New Jersey school board reduces weight of test scores on teacher evaluations
AUGUST 6, 2014, 7:40 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014, 7:40 PM
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
The state Board of Education has taken steps to reduce the use of student test scores to judge teachers, weeks after Gov. Christie announced a compromise with educators outlining changes to teacher evaluations.
The board’s proposal came after lawmakers and educators argued it was unfair to use student scores because the online tests were based on new standards and schools needed time to adjust. The plan still must get final approval after a public comment period, but districts have been instructed to use the new evaluation system, officials said.
Under the new system, the impact of scores of the new standards-based tests will drop from 30 to 10 percent for math and reading teachers who give them.
Another 20 percent of evaluations will be based on “student growth objectives” — academic goals set by teachers with input from supervisors to measure their effectiveness. They can be based on a combination of measures, including final exams, advanced placement tests, and student projects and portfolios.
The weight of those measures was raised from 15 percent, but the board also made it easier for teachers to appeal those scores
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