Debra D. Kilroy

A 3rd grade teacher at Carson 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, Kilroy ranked:

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

Kilroy's LAUSD teaching history

2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years

Carson Street Elementary, 2009 - 2003

Debra Kilroy's Response:

Sadly, I do not think you are showing a representation of test data that is accurate for students in the Third grade. You comment that students in Third grade notoriously drop in their scores, but you do not mention that they must read the entire test by themselves which is not what they must do in the Second grade. The Second grade test has several portions read aloud to the students by the teacher which certainly benifits struggling readers. Some Third graders come to me reading between 10 and 25 words correct per minute. The goal near the end of Third grade is 110 words correct per minute. Imagine the challenges for a student who has raised their total to 50-60 words correct per minute, but are expected to have a much higher rate to hopefully be successful on standardized testing. Also, what is the difference of most effective teachers? You limit your information on what the Times feels qualifies someone to meet this rating based soley on one piece of data. I hope you will at least take into account that this one test does not show an overall view of how all of my students scored as I had several who managed to rank in the Proficient and Advanced level again this year.

Respectfully,

Mrs. D. Kilroy

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.