Measuring What We Value: Educator Evaluation and Racial Equity

• In Event: Roundtable Session 124
  In Roundtable Session: The Impact of Accountability on Subgroups

Abstract

There is growing consensus that fair, valid and reliable educator evaluation systems will improve educational outcomes for all students. We assume improved teaching will improve student learning. In both policymaking and design, we have focused almost exclusively on the technical aspects of educator evaluation. We understand that the decisions we make based on these systems will have serious consequences for our educator workforce. What we often fail to examine is how the decisions we make will impact the broader systems goal of racial equity. In this paper, the authors argue that colorblind definitions of “educator effectiveness” and attempts to separate educator impact from student characteristics fail to consider the contexts in which educators practice and may obviate against racial equity.

Authors

• Deanna DeNae Hill, West Wind Education Policy Inc.

• Bonnie McIntosh, West Wind Education Policy Inc.

• Circe Stumbo, West Wind Education Policy Inc.