Jennifer Lyn Floryan

A 3rd grade teacher at Western 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, Floryan ranked:

Average overall.
Average in math. Students of teachers in this category, on average, did not gain or lose significantly on the California Standards Test compared with other students at their grade level.
Average in English. Students of teachers in this category, on average, did not gain or lose significantly on the California Standards Test compared with other students at their grade level.

Floryan's LAUSD teaching history

2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years

Western Avenue Elementary, 2009 - 2003

Jennifer Floryan's Response:

My comment has to do with Value - Added stats and ALL the variables we teachers encounter! For example does the VA process take into account the 5 students I had this past year who had horrendous attendance issues??? And the years prior to this one when I have had, and my colleagues at Western El., students who have substantial attendance issues? Attendance issues where by we teachers have to have on-going communication with our schools PT PSA attendance counselor. A day NOT in class is a day learning is NOT accomplished and NO fault to the teacher. It all ADDS up, the number of years I have taught and the students' who have chronic attendance issues. It happens every year here at my school whereby we have students that don't come to school. So many variables come into the equation when dealing with human beings, and the issues of poverty in our neighborhood schools and language. I think Value Added stats is significantly flawed. Please I ask anyone from the public to come into the classrooms, we teachers teach in the inner Los Angeles area, and educate effectively with outcomes on biased tests, and manage and control a classroom of 20 plus students. I have seen outsiders come in and they can't manage effectively and end up wanting to leave. The task is over whelming. Please come into our classrooms for one day and instruct without US in the rooms to assist. Value Added is flawed and does not measure ALL the variables a teacher encounters!

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.