There are many ways to use student test scores to evaluate schools. This paper defines and examines different estimators including regression-based value-added indicators, average gains, and successive cohort differences in achievement levels. The paper helps assess which methods provide useful...

Most research on equal educational opportunity has focused on inputs like teacher experience and degrees. This brief estimated teachers’ value added (contribution to student achievement growth) and measured access to highest-performing teachers in high- and low-poverty schools. Across 10...

This report describes the development of value-added models for estimating the contributions of Pennsylvania teachers and principals toward the achievement growth of their students. Estimates were obtained during the first phase of a multiyear pilot to develop new evaluation systems for teachers...

This report summarizes research findings and implementation practices for teacher and principal value-added models (VAM) as a first step in the Team Pennsylvania Foundation’s pilot project to inform the development of a full, statewide model evaluation system. The report selected 21 empirical...

Some educators are concerned that students with test scores at the bottom or top of the test score distribution will negatively affect the value-added estimates of teachers of those students.

This working paper compares teacher evaluation scores from a typical value-added model with results from the Colorado Growth Model (CGM) and finds that use of the CGM in place of a value-added model depresses the evaluation scores for teachers with more English language learner students and...

This report summarizes research findings and implementation practices for teacher and principal value-added models (VAM) as a first step in the Team Pennsylvania Foundation’s pilot project to inform the development of a full, statewide model evaluation system. The report selected 21...