Student achievement data can be used to help states and districts improve instruction, design professional development opportunities, and assess the quality of teacher preparation programs, resulting in more effective educators. In this brief we lay out the key decision points for state and district leaders looking to combine data from multiple measures into a composite rating and use evaluation data effectively. We provide four main recommendations: (1) Decide when and how to use data from multiple measures; (2) lay the groundwork for combining multiple measures; (3) investigate your options for combining multiple measures; and (4) establish cut scores. For each recommendation, we include specific strategies and resources that states and districts can use.
We developed this brief with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of a series focused on teacher effectiveness titled Evaluation & Support: Strategies for Success. The series includes an introduction and six briefs providing district and state leaders with practical advice for implementing high-quality evaluation systems.
