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Evaluating the teacher evaluation system

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A report released Wednesday suggests there are too many models when it comes to evaluating Indiana teachers.

Currently, Indiana school districts can choose their own teacher evaluation model.

Researchers, comprised of people associated with the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning at Indiana University, reviewed 245 teacher evaluation models. The IU researchers, led by Dr. Sandi Cole and Dr. Hardy Murphy, said they found significant differences within the models.

One of the differences is how much weight is being put on student test scores. The report says some of the models used to evaluate Indiana teacher use test scores to account for as much as 60 percent of a teacher’s rating, whereas within other models test scores count for as little as two percent.

The researchers gave 31 Indiana district evaluation models high marks, 207 were rated as medium, and 33 districts were put in the low range.

The Indiana Department of Education is expected to be presented with the report during their regular business meeting Wednesday. The meeting will take place on Ball State’s Muncie campus and begins at 9 a.m. The presentation is listed on the agenda.

To find out more about the research, click here.