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The Real Value of Teachers: Using New Information about Teacher Effectiveness to Close the Achievement Gap
Abstract:
This report asserts that in the vast majority of schools, no one has verifiable information about how effective individual teachers are at increasing learning growth for individual students in their classes. However, it is argued that "value-added" information does exist, and is providing a fair and effective means for states, districts, and schools to both increase the overall number of effective teachers and funnel more effective teachers into the classrooms of low-income children who rely on them the most for their learning.
Describing how these systems adjust achievement outcomes to account for non-teacher factors, the author contends that the use of teacher effectiveness information can also be used to better identify effective preparation and professional development programs, help teachers help themselves and each other within schools, and create a professional culture better focused toward achievement and continuous improvement. He advocates that this will only be effective if simultaneous changes occur within the teacher labor market, such as paying effective teachers what they are really worth, eliminating barriers to both entry/ exit when appropriate, and providing adequate funding to school districts based on the number of low-income children they have to educate so these schools can hire effective teachers to whom they can pay market rate and provide supportive working conditions. A call is made to create a system of reasonable tradeoffs between compensation, autonomy, and the needs of students.
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| Strand(s): | Incentives |
| Author: | Carey, K. |
| URL: | http://www2.edtrust.org/NR/rdonlyres/5704CBA6-CE12-46D0-A852-D2E2B4638885/0/Spring04.pdf |
| Publisher: | Ed Trust |
| Publication Date: | 2004, Winter |
| Publication City: | Washington |
| Publication State: | DC |
| Journal: | Thinking K-16 |
| Journal Volume: | 8(1) |
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