Teacher Data Report Post, Take 2

I had a long rant of an entry that was accidentally deleted. I take it as a sign from the universe to breathe, rethink and try again.

I feel it is important for readers to understand why teachers and the UFT were so opposed to Teacher Data Report results being published.

1. This format was a trial run that was discontinued.Why was it discontinued, you may ask? Simple. It was statistically invalid and unreliable. It had a margin of error of up to 54 out of 100 points! For those who are unfamiliar with what that means, the easiest way to say it is this, " Those reports were not worth the paper they were written on."

2.  Even the latest chancellor,who was appointed by the same mayor who appointed the last 2 chancellors who were in power when these reports were created, admits that the above statement is true.

3. This was an algorithm that was NEVER intended to rate teacher's performances in this way. Hence why it was promised to be kept internal. But the chancellor lied and the media was allowed to print  information that even the courts who released it bascially stated were innaccurate.

As a teacher, I have no issue with evaluation. Have at it. I am a damn good teacher who has requested every year for the last 5 years to be placed in a SELF-CONTAINED classroom while others would run screaming from the same task. But if you want to print my review, it damn well better be accurate and valid, or you can expect to have my lawyer sue you for libel.

There is no "Union Conspiracy"or cover-up here. We just don't want to be judged by a system that is only slightly more accurate than flipping a coin for each of the indicators. If you hear someone spouting that anti union rhetoric please be informed, and ask them if they would be content to be rated and then publicly shamed by a system with that accuracy rate.

And please be aware that I did not have a TDR and therefore have no personal vested interest by saying any of this.