Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policy
The data and analysis on this page is from 2019. View and download the most recent policy data and analysis on Measures of Student Growth in Wisconsin from the State of the States 2022: Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policies report.
Impact of student growth: Wisconsin requires teachers to write at least one Student Learning Objective (SLO) each year as part of the Educator Effectiveness Cycle of Continuous Improvement. However, there is no guarantee that objective measures of student growth will be considered. At the end of each year, teachers "reflect" on their students' progress and self-score their own SLO practice using an SLO rubric. In the summary year, the evaluator reviews all SLOs and provides feedback.
State's role in evaluation system: Wisconsin utilizes its Educator Effectiveness System. Districts may use alternative models if equivalent, but such alternative models must be approved by the state.
Require objective measures of student growth to be included in teacher evaluation.
Wisconsin should require that objective measures of student growth be included in a teacher's evaluation rating, and that such measures play a profound role in a teacher's overall evaluation rating.
Wisconsin recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. "This is an accurate portrayal because we designed our system differently than most states. And it works. In a few months, we will be releasing a report that directly links implementation of our system to significant positive outcomes. Our system directly impacts teacher satisfaction and retention. And every time implementation in a school improves, so do student outcomes. The impact on student outcomes compounds across years when teachers stay in the building—which, as noted, they do. So our system is working as intended when implemented as intended. We fully intend to support it as such."
7A: Measures of Student Growth
Many factors should be considered in formally evaluating a teacher; however, nothing is more important than effectiveness in the classroom. Value-added models are an important tool for measuring student achievement and school effectiveness.[1] These models have the ability to measure individual students' learning gains, controlling for students' previous knowledge and background characteristics. While some research suggests value-added models are subject to bias and statistical limitations,[2] rich data and strong controls can eliminate error and bias.[3] In the area of teacher quality, examining student growth offers a fairer and potentially more meaningful way to evaluate a teacher's effectiveness than other methods schools use.
Unfortunately, districts have used many evaluation instruments, including some mandated by states, which are structured so that teachers can earn a satisfactory rating without any evidence that they are sufficiently advancing student learning in the classroom.[4] Teacher evaluation instruments should include factors that combine both human judgment and objective measures of student learning.[5]