Pittsburgh Public Schools value-added models using multiple outcome measures¶

Element · All elements
Evidence · 6 claims (6 for) · 5 studies (4 associational, 1 design), q1–q2 · 0 of 5 report an effect size · 6 claims rest on one study

Description¶

A set of value-added models created for the Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. The report states that "Pittsburgh's VAMs use not only state assessments but also course-specific assessments, student attendance, and course completion rates", broadening the outcome measures beyond state test scores alone. The models are intended to produce estimates of the contributions of teachers and schools.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Requires state assessment data, course-specific assessment data, student attendance records, and course completion rates as model inputs

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• K-12 students in the Pittsburgh Public Schools

Target Learning Goals¶

• Estimating teacher and school contributions to student outcomes

Claims¶

• The Pittsburgh VAMs incorporate course-specific assessments, attendance, and course completion alongside state assessments [+W]
• Professional practice ratings, student surveys, and value-added measures each have the potential to differentiate teacher performance in Pittsburgh Public Schools [+W]
• Value-added models were developed to estimate teachers' and schools' contributions to student achievement in Pittsburgh Public Schools [+W]
• Pittsburgh Public Schools used value-added models to assess educational quality as of the 2014-15 school year [+W]
• The three Pittsburgh teacher effectiveness measures are positively, moderately correlated, suggesting they are valid and complementary [+W]
• The choice of which assessment to use as the outcome measure matters more for value-added estimates than any student or peer control-variable specification choice [+W]

Related Elements¶

• Value-added models estimating teacher and school contributions to student achievement in Pittsburgh Public Schools

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Matthew Johnson, Stephen Lipscomb, Brian Gill, Kevin Booker, Julie Bruch. (2012). Value-Added Models for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Cambridge, MA: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/valueadded-models-for-the-pittsburgh-public-schools