The Instructional Value of Performance Assessments Within an Accountability Context

• In Event: Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Accountability, Validity, and Teacher Evaluation

Abstract

This paper reports on educators’ experiences developing and using performance assessments designed to measure teacher contributions to student growth. This research was part of a pilot project intended to inform a new teacher evaluation system. We explore factors that affect the instructional value of the assessments through interviews with educators and observations of assessment creation, scoring, and data analysis sessions. Despite considerable variation in their experiences, most teachers explained that their ability to use assessments depended on the alignment between the assessments and (1) other accountability measures, (2) student needs, (3) and current reform efforts. Our results also suggest that as teachers engage in the process, they may develop competencies around Common Core-aligned instruction, formative assessment and adaptive teaching strategies.

Authors

• Jessica Wallenstein, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Thomas C. Hatch, Teachers College, Columbia University