Wendy Zeff Breitenfeld

A 5th grade teacher at Welby Way 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, Breitenfeld 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.
Less effective than average in English. Students of teachers in this category, on average, lost about 3 percentile points on the California Standards Test compared with other students at their grade level.

Breitenfeld's LAUSD teaching history

2002-03 through 2008-09 academic years

Welby Way Elementary, 2009 - 2006

Wendy Breitenfeld's Response:

One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary new material, but the warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.--Carl Jung

Teachers and districts should include test scores as PART of their evaluation and reflection, however there is so much more than that! The LA Times article and Jason Felch present the information as THE sole process by using a percentage to label each teacher as simply ineffective or effective, which is very misleading to the public, and unfair to the teachers, students, and parents.
As a teacher, I would like my effectiveness to be based more on instilling the love of learning the children possess and the overall positive contributions they eventually make in society.
I see my job as teaching young people to think and become productive members of this world, rather than simply, a number.

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.