Controversial scores on Florida teachers' effectiveness released

[The Straight Story]

Controversial scores on Florida teachers' effectiveness released

ORLANDO, Fla. —

For the first time, parents can now go online to check out their children's teachers to see how they compare in the state evaluation system.

A "0" score means the teacher has met student growth expectations. Anything above 0 means a teacher exceeded expectations and negative scores mean the teacher has underperformed.

Channel 9 asked how the teacher scoring system accounts for the students' individual challenges. State education leaders said disabilities, economic situations and other challenges are considered when evaluating each student's growth expectation and each teacher's score is based on whether those expectations were met or exceeded.

WFTV's Kathi Belich asked parents at Howard Middle School whether they'll review the findings.

"I don't believe in it," said parent Vanessa Ly, who said she won't be checking the scores.

But parent Heidi Harmer said she will absolutely be checking them.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/controversial-scores-florida-teachers-effectivenes/ndZ92/

[Vincardog]

1. This smells a lot like what is left in the stock trailer after the bulls are hauled. How exactly

are the Teachers the only responsible party for the Student's actions?

[yeoman6987]

2. I get evaluated every year

I don't mind it because it really helps me to see areas where I need to improve (if needed). I never was one for the cheerleading type of evaluations because it really does not help anyone. However, the difference between teacher evaluations and my annual evaluations is that it does not go on line for public use….however they are on line but only HR and myself can see the final version.

[Vincardog]

4. I don't have any problem with your helpful evaluation. This post was about PUBLIC posting

of "evaluations" that were at least 60% outside your control.

Do you feel you should be exposed to public ridicule in that situation?

[yeoman6987]

7. I am glad mine are not posted for the general public

Hopefully they will change this evaluation system so that only administration and individual see the evaluation. I wonder what is going to happen when parents see two available teachers for little Jimmy and the parents demand that Jimmy gets into the classroom with the higher evaluation teacher. This could turn into a mess.

[Squinch]

8. Even worse when they find that the teacher evaluated as worse is actually the better teacher.

[yourout]

3. This is such bullshit. My son is a 3rd grade teacher and this year they forced all the special...

needs kids into his section and added a special needs teacher as a co-teacher but his evaluation relative to the testing
does not take that into account. He will be graded just that same as if he had a normal group of kids.

He is a very good teacher and very popular with kids and parents but I doubt he will keep teaching for very long in this environment.

This on top of act10 and the hit has taken in his wallet pretty much wipes out whatever enjoyment he gets from teaching.

Scotty Wanker must be very proud of driving out good teachers.

[Vincardog]

5. You might want to credit Arne Duncan as well.

[mike_c]

6. the incompetent leading the uninformed....

FFS. Most "consumers" of this information have zero understanding of how it was generated, what it means, or whether it is reliable for anything at all. But there will be torches and pitchforks for teachers in poor schools with disinterested and distracted students from less privileged neighborhoods. Or schools with large first generation English speaking populations, particularly of poor immigrants in racially biased districts. How does one reliably normalize for the average number of children who didn't have anything to eat this morning, or the proportion whose parents spent the night beating one another up? Or the fraction who are sick, but can't get health care for fear of their parents being deported?

And calls to privatize schools because, well, corporations.