While the debates surrounding the use of student achievement data to evaluate teachers, principals, and schools are largely over, many questions remain. The timely question now is: Which data will be used and how? Many discussions have approached this issue with summative test data, which typically provides information at the end of the year when it is too late for instructional adjustments. There must be a better way, but what is it?
This policy brief explains how the assessment systems already in place in most schools, if used appropriately, have the potential to supply additional estimates of teacher, principal, and school impact on student learning. These "short-cycle interim assessments" can deliver additional insights with relatively little cost or delay. Equally important, they can do so while continuing to serve the broader goal for which they are primarily intended: helping to improve educator effectiveness and advance student learning.
Safeguards
Renaissance Learning takes educator evaluation as seriously as you do. Therefore we recommend also reviewing the 10 safeguards to ensure thoughtful use of short-cycle interm assessment within evaluation. These safeguards were developed
with input from a panel of experts and can be of great help to you during this process.
