Well What Do You Know...I'm Effective!

I know you can't read this but it is a 6 line formula followed by a 6 line calculation
that leads to a Standard Deviation followed by a Z-Score that leads to a Standard Score.
This is used to figure an teacher's rating Ineffective, Effective, Highly Effective...
I know I feel better...

I attended a meeting this evening conducted by a representative from the LA Dept. of Education.  She baffled us with jargon, said a lot about schools and ratings, gave a formula that took into count some 20 variables or more in order to figure a teacher's Value Added Score.  Seems there are three overall ratings a teacher can achieve based on test scores:  Ineffective, Effective, Highly Effective.  Here's the problem, we received our "score" without a rating last week.  My score was a negative.  My percentile below what I as an educator would deem even vaguely successful.  But this evening it was all explained.  Here it is!  If you have a percentile rating as a teacher below 10% you are Ineffective.  WHAT????  I immediately scooped out my scores.  I raised my hand while I stared at my score.  I said would you please repeat that?  She did.  I hollered well WHOOPEE!!!  I WON!!!  I'm Effective.   Even though I believed what the facilitator said and I had witnesses, I had her repeat it again!  "If your composite percentile score falls between 11% - 90% you are rated Effective!, she restated."   WOW!  Now granted at this point my competitive spirit did rise within me because everyone knows I want to be at the top.  In order to be ranked Highly Effective you have to have a composite percentile score of 91%.  Another WOW!  Remember this is all still WRONG!  Because we are talking about one test versus what I know I have delivered over a year and what I know my student's have learned.  All of this still is a whole lot BOTHERSOME, but I feel better...It's great to know that I've been EFFECTIVE on this journey...

Help! I'm an Ineffective Educator!

I feel like I'm a casualty of war and quite frankly I wasn't prepared.  I thought I was, but that's because I play fair.  Others do not.  The biggest problem in this war is that our children and our grandchildren are at stake.  I am a teacher.  I am one of those dedicated educators deemed "ineffective" by Mr. Jindal.  Yet, I am also the same educator who was rewarded Teacher of the Year for my parish in 2010 and Regional Technology Teacher of the Year.  I have facilitated dozens of workshops for different systems in our state and even spoke at the National High School Association on communication skills that cross personality barriers.  In years past I have been celebrated by my principal for the excellence of my student's scores.  I've received awards from several organizations as well as letters from Presidents of Universities stating former students named me as a teacher that made a difference.   I have ALWAYS received the highest evaluations from any and all of my superiors.   Yet I am ineffective...How did I sink so fast, so low?  One test on one day...
I've been an outspoken critic for years on high-stake testing.  One test, one day...versus a whole year...I have witnessed how it has affected students and teachers.  This has worked so well let's put the whole system under the burden.  This makes no sense.  If you really want to reform education, get rid of high-stake testing.  Get rid of tenure and let the profession govern itself.  Let professional principals hire and fire.  Allow professional teachers to give homework, teach, and test as they deem necessary.  KEEP politics out of education.  In short, LET LEGISLATORS LEGISLATE AND EDUCATORS EDUCATE!  Mind your own business, it's not doing so well...