POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS

While policymakers speak of the need to create state and national databases that include information on teacher preparation programs, schools, teachers, and students in order to identify effective programs and teachers, there are a number of popular misconceptions about creating and using such data sets. Some of the misconceptions are about the ease of creating or using such data sets, while others are about granting access to such data sets.

Although this discussion is certainly not exhaustive, we believe the following misconceptions need to be addressed if high-quality and robust TQ data systems are going to be created.

Read about each misconception below.

1. When states collect data, everyone has access to such data. 2. Teacher preparation programs have access to the data necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of their graduates. 3. Following preparation program graduates is an easy task. 4. Using a value-added methodology (VAM) for assessing the growth in student achievement is a relatively easy and accurate way to measure teacher and/or teacher preparation program effectiveness. 5. Once a warehouse is created, the job is over.

 

Last updated: March 6, 2006