Benjamin Nnanna Ofoha

A 4th grade teacher at Harrison Street 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, Ofoha ranked:

Most effective overall.
Most effective in math. Students of teachers in this category, on average, gained about 11 percentile points 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.

Ofoha's LAUSD teaching history

2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years

Harrison Street Elementary, 2009 - 2003

Benjamin Ofoha's Response:

I think the Times has done an excellent job here and should be commended.Teachers need know how well they are meeting their students academic needs year after year.Those teachers whose students are not performing well need to know and seek help to modify their teaching strategies,and those teachers whose students are doing well need to know that too.The Distric should use these data to help all teachers improve their teaching methods.

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.