Getting Teacher Evaluation Right: A Brief for Policymakers

There is also a growing consensus that evidence of teachers’ contributions to student learning should be a component of teacher evaluation systems, along with evidence about the quality of teachers’ practice. “Value Added Models” (VAMs) for looking at gains in student test scores from one year to the next are promoted as tools to accomplish this goal. Policy makers can benefit from research about what these models can and cannot do, as well as from research about the effects of other approaches to teacher evaluation. This brief addresses both of these important concerns.