Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/905854
WINTER 2017 | ADVOCATE 13 Around AEA The second forum focused on student test data and teacher evaluations. Dr. Audrey Beardsley, an Arizona State University professor and national expert in teacher evaluations, presented research on the ineffectiveness of teacher evaluations primarily based on standardized test scores. Dr. Beardsley has been called as an expert witness in cases where states have been sued for their over-reliance on data in teacher evaluations, specifically for the use of data that is outside of the control of the classroom teacher like a state standardized test. Arizona is facing a severe teacher shortage crisis and one of the factors outside of pay is a stressful work environment. AEA has heard from many members about the pressure they are under from high-stakes testing. The Arizona teacher evaluation framework heavily weighs student data (often AzMERIT) in the performance of the classroom teacher. AEA is taking steps to educate policy makers about the research around this flawed policy as a way of addressing the teacher shortage for our state. Dr. Audrey Beardsley