Thompson: How "Value-Added" Will Hamstring Turnaround Efforts

Suppose you are a teacher who wants to commit to a high-needs school where test score growth plays a substantial part of your evaluation, but you have just read last week's Gates study which further highlights the importance of student behavior and summer reading.  You know that it's not teachers who establish and enforce a school's disciplinary policy and that many urban students don't learn to read for comprehension by 3rd grade and are less likely to supplement in school learning that way. The rational response would be to stay away, or to leave.  - JT (@drthompson)

Comments

[TJ]

I fear that the current climate, including emphasis on test scores and issues related to tenure and seniority (two things Gates, Rhee, etc. wish to end) will hit our high-need urban schools the worst, and rural poor schools will probably suffer as well. NYC has always been a bit of a stop on the road to a better paying suburban job, but now I predict that more teachers will skip NYC altogether and content themselves with privates, parochials and charters, or subbing on LI or in Westchester. I chose to stay in NYC, and after fifteen years I am regretting that choice. My main project for the upcoming holiday break is to sit down with my husband and plot out how we can swing a career change for me, financially and otherwise.