From the National Council on Teacher Quality, a few facts to consider:
- 42 states and D.C. have policies requiring that public school teachers be evaluated on the basis of student growth and achievement.
- In 2009, only 15 states tied student standardized test scores to teacher evaluations.
- In 28 states, teachers labelled “ineffective” are eligible for dismissal.
- In 16 states, including Colorado and Connecticut, student growth is a key factor in teacher evaluations.
It also turns out that Alabama, New Hampshire, and Texas have such policies on the books, but there’s no follow through.
Plus, the following states are resisting and have no formal policies regarding teacher evaluations and student achievement. They are:
- California
- Iowa
- Montana
- Nebrask
- Vermont
Meanwhile, a recent Gallup Poll found that 55% of polled parents oppose linking teacher evaluations with student test scores, and the parents of public school children came in with 63% opposing such policies.
Is anyone listening?