TNReady and Teacher Evaluations – Just Say No!

Last night the Knox County Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution asking not to use 2015-16 TNReady scores in teacher evaluations.

TNReady and TCAP scores “can’t be easily compared” and because the scores are expected to arrive late, the state has granted a waiver not to use TNReady scores to calculate student grades this school year. Individual districts must vote to accept the waiver.

There are many issues with using test scores to evaluate teachers but especially in this transitional year.

We hope the WCSB will consider a resolution like this one that gives teachers some relief. If students’ grades are not impacted but teachers’ evaluations are, the pressure of high-stakes testing won’t be alleviated for anyone.

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

12/7/15 UPDATE

Williamson Strong and other grassroots organizations that support strong public schools across Tennessee have launched a petition to grant teachers a grace period from the use of student test scores in their evaluations in the first year of new TNReady tests. Read the press release here.

“The state has granted waivers so that TNReady scores aren’t required to be counted in student grades for this year. If TNReady won’t count in student grades, it’s only fair that it shouldn’t count for teacher evaluation.” – Lyn Hoyt, president of Tennesseans Reclaiming Educational Excellence (TREE)

Let Governor Haslam, Education Commissioner McQueen, and the State Legislature know that you oppose the use of TNReady data for teacher evaluations for the 2015-16 school year.  Sign the petition here.

1/12/16 UPDATE

Resolutions similar to the one passed first in Knox County have been approved in Anderson County (12/10/15), Washington County (1/7/16 resolution), Blount County (1/7/16) and Metro Nashville Public Schools (1/12/16 resolution).

Rep. David Byrd, R-Waynesboro, has also filed a bill asking for a two-year exemption of TNReady student growth scores on teacher evaluations.

 2/11/16 UPDATE

Dr. Looney drafted a resolution for consideration by the WCSB that urges lawmakers “to provide a full waiver from utilizing data from TNReady for the use of teacher evaluations in the 2015-2016 school year.” The resolution was approved 11-1 at the 2/15 WCSB meeting.

Additional sponsors were added to Rep. David Byrd’s bill asking for a two-year exemption of TNReady student growth scores on teacher evaluations after this week’s TNReady online testing problems.