by Tovia Smith
One of the primary issues at the heart of the the Chicago teachers’ strike is whether student test scores should be used to evaluate teachers and determine their pay. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pushing that approach, as are other officials around the nation.
But many teachers insist that it’s inherently unfair to grade their teaching based on their students’ learning.
Just the fact that there’s a growing discussion around teacher evaluations is a huge leap for the education industry. Historically, reviews have been haphazard, ranging from nonexistent to an annual classroom visit from the principal — often referred to as the “drive-by.”