Florida DOE Releases Preliminary Teacher Evaluation Data

FEA continues to urge state to void use of VAM for assessments...

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TALLAHASSEE – FEA continues to express deep concerns over the use of the Value-Added Model (VAM) in the state Accountability and Assessment system and finds it unfortunate the Florida Department of Education has been forced to engage in the unfair practice of publicly releasing the preliminary results from the 2011-2012 School District Teacher Evaluations, as required by Senate Bill 736.

It is yet another blow to our hardworking teachers.

Calling this a "valid instrument" for teacher evaluations by the state, the report provides further proof that this evaluation tool is a work in progress and is not ready for implementation. The data is incomplete.

“This report confirms what educators across Florida already knew — that the teacher evaluation system imposed under SB 736 is still not ready for prime time,” said FEA President Andy Ford.

There are many discrepancies and gaps, including numerous districts that have not yet reported evaluation results to the state. Even with this initial implementation, teachers and school districts have already expressed concerns over how VAM is being implemented and its negative consequences, including evaluations based on students teachers do not teach.

While no individual teacher results were released, this report contains information that is confusing for parents and the public to decipher and lends little information about the impact of their children's teacher or student growth at their schools.

Ford added, “This is clearly a flawed process that needs much tweaking and revamping before teachers and parents can trust in the validity of the Value Added Model. Florida teachers are not afraid of accountability – we welcome it. But it is essential that everyone believes in the evaluation system and that it accurately reflects what we accomplish in the classroom.”

FEA remains a strong advocate of high standards for teaching and learning, but due to insufficient data, inaccuracies of VAM scores, and missed timelines, we urge the state to void these numbers and those of the January final report, which will be based on this information.

View Florida District Teacher Evaluation Database

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