The state of Ohio has recently passed legislation requiring value-added assessment to be part of its school performance index by 2007. Also, the Ohio Partnership for Accountability uses value-added assessment to measure the instructional impact of new teachers.
Here is the Middletown School Board discussing Value Added with Mr. Miller:
Other than Tennessee , where value-added has been in use since 1992, value-added has the most widespread use in Ohio . Working with EVASS operated by Dr. William Sanders in Cary , North Carolina , Battelle for Kids has sponsored a pilot (Project SOAR) in which 63 Ohio districts will use value-added assessment.i Project SOAR (Schools' On-line Achievement Reports) is an initiative in which a variation of Sanders' "value-added analysis" is applied to student performance data provided by participating school districts. The centerpiece of the project is the creation of a secure web-based database that school districts can use to view district, building, grade and student level student performance data. The program's value-added analysis of student performance data will assist districts in their efforts to focus instruction to improve performance, raise achievement levels and help students meet Ohio 's academic content standards. Battelle for Kids expects to be working with more than 100 volunteer school districts including urban, suburban, and rural districts, large and small districts, and districts that administer similar annual tests. These districts include approximately 900 schools and 300,000 students – more than 30% of Ohio 's students in grades 3-8.ii
The University of Dayton , University of Cincinnati and The Ohio State University are leading a study that is examining the preparation, in-school support and effectiveness of Ohio teachers. All 50 of the state's colleges and schools of education are involved in the study. A major component of their investigations is value-added analysis.
Ohio 's two major teacher unions, the Ohio Education Association and the Ohio Federation of Teachers, are backing the aims of the Teaching Quality Partnership, which will not report on individual districts, teachers or programs. "We will use the data to improve teacher preparation practices," said Thomas Lasley II, dean of the School of Education and Allied Professions at the University of Dayton and one of three co-chairs of Teaching Quality Partnership, initially known as Ohio Partnership for Accountability.iii
Links to important websites
Ohio Department of Education, http://www.ode.state.oh.us
Battelle for Kids, http://www.battelleforkids.org/b4k/rt
Battelle for Kids is a partnership initiative created to champion improved student achievement in Ohio by supporting, accelerating and sustaining standards-based education. Battelle for Kids works to strengthen support from the business community and the general public for an education system focused squarely on student achievement and grounded in four key cornerstones: clear, rigorous academic content standards; support to improve teaching and learning; fair and effective assessments; and, accountability for results.
University of Dayton Alumni News , “What makes a great teacher?” June 24, 2004, http://alumni.udayton.edu/np_story.asp?storyID=1624
Dennis J. Willard and Doug Oplinger, “Index measures ‘Johnny',” Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio.com, May 26, 2003, http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/5946337.htm?1c
“The Governor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Financing Student Success,” http://www.blueribbontaskforce.ohio.gov/committees/FS_11-10-03_minutes.asp
i Lynn Olson, "Education Scholars Finding New 'Value' In Student Test Data," Education Week, November 20,2002, Vol.22, Number 12, p.14
ii Battelle for Kids, Project SOAR, http://www.battelleforkids.org/b4k/rt/about/our_work/improve/SOAR
iii University of Dayton Alumni News, "What makes a great teacher?" June 24, 2004, http://alumni.udayton.edu/np_story.asp?storyID=1624
