Angela M. Vassel

A 3rd grade teacher at Purche Avenue Elementary in 2009

These graphs show a teacher's "value-added" rating based on his or her students' progress on the California Standards Tests in math and English. The Times’ analysis used all valid student scores available for this teacher from the 2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years. The value-added scores reflect a teacher's effectiveness at raising standardized test scores and, as such, capture only one aspect of a teacher's work.

Overall value-added effectiveness

Math effectiveness

English effectiveness

This chart shows where teachers in this effectiveness category fall on a distribution of all teachers’ scores.

Compared with other Los Angeles Unified teachers on the value-added measure of test score improvement, Vassel ranked:

Less effective than average overall.
Less effective than average in math. Students of teachers in this category, on average, lost about 4 percentile points on the California Standards Test compared with other students at their grade level.
Less effective than average in English. Students of teachers in this category, on average, lost about 3 percentile points on the California Standards Test compared with other students at their grade level.

Vassel's LAUSD teaching history

2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years

Purche Avenue Elementary, 2009 - 2008
La Salle Avenue Elementary, 2007 - 2003

Angela Vassel's Response:

I do not believe that this scoring system is a fair assessment of a teacher's efficacy due to the amount of time teachers spend planning with their colleagues before, during, and after the school year to discuss improving instructional practices in order to meet the needs of the diverse student population of LAUSD. Not to mention that these hours of planning are above and beyond the alloted time in a school day.
In each classroom there is a myrriad of instructional levels that we are required to increase to a prescribed benchmark for that grade level. We accept this daunting task even with a lack of sufficient and equitable resources that should be provided by the district, without complaint. Finally, here is a glimpse into the mind of an LAUSD teacher:
1. How do I teach my students how to use technology without working computers?
2. How do I bridge the academic gap for students who could not attend summer school?
3. How does one school have current textbooks while another school, within the same district, does not and yet they are both expected to have the same results?
4. Why do some teachers spend their own money, every summer and throughout the school year, for much needed classroom materials to help students achieve?
5. Why are we not holding the students' "first teacher" accountable?
6. How does the students' home life affect their academic performance?
The powers that be are expecting the maximum result with a minimum of district support, resources, and encouragement. You cannot place a business model of mass production unto the system of educating unique
individuals.

The Times gave LAUSD elementary school teachers rated in this database the opportunity to preview their value-added evaluations and publicly respond. Some issues raised by teachers may be addressed in the FAQ. Teachers who have not commented may do so by contacting The Times.