Evaluating the Tripod 7Cs Composite as an Alternate Measure of School Quality

• In Event: 18.029 - Alternative Approaches: Promoting Innovative and Multifaceted Methods for Evaluating School and Teacher Effectiveness

Abstract

The recently enacted Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to add an alternate indicator of school quality to existing school accountability systems. In light of fierce debates about appropriate indicators, this study examines the Tripod 7Cs composite, a measure of teaching effectiveness generated from student perception surveys. Results indicate that the composite meets key legislative requirements. Scores vary significantly across schools in ways that are meaningfully related to academic achievement and largely unaffected by school composition. In short, results imply that policy-makers can legally incorporate the 7Cs composite into existing school accountability systems. More importantly, they suggest that, by doing so, policy-makers may be better able to evaluate a school’s ability to promote academic achievement and student success.

Authors

• Sarah Phillips, Tripod Education Partners

• Ronald F. Ferguson, Harvard University

• Jacob Rowley, Tripod Education Partners