Aaron Pallas, Professor of Sociology and Education

Last week, New York State Acting Justice Roger McDonough ruled that the labeling of Long Island teacher Sheri Lederman as ineffective, based on the state’s 2013-14 statistical growth model, was “arbitrary and capricious” — and hence her rating was vacated and set aside.

Writing in the New York Daily News, TC's Aaron Pallas asserts that the arguments that persuaded Judge McDonough to set aside Lederman "will apply to a great many teachers in New York, and perhaps in other states and districts around the country." The ruling should call into question the practice of evaluating teachers based on their students' test scores. "If a judge... concludes that the state’s growth model of evaluation is arbitrary and capricious, is it any wonder that teachers, parents and citizens across the state do not view them as legitimate?" Pallas writes.

LINK: Teacher evaluations fail a crucial test: A court rules that the piece of teacher's rating determined by student test scores is 'arbitrary and capricious' (New York Daily News)

Published Wednesday, May 18, 2016

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