Steve Reidman

A 4th grade teacher at Toluca Lake 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, Reidman ranked:

More effective than 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.
Most effective in English. Students of teachers in this category, on average, gained about 7 percentile points on the California Standards Test compared with other students at their grade level.

Reidman's LAUSD teaching history

2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years

Toluca Lake Elementary, 2009 - 2003

Steve Reidman's Response:

Just a couple of thoughts:

a) You write in your FAQ that critics claim that the Value Added Performance is a vast improvement over the "current evaluation system, in which principals render subjective judgment based on pre-announced visits, usually once every few years for less than an hour." If this actually happens in any school, I would like you to write about that principal. Our current and past principals were constantly visiting classrooms, and trying to help struggling teachers. I can not say that they always succeeded, but at least they made an effort.

b) The parents of my students would gladly give up several test points to make sure that I do not stop teaching so many of the life lessons I try to impart to my students. My parents would also gladly give up test points to make sure I don't stop arranging field trips, don't stop bringing in guest speakers, don't stop staying after school to help students with their homework.

c) But most importantly, how many points do I lose for making my students enjoy coming to school, how many points did I sacrifice because I wanted to impart a love of reading to my students, instead of teaching to the test. How many points did I lose for trying to do the job that I feel is the most important part of my job... creating "learners" not test takers, building productive citizens not "multiple choice quiz takers. Because I do the "important" things, the staff, administrators, students and parents consider me a "highly effective" teacher... no matter what your results may show.

PS. I would love to discuss the methodology used. There are so many questions I would like to ask that are not answered in your FAQ. I am also willing to discuss "highly effective teachers" with your journalists.

Sincerely,
Steve Reidman
818 298-1334
stever3@earthlink.net
sreidman@lausd.net

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.