Jeffrey P. Ballam

A 4th / 5th split teacher at Monte Vista 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, Ballam ranked:

Less effective than 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.
Average in English. 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.

Ballam's LAUSD teaching history

2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years

Monte Vista Street Elementary, 2009 - 2003

Jeffrey Ballam's Response:

There are many more ways of being an effective teacher than by just teaching children how to fill in a bubble. Standardized tests do not teach Critical Thinking nor Problem Solving in a project situation. Both are highly prized attributes prized by employers and college professors. Children need to learn to think and defend their point of view.

I feel this rating system is hogwash.

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.