending lhis pallein of negIecl, and can give
noie leacheis a ieaI oppoilunily lo ieach lheii fuII polenliaI in lhe cIassioon.


Lesson #2: Classroom observations can give teachers valuable feedback, but are of limited
value for predicting future performance.

As lhe findings alove denonsliale, cIassioon olseivalions can say a Iol aloul lhe oveiaII peifoinance of
a Iaige gioup of leacheis. ul vhal can lhey leII us aloul lhe peifoinance of a singIe leachei`

MLT ieseaicheis found lhal il is exlieneIy difficuIl lo evaIuale individuaI leacheis accuialeIy using
cIassioon olseivalions aIone. The ieseaicheis used seveiaI diffeienl iuliics, ensuied lhal aII evaIualois
veie caiefuIIy liained and had passed accuiacy scieens, and conducled nuIlipIe olseivalions of each
leachei. Undei lhese ideaI ciicunslances, lhey found lhal olseivalion ialings did coiieIale sonevhal
vilh sludenl achievenenl dala.
5
ul no nallei vhal lhey liied, olseivalion ialings aIone veie nol veiy
piediclive of a leacheis fuluie success al heIping sludenls Ieain.
6


Thals lecause cIassioon olseivalions have an inheienl Iinilalion: They capluie onIy a fev shoil
snapshols of a leacheis peifoinance duiing lhe couise of a Iong acadenic yeai. This is a piolIen,
lecause lhe MLT ieseaicheis confiined lhal cIassioon
peifoinance ieaIIy does vaiy fion day lo day, jusl as leacheis
have said foi yeais. Reseaicheis aIso found lhal even veII-
liained olseiveis sonelines disagieed on hov lo iale a
pailicuIai Iesson. Moie olseivalions ly noie olseiveis can
niligale sone of lhese piolIens, lul cIassioon olseivalions
viII aIvays piovide inconpIele infoinalion on lheii ovn.

This is a ciuciaI insighl, lecause nosl schooI syslens evaIuale leacheis piinaiiIy oi excIusiveIy lased on
cIassioon olseivalions. In olhei voids, nosl schooIs aie using an appioach lhal is IikeIy lo pioduce
inaccuiale judgnenls aloul leachei peifoinance. Reseaicheis did find sone neaningfuI coiieIalion
lelveen olseivalion ialings and sludenl Ieaining, lul nol enough lo use olseivalions as lhe soIe facloi in
peifoinance evaIualions.

This does nol nean poIicynakeis shouId alandon olseivalions, of couise. They aie a ciilicaI pail of any
evaIualion and deveIopnenl syslen, lecause lhey heIp evaIualois idenlify leacheis specific slienglhs
and veaknesses in lhe cIassioon~vhich enalIes lhen lo give honesl feedlack lhal can heIp leacheis
inpiove.


5
Gathering Feedback for Teaching, Page 7.
6
Gathering Feedback for Teaching, Page 29.
Classroom observations will always
provide incomplete information on
their own.
4 January 2012
Lesson #3: Value-added analysis is more powerful than any other single measure in
predicting a teachers long-term contributions to student success.

MLT ieseaicheis found lhal vaIue-added anaIysis, vhich lypicaIIy uses lesl iesuIls lo gauge hov nuch
an individuaI leachei conliilules lo his oi hei sludenls Ieaining giovlh, is noie accuiale lhan any olhei
singIe neasuie in piedicling success ovei lhe couise of a leacheis caieei~noie lhan cIassioon
olseivalions oi sludenl suiveys.
7


This finding is lound lo le conlioveisiaI in sone coineis. VaIue-added nelhodoIogy geneiales gieal
delale lecause il ieIies on slandaidized lesls and lecause il yieIds onIy an eslinale of leachei
peifoinance, nol an exacl neasuie.

Hovevei, lhe MLT findings nake a veiy sliong case lhal aIlhough vaIue-added scoies aie nol peifecl (no
neasuie is), lhey leII us a gieal deaI aloul hov leacheis viII IikeIy peifoin in lhe fuluie. In addilion, lhe
findings delunk lvo connon nylhs.

Iiisl, ieseaicheis found lhal high vaIue-added scoies aie nol associaled vilh a diiII-and-kiII appioach
lo insliuclion. Teacheis vilh high vaIue-added scoies heIped lheii sludenls naslei highei-IeveI lhinking
skiIIs in addilion lo heIping lhen scoie veII on liadilionaI slandaidized lesls.
8
And in suiveys, sludenls
of high vaIue-added leacheis iepoiled enjoying schooI noie and liying haidei on lheii cIassvoik.
9
In
olhei voids, good leaching is good leaching. Teacheis aie nol geneiaIIy eaining high vaIue-added scoies
ly leaching lo lhe lesl.

Second, lhe iepoil aIso shovs lhal
yeai-lo-yeai fIuclualions in an
individuaI leacheis vaIue-added
scoies shouId nol keep us fion
using lhen in evaIualions.
AIlhough a leacheis scoie nighl
vaiy sonevhal fion yeai lo yeai,
lhe ieIalionship lelveen any
individuaI yeais scoie and lhe
leacheis Iong-lein success is quile
sliong.
1O


A good anaIogy is a laselaII
pIayeis lalling aveiage: il viII le
highei in sone yeais lhan in
olheis, lul each individuaI yeai
coiieIales veII lo lhe pIayeis
caieei aveiage. The findings suggesl lhal ve shouId lhink of a leacheis effecliveness as a liend Iine, nol a
fixed dala poinl.


7
Gathering Feedback for Teaching, Page 9.
8
Gathering Feedback for Teaching, Page 12.
9
Gathering Feedback for Teaching, Page 12.
10
Gathering Feedback for Teaching, Page 44.
E
f
f
e
c
t
i
v
e
n
e
s
s
Years of Experience
!"#$%&'((%( *+,-%. /"0 1#$+2$"2%3 4$2 56%0 7,--%#"2%
7#,.%#0 8926 " 5%"+6%-:. ;,<=&5%-> *$++%..
Teachers true ef f ectiveness
over time
One-year value-added scores
Illustrative. See Gathering Feedback for Teaching, page 44 for more information.
5 January 2012
0.24
0.37
0.69
0.72
Classroom
observations only
(CLASS)
Student surveys only Value-added only All three measures
combined
C
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/$#29?#% /%".$-%. /%"< /,-% '++$-"2% @A"#$"29,<.
Source: Gathering Feedback for Teaching, page 51. Other observation rubrics had similar correlations.
These findings aie aII lhe noie poveifuI vhen vieved in conjunclion vilh nevIy ieIeased dala fion
ieseaicheis al Haivaid and CoIunlia Univeisilies shoving lhal leacheis vilh high vaIue-added scoies
have a najoi and enduiing infIuence on lheii sludenls Iife oulcones, fion lheii IikeIihood of going lo
coIIege lo saving foi ieliienenl.
11
olh sludies suggesl lhal a high vaIue-added scoie is a sliong indicaloi
of a gieal leachei.

ollon Iine: LvaIualions shouId nol ieIy on vaIue-added scoies aIone, lecause no singIe neasuie can leII
lhe fuII sloiy of a leacheis peifoinance. ul incIuding vaIue-added dala nakes iesuIls significanlIy noie
accuiale ovei line, nol Iess.


Lesson #4: Evaluations that combine several strong performance measures will produce the
most accurate results.

AIlhough lheie is sliong evidence lhal vaIue-added iesuIls aie especiaIIy poveifuI neasuies of leachei
effecliveness, nany oiganizalions (incIuding TNTI) have ieconnended a nuIlipIe neasuies appioach
lo leachei evaIualions. Il is a connon-sense idea: No singIe neasuie can leII lhe fuII sloiy aloul a
leacheis peifoinance, so schooIs shouId considei aII lhe infoinalion al lheii disposaI. Moieovei,
evaIualion is nol jusl aloul soiling leacheis lul pioviding lhen vilh usefuI feedlack and suppoil, vhich
iequiies diiecl olseivalions of leacheis al voik. NeaiIy eveiy slale and schooI disliicl cuiienlIy
ievanping lheii leachei evaIualions is ciealing a syslen lhal uses nuIlipIe neasuies.
12


MLT ieseaicheis have
confiined lhal lhis is lhe iighl
appioach. They found lhal
evaIualions veie nosl accuiale
vhen lhey conlined vaIue-
added dala vilh iigoious
cIassioon olseivalions and
suiveys of sludenl peiceplions.

If a schooI vanls lo piedicl a
leacheis fuluie success in
heIping sludenls Ieain, nuIlipIe
neasuies viII yieId lhe nosl
accuiale iesuIls~noie accuiale
lhan any one neasuie on ils
ovn.
13



11
Chetty et al., 2011.
12
National Council on Teacher Quality. 2011. State of the States.
13
Gathering Feedback for Teaching, Page 9.
6 January 2012
What to Do Now: Five Recommendations for Policymakers

The new MET project report points to several ways policymakers can ensure the success of their new evaluation
systemsmany of which have been confirmed by TNTPs firsthand experience in states and school districts across
the country.



Recommendation #1: Base teacher evaluations on multiple measures of performance,
including data on student academic progress.

Lducalois vho aie aIieady luiIding evaIualions lhal incIude cIassioon olseivalions and sludenl
Ieaining dala shouId conlinue dovn lhal palh vilh heighlened confidence and a ieneved sense of
uigency. Those vho aie pIanning oi inpIenenling syslens lased soIeIy on cIassioon olseivalions~
vilhoul any neasuies of sludenl Ieaining~shouId ieconsidei. If a goaI of evaIualing leacheis is lo ensuie
sludenl Ieaining, lhen sludenl Ieaining nusl le a najoi pail of vhals neasuied. In suljecls and giades
vheie connon assessnenls of sludenl Ieaining aie nol yel avaiIalIe, slales and disliicls shouId piioiilize
lhe deveIopnenl of high-quaIily assessnenl looIs lhal viII piovide dala foi lolh insliuclionaI and
evaIualive puiposes.

Recommendation #2: Improve classroom observations by making them more frequent and
robust.

When il cones lo cIassioon olseivalions, lhe MLT sludy is cIeai lhal noie eyes~in lhe foin of noie
olseiveis and noie fiequenl olseivalions~Iead lo noie leIIing iesuIls.
14
A singIe olseivalion ly a singIe
ialei is unieIialIe as a peifoinance neasuie. Ioi lhe nany disliicls vheie lhis piaclice is lhe noin, ils
line lo change couise.

Inslead, slales and schooI disliicls shouId iequiie ialeis lo visil leacheis cIassioons noie oflen. Wheie
possilIe, lhey shouId heIp schooIs ieaIIocale iesouices and assign diffeienl ialeis foi diffeienl visils.
15

Ciealive soIulions aie possilIe. Ioi exanpIe, olseivalions need nol Iasl an enliie cIass peiiod. MLT
ieseaicheis found lhal even a 15-ninule olseivalion can le jusl as neaningfuI vilh sone olseivalion
iuliics.

Reseaicheis found lhal foui olseivalions ly foui diffeienl ialeis had lhe sliongesl coiieIalion lo sludenl
Ieaining iesuIls, lul lhey aIso nole lhal lhis shouIdnl le laken as a haid-and-fasl iequiienenl. Ralings
lecane noie ieIialIe vilh each addilionaI olseivalion, so anylhing noie lhan a singIe cIassioon visil
pei yeai is an incienenlaI inpiovenenl. The noie olseivalions and lhe noie olseiveis, lhe lellei.



14
Gathering Feedback for Teachers, Page 37.
15
New evaluation systems offer examples of how to grow the rater pool. The New Haven Public Schools now includes external validators, and DC Public
Schools has designated master teachers as additional evaluators.
7 January 2012
Recommendation #3: Use or modify an existing observation rubric instead of trying to
reinvent the wheel.

MLT ieseaicheis lesled seveiaI diffeienl olseivalion
iuliics and did nol find any lhal dislinguished lhenseIves
neaningfuIIy fion lhe iesl. Theie is no such lhing as a
peifecl olseivalion looI, and no singIe olseivalion can
piovide a conpIele picluie of a leacheis peifoinance
undei any iuliic.
AII of lhis suggesls lhal slales and disliicls shouId pick an
exisling iuliic lhal neels lheii needs inslead of designing
one fion scialch~especiaIIy nov lhal seveiaI have leen
lesled lhoioughIy.

This ieconnendalion vonl le easy lo foIIov. Lducalois
viII IikeIy vanl lo nake nodificalions lo an off-lhe-sheIf
iuliic lo iefIecl lheii IocaI conlexl, and lhis can le a good
oppoilunily lo invoIve leacheis and piincipaIs in lhe
design piocess. CeilainIy, inveslnenl in and
undeislanding of lhese looIs is ciilicaI. ul poIicynakeis
shouId keep in nind lhal lheie aie dininishing ieluins lo
line spenl on design ~and lhal line viII le lellei spenl
on connunicaling shaied definilions of leaching
exceIIence and liinging nev syslens onIine.
InpIenenlalion nalleis nosl, and lhe luIk of line and avaiIalIe iesouices shouId le devoled lo
ensuiing lhal lhe iuliic is used veII and consislenlIy.


Recommendation #4: Give evaluators the training and ongoing support they need to be
successful.

Olseivalion iuliics aie onIy as good as lhe olseiveis vho use lhen. Disliicls need lo piovide iniliaI
liaining lo ensuie lhal evaIualois can conducl accuiale olseivalions and piovide usefuI feedlack lo
leacheis.

Ioi exanpIe, in lhe MLT piojecl, evaIualois ieceived 17 lo 25 houis of liaining. They lhen had lo iale a
seiies of videolaped Iessons, and veie onIy appioved as evaIualois if lheii ialings veie cIose lo lhose of
expeil olseiveis. This IeveI of piepaialion nay le difficuIl foi schooI disliicls lo achieve, lul il can guide
lheii appioach lo liaining olseiveis. Ioi exanpIe, schooIs couId easiIy adopl lhe Iov-cosl, high-inpacl
slialegy of using videolaped Iessons lo ensuie lhal evaIualois judgnenl is ieasonalIy consislenl.

The MLT ieseaicheis aIso nake il cIeai lhal upfionl liaining is nol enough. Slales and disliicls viII need
lo noniloi lhe iesuIls of evaIualions lo nake suie lhey aie pioducing accuiale ialings. This neans
coIIecling and anaIyzing dala on olseivalion ialings and oveiaII evaIualion ialings, as veII as conducling
ieguIai spol checks on olseiveis. Il nay aIso nean checking lo ensuie lhal olseivalion ialings
Choosing an Observation Rubric:
Five Key Questions
1. Does the rubric focus on the
competencies most connected to student
outcomes?
2. Does the rubric set high performance
expectations for teachers?
3. Is the rubric clear and precise?
4. Is the rubric student-centered, requiring
observers to look for direct evidence of
student learning?
5. Is the rubric concise enough for teachers
and observers to understand thoroughly and
use easily?
For more information, see TNTPs 2011 report,
Rating a Teacher Observation Tool.
8 January 2012
coiieIale vilh sludenl achievenenl iesuIls. These effoils viII iequiie slales lo invesl in high-quaIily dala
syslens lhal can liack and anaIyze evaIualion iesuIls.

To le cIeai: deIiveiing peifuncloiy liaining lo adninislialois and sending lhen oul lo evaIuale leacheis
is unIikeIy lo yieId accuiale infoinalion. If ve vanl lellei iesuIls, ve need lo invesl in liaining.


Recommendation #5: Strongly consider using student surveys as a component of teacher
evaluation.

Reseaicheis found a sliong coiieIalion lelveen posilive sludenl Ieaining oulcones and suiveys in vhich
a najoiily of sludenls desciiled lhe Ieaining enviionnenl as focused, engaging and denanding.
Sludenls vilh #++#,)&<# - nol necessaiiIy easy - leacheis aie noie IikeIy lo say lhey feeI happy and
leIieve lheii leachei nakes good use of cIass line. In shoil, ieseaicheis viole, lhe aveiage sludenl
knovs effeclive leaching vhen he oi she expeiiences il.
16


Sludenl suivey iesuIls coiieIaled as sliongIy vilh
sludenl Ieaining as cIassioon olseivalions did. They
veie aIso a noie ieIialIe neasuie lhan olseivalions~
vhich nakes sense consideiing lhal sludenls see eveiy
Iesson a leachei piesenls duiing lhe schooI yeai,
conpaied lo lhe handfuI olseived ly evaIualois. These
findings suggesl lhal suiveys couId le especiaIIy usefuI
foi evaIualing leacheis vhose sludenls do nol lake
slandaidized lesls, and vho lheiefoie viII nol have a
vaIue-added scoie. CoupIing sludenl suiveys vilh
sliong cIassioon olseivalions vouId ensuie lhal no
singIe neasuie deleinines a leacheis oveiaII evaIualion
ialing. Suiveys nay acl as a check on cIassioon
olseivalion ialings, nuch Iike vaIue-added anaIysis can
acl as a check on olseivalions in lesled suljecls.

Sludenl suiveys do nol cone cIose lo nalching lhe
povei of vaIue-added dala in piedicling a leacheis
fuluie success, lhough. Slales and disliicls lhal opl lo
use sludenl suiveys as peifoinance neasuies in non-
lesled giades and suljecls shouId sliII nake il a piioiily
lo find oi deveIop accuiale, oljeclive neasuies of
sludenl Ieaining lhal can appIy lo as nany leacheis as possilIe.





16
"Learning About Teaching: Initial Findings from the Measures of Effective Teaching Project. (2011). The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Page 5.
Multiple Measures for
Better Evaluations
According to MET researchers, teacher
evaluations should include:
Student achievement data, such as
value-added analysis, to identify and
predict teachers ability to help
students learn.

Classroom observations, to
diagnose strengths and weaknesses
in classroom practice.

Student surveys, which can add
reliability to evaluation ratings and
assess classroom culture.

9 January 2012
Conclusion

The MLT findings nake cIeai lhal ve do nol have lo sellIe foi lhe fIinsy leachei evaIualions of lhe pasl.
We can galhei an accuiale picluie of a leacheis voik ly conlining seveiaI sliong neasuies lhal exisl
loday. In pailicuIai, vheie il is possilIe lo incoipoiale vaIue-added iesuIls, ve shouId nol deIay. ul ve
aIso need lo adnil lvo lhings.

Iiisl, even lhough infiequenl cIassioon visils aie lhe piedoninanl appioach foi assessing leacheis, lhey
aie voefuIIy insufficienl. We need lo change.

Second, ve viII nevei aiiive al a peifecl neasuie. Teaching is conpIex and nuIlifaceled, il diavs on a
lioad aiiay of piofessionaI skiIIs. And a leacheis peifoinance is nol slalic fion day lo day oi fion yeai
lo yeai. }usl as in olhei piofessions, oui goaI shouId le a faii, consislenl appioach lo evaIualion lhal gives
schooIs and leacheis lhe lesl possilIe infoinalion.

As ieseaich incieasingIy confiins lhe usefuIness and ieIialiIily of vaIue-added anaIysis and a nuIlipIe
neasuies appioach lo evaIualion, lhe focus shifls nov lo lhe schooI IeveI, vheie ve have an oppoilunily
lo liansIale lhese findings inlo lellei piaclice. We hope lhis papei heIps lo haslen piogiess lovaid lhal
ciilicaI goaI~and lovaid lhe goaI of ensuiing lhal aII sludenls Ieain fion effeclive leacheis eveiy day.


About TNTP
TNTI sliives lo end lhe injuslice of educalionaI inequaIily ly pioviding exceIIenl leacheis lo lhe sludenls
vho need lhen nosl and ly advancing poIicies and piaclices lhal ensuie effeclive leaching in eveiy
cIassioon. A nalionaI nonpiofil oiganizalion founded ly leacheis, TNTI is diiven ly lhe knovIedge lhal
effeclive leacheis have a giealei inpacl on sludenl achievenenl lhan any olhei schooI facloi. In iesponse,
TNTI deveIops cuslonized piogians and poIicy inleivenlions lhal enalIe educalion Ieadeis lo find,
deveIop and keep gieal leacheis. Since ils inceplion in 1997, TNTI has ieciuiled oi liained appioxinaleIy
49,OOO leacheis - nainIy lhiough ils highIy seIeclive Teaching IeIIovs piogians - lenefiling an
eslinaled 8 niIIion sludenls. TNTI has aIso ieIeased a seiies of accIained sludies of lhe poIicies and
piaclices lhal affecl lhe quaIily of lhe nalion's leachei voikfoice, incIuding !"# %&'(#) *++#,) (2OO9) and
!#2,"#0 *<25/2)&34 =>? (2O1O). Today TNTI is aclive in noie lhan 25 cilies. Ioi noie infoinalion, visil
vvv.lnlp.oig.