Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Microsoft Founder, added his voice to the discussion about teacher evaluation in a Washington Post Op-Ed. Gates compared teacher evaluation metrics to sports assessment. In sports, several factors are used to evaluate athletes. According to Gates, the same should hold for teachers. While student test scores are an important component of teacher evaluation, Gates argues that they should be one factor among many.
To quote Gates, "Efforts are being made to define effective teaching and give teachers the support they need to be as effective as possible. But as states and districts rush to implement new teacher development and evaluation systems, there is a risk they’ll use hastily contrived, unproven measures. One glaring example is the rush to develop new assessments in grades and subjects not currently covered by state tests."
To access the full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/bill-gates-a-fairer-way-to-evalu…