Voices less heard: teachers' perspectives on the evaluation of teacher effectiveness through the use of value-added modeling

The accountability movement has shifted its focus from measuring student outcomes, to measuring teacher effectiveness using value-added modeling. In 2011, a major urban newspaper conducted a value-added analysis of teachers' effectiveness at raising standardized test scores, and posted their findings on the Internet. This study spotlights teachers' reaction to the use of value-added, and their suggestions for other measures and ways of improving the teacher evaluation process. Findings showed that teachers believed that using value-added in teacher evaluations has a high potential of changing what is taught, how it is taught, and the profession itself. Instead, they desired an evaluation process that focused on giving them feedback to help them refine their practice, a formative rather than summative evaluation model; thus highlighting a disconnect between teachers and policymakers on the purpose of evaluation. In addition, the findings indicated a weak spot in the system of teacher evaluation, where the role of the administrator was pivotal as to whether or not teachers felt supported in the development of their teaching