Using alternative student growth measures for evaluating teacher performance: what the literature says

States and school districts are exploring alternatives to state tests for measuring teachers’ contributions to student learning. One approach applies statistical valueadded methods to alternative student assessments such as commercially available tests and end-ofcourse tests. The evidence suggests that these methods can reliably distinguish among teachers. A second approach requires teachers to develop student learning objectives at the beginning of the school year; these can be used in instructional planning as well as evaluation. Ensuring consistency across teachers and schools is challenging, and implementation is demanding, but student learning objectives have the advantage that they can be implemented in any grade or subject.