Using Short-Cycle Interim Assessment to Improve Educator Evaluation, Educator Effectiveness, and Student Achievement (Policy Brief)

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Abstract:

Political and technical debates about using student achievement data in evaluating teacher performance have shifted from whether to how. There is general agreement that multiple measures should be used, but in practice, virtually all systems discussed so far depend on one data source: annual summative state tests. In this paper, we suggest that assessment systems already in place in most school systems have the potential, if used appropriately, to supply additional estimates of teacher, principal, and school impact on student learning. "Short-cycle interim assessments"---such as Star Early Literacy, Star Reading, and Star Math---can deliver additional insights with relatively little cost or delay. Equally important, they can do so while continuing to serve the broader goal for which they are primarily intended: helping to improve educator effectiveness and advance student learning.

AUTHOR: Michael H. Baum.

The policy brief is available online.

Publication Date:
04/11/2011