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Education news and notes from Tampa Bay and Florida

Evaluating teachers with a value-added model, LA style



With the adoption of SB 736, Florida teachers have many new things to look forward to or dread, depending on perspective, including a yet-to-be-created value-added system to determine whether they're making adequate progress with their students.

It's a type of evaluation that comes with many critics. It also looks to be doctorate-level math, if the Los Angeles Unified model is any guide. Here's the formula they use:

y = Xβ + Zv + ε where β is a p-by-1 vector of fixed effects; X is an n-by-p matrix; v is a q-by-1 vector of random effects; Z is an n-by-q matrix; E(v) = 0, Var(v) = G; E(ε) = 0, Var(ε) = R; Cov(v,ε) = 0. V = Var(y) = Var(y - Xβ) = Var(Zv + ε) = ZGZT + R

Get it? Many LA teachers don't. Check out this LA Times story for more.

[Last modified: Monday, March 28, 2011 7:42am]


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