Pointed in the Wrong Direction: Examining Louisiana Elementary Teachers' Use of Compass High-Stakes Teacher Evaluation Data

• In Event: 56.051 - Data-Driven Decision Making: Not the Usual Contexts

Abstract

Precipitated by Race to the Top, efforts to redesign outdated teacher evaluation systems represented an opportunity to address limitations of past systems. One understudied aspect HSTE systems concerns the use of these new sources of data in instructional decision making. Utilizing longitudinal data on the effects of Compass, Louisiana’s high-stakes teacher evaluation (HSTE) system, this paper tracks the experiences of a group of Louisiana elementary-level teachers in their understanding and use of Compass-generated performance data for instructional decision making. Analysis revealed that district and school assessment policy changes shaped perceived HSTE data utility and, concomitantly, attenuated their use for decision making. These policy changes also raised equity concerns among teachers of vulnerable students.

Author

• Timothy G. Ford, University of Oklahoma