William Matthew Covely
A 5th grade teacher at Langdon 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.
Compared with other Los Angeles Unified teachers on the value-added measure of test score improvement, Covely ranked:
- 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.
- More effective than average in English. Students of teachers in this category, on average, gained about 2 percentile points on the California Standards Test compared with other students at their grade level.
Covely's LAUSD teaching history
2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years
- Langdon Avenue Elementary, 2009 - 2003
William Covely's Response:
The motive of The Times is laudable. No one can be satisfied with the present state of public schools, especially in big city districts like LAUSD where the high school drop-out rate is close to 50% at many schools. At my elementary school, 3/4 of the students can't read at the appropriate grade level. For the most part, the yearly state tests are fair and comprehensive. But what I think The Times has done in this large and complex debate, essentially, is jump the gun on the value-added theory, and has, in the process, unjustly damaged the reputation of thousands. And in exchange for accomplishing...what?
Why is publishing teacher identities and test scores unjust under the pretext which The Times has used? Because, according to a study just released (July, 2010) by the U.S. Department of Education, "Error Rates in Measuring Teacher and School Performance Based on Student Test Scores," about 90% of the determinants of stadardized test scores are beyond the control of classroom teachers (what the study called "student-level" factors).
Further, researchers found that value-added models of evaluating teachers, such as the one The Times is using, are currently "unstable" predictors of futre individual teacher performance. The Times no doubt knew of these bothersome facts, or should have, prior to deciding to publish.
Until a more reliable method of analysis can be developed, one which incorporates the other 90% of factors which are responsible for student achievement (or lack of) on these tests, then I suggest that The Times add a very prominent disclaimer to their pretty little charts which make clear to readers the above inconvenient but crucial facts.
Otherwise, this project should be called for what it is: A deceptive and possibly libelous witch hunt.
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.
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