tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3038828360589919480.post2007938466387851411..comments2023-10-12T05:22:07.181-04:00Comments on The Prichard Blog!: Report on state policies for new teachers, taken with a grain of saltSPWestonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08602329486466534720noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3038828360589919480.post-40613242716617248042009-02-02T17:03:00.000-05:002009-02-02T17:03:00.000-05:00Susan, You lost me with your criticism of the Stat...Susan, <BR/><BR/>You lost me with your criticism of the State Teacher Policy Yearbook’s call for differentiated pay for teachers. I thought Prichard was already on board favoring this in general principle, at least. See the bullet item on page 18 in “High Achieving High Schools” regarding “Top priority: Create a differentiated teacher compensation system,” on line at: http://www.prichardcommittee.org/Portals/1059/Publications/HS%20Report.pdf.<BR/><BR/>I am not surprised, on the other hand, with your resistance to the suggestion to use value-added assessments as a part of a program to track teacher effectiveness. That is perfectly in line with Prichard’s position to leave the CATS assessment largely as is, with just minor changes at best.<BR/><BR/>Of course, thanks to matrixing, the current CATS model is hopeless for use in a quality value added assessment system. That’s not just my informed opinion, by the way. Among others, I asked the value-added “guru” who created the Tennessee Value Added Assessment System about it. <BR/><BR/>If we ever go to real value-added assessments, it will have to be with a significantly revised, or replaced, CATS. As long as we keep CATS pretty much as is, a number of bad things will continue. For example, teachers may continue to get fired based on an unfair application of a dubious assessment. At least that’s what KBE member Dorie Combs indicates is happening in a new Richard Day blog (see: http://theprincipal.blogspot.com/2009/02/cats-confusion-abounds.html). <BR/><BR/>Anyway, I also have some reservations about the Yearbook, but overall it looks like a considerable amount of thought went into the report, and this should be on the “read” list for everyone concerned about our education system.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com