Mario Forni

A 3rd grade teacher at Haddon 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.

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, Forni ranked:

Average overall.
Average in math. 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.
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.

Forni's LAUSD teaching history

2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years

Haddon Avenue Elementary, 2009 - 2003

Mario Forni's Response:

First of all, thank you for conducting this study. Obviously, I would have wanted my effectiveness to be "value added" to the top of the scale. I would have to do a lot of soul-searching, analysis, and self-critiquing to determine the areas in which I need to improve. However, I have constantly practiced self-critiquing and soul-searching and individual analysis in the past. To find the answers needed to improve my effectiveness as a teacher, I think I (and other teachers) need to go "out of the box" to find a solution. Value-added measures of performance point out the necessity for different solutions.

I hope that teachers will respond as life-time learners in addressing the needs of our students, rather than boycotting or condemning the messenger, the Los Angeles Times.

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.