Matthew S. Snyder
A 5th grade teacher at Short Avenue Elementary in 2006
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 2003-04 through 2009-10 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.
Math effectiveness
English effectiveness
About this rating
The red lines show The Times’ value-added estimates for this teacher. Snyder falls within the “least effective” category of district teachers in math and within the “less effective than average” category in English. These ratings were calculated based on test scores from 50 students.
Because this is a statistical measure, each score has a degree of uncertainty. The shading represents the range of values within which Snyder’s actual effectiveness score is most likely to fall. The score is most likely to be in the center of the shaded area, near the red line, and less likely in the lightly shaded area. Teachers with ratings based on a small number of student test scores will a have wider shaded range.
The beige area shows how the district's 11,500 elementary school teachers are distributed across the categories.
Snyder's LAUSD teaching history
Years used for value-added rating. See FAQ for details.
- Short Avenue Elementary, 2006 - 2004
Matthew Snyder's Response:
I really am at a loss for words. I can't believe the Times is going to do this again. Despite this flawed evaluation system's opinion of me, I am not an ineffective teacher. My students know more when they leave my class than they did coming in, and they are prepared for the next grade as well. The test scores do not reflect that because the lessons I teach are not directly in line with what is tested. Standardized exams do not test writing or history, which make up 75% of what I teach during the course of a day. I have not taught math in 5 years, because we team teach at my school. Nevertheless, the performance of my students on math exams is used against me. Is this an accurate evaluation of a teacher? No, it's not. Yet, whether I agree with it or not, this is how people will judge me from now on. It is so irresponsible for the Times to do this AGAIN. I don't deserve to be slandered this way.
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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