Welcome to Edu-Monday! Special SoCal edition!
To bring up to speed those of you outside the Southern California Security Zone, The Los Angeles Times has been running a series of articles about the application of value added metrics to teacher performance in the LAUSD. The results yieled from that data have not been disclosed or applied in any way by the District. Union resistance, questions about how to apply this data and about what does it actually measure all come to mind in this issue. I see it as a microcosm of the larger issues about collecting and applying measurement data to education and teachers. Check it out.
The incomparable Sara Mead offers her view on the value added issue. Why aren't reading her regularly hippie!.. Are you Mooslim? Why don't you go and sit over on that bench called Group W. NOW KID!
Another useful perspective from the Seattle Times.