School Information System: An RTT Cookbook With One Recipe

December 22, 2011

An RTT Cookbook With One Recipe

I am ambivalent. My state, Tennessee, is the first state that has implemented the annual teacher and principal evaluations as required by Race to the Top (RTT). In 2010, I was involved with writing Tennessee's successful RTT application, especially the section on "great teachers and leaders." In my state role, I celebrated the RTT requirement for annual teacher and principal evaluations based substantially on student growth as one of the most important levers to accelerate student achievement.

Now, in 2011, I am at the local level watching the fall-out. Although I still support annual teacher evaluations that include student achievement growth and regular teacher observation scores, it is clear that the initiative is off to a rocky start. And this has implications for more than just the educators and students in Tennessee. As noted in Education Week, many policymakers are concerned that the rocky implementation of Tennessee's new teacher evaluation system may hinder efforts in other states.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at December 22, 2011 4:23 AM
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Comments

Julie McCargar expresses surprise at the problems with the implementation of RTT, and teacher evaluation. And expresses surprise that rubrics to evaluate teachers' in-class methods do not fit the rubrics.

Of course, Tennessee is the epicenter of Value-added approaches and the idea that one can and should evaluate teachers by single year, before and after tests.

Both beliefs are ridiculous in its face.

I'm sorry to say, though not surprised, that Julie McCargar is Julie McCargar, Ed. D. Are these degrees worth the paper they're printed on? How can it be possible that such a degree allows someone earning the degrees to be so wholly clueless?

Obviously, whatever institution gave her the degree, should probably have their certification revoked.

Posted by: Larry Winkler at December 22, 2011 10:06 PM