The Value of Value-Added Methods

Abstract

It is generally understood and accepted that teacher quality is a key factor in promoting student achievement and success. It is also understood that teachers vary in their effectiveness. Articulating a clear definition of what it means to be an effective or high-quality teacher, however, has been somewhat variable in both practice and in the literature. For a variety of competing interests there is significant debate over the best means of holding teachers accountable for student learning. In recent years the common methods and results of teacher evaluation systems have been questioned. In response to the increasing political and accountability pressures is the application of value-added models (VAMs) as a means to identify effective teachers and schools. VAMs are a growth model that accounts for the effects of nonschool related factors on student achievement. The purpose of VAM is to control for nonschool factors that contribute to student growth and achievement. VA models attempt to shift the evaluation of schools and teachers away from input methods (credentials, experience, and teacher behavior) and toward output measures of improved intellectual skill and the achievement of students. The application of a data derived score for teacher effectiveness is appealing but should be used with caution and with complete understanding of what the VA score measures, what it actually reports, and an awareness of the statistical assumptions.

Citation

Sullivan, V. (2012), "The Value of Value-Added Methods", Miller, F.S. (Ed.) Transforming Learning Environments: Strategies to Shape the Next Generation (Advances in Educational Administration, Vol. 16), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 137-149. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3660(2012)0000016010