Research

Measures of teacher quality based on value-added models of student achievement are coming – but should they?  Value-added models – known as VAMs – are gaining increasing acceptance among policymakers as a possible improvement over conventional indicators based on classroom observations, educational attainment, or experience. MSU researchers Cassie Guarino, Mark Reckase and Jeff Wooldridge have a federal grant to evaluate and identify which commonly-used value-added models VAMs accurately estimate the effects of teachers, schools and instructional practices.  Their  Value-Added Measures of Teacher Performance working paper includes a detailed discussion of the issues and their preliminary findings . One sentence in their conclusion stands out: “Clearly, although value-added measures of teacher performance hold some promise, more research is needed before they can confidently be implemented in policies.”