PETITION CLOSED

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Don't Rate Teachers Based on Student Test Scores
  1. Signatures
    84 out of 100
    Petitioning
    1. Los Angeles Unified School District (Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines)
  2. Created By
    Sara Bernard
    Berkeley, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter

In mid-August 2010, the Los Angeles Times published a controversial database that ranked Los Angeles Unified School District teachers based on their students' test scores over time. Whatever the motivations, the move is emblematic of an increasing dependence on using test scores to evaluate teacher performance across the nation. This is a method that should only be -- at most -- a single facet of teacher assessment. It would be a mistake to let the series carry enough weight to negatively impact LAUSD teachers. We need to tell LAUSD what we think.

Recent Signatures

Don't Rank Teachers Based on Student Test Scores

Greetings,

I am writing to demand that the series was published in the Los Angeles Times in mid-August 2010 not be used as fuel to rate teachers based on student test scores in LAUSD.

At best, value-added analysis of testing data is one facet of a thorough evaluation of teacher effectiveness. At worst, it undermines the teaching profession -- and public education -- by reducing it to statistically flawed numbers that will inevitably force teachers to devote more and more class time to test preparation, rather than learning.

I urge you and all LAUSD employees to continue to evaluate teachers using a variety of measures, and not allow narrowly-focused, imperfect charts and graphs to make or break a teaching career.

[Your name]

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