Nancy Margaret Horton

A 5th grade teacher at Canfield 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, Horton 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.

Horton's LAUSD teaching history

2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years

Canfield Avenue Elementary, 2009 - 2007, 2005 - 2003

Nancy Horton's Response:

If a reporter at the Times was only evaluated on his or her spelling would that give a clear and accurate picture of the reporter's skills? While I agree that data from testing is information that can be used to evaluate a teacher's skills, it is only one piece of the puzzle. I am concerned that readers will only look at this published evaluation and define who that teacher is and what goes on in the classroom based solely on these rankings. There are many pieces of the puzzle that are integral into educating and assessing our children. We short change all teachers and our children by basing how well we are all doing on just a standardized test.

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.