Skills, Productivity and the Evaluation of Teacher Performance

Abstract:     
We examine the measurement and prediction of worker productivity using a sample of teachers and school principals. We find that principals’ evaluations are positively associated with teachers’ estimated contributions to students’ test scores (value-added), and are better predictors of teacher value-added than are teacher credentials. Principals’ assessments of teachers’ cognitive and non-cognitive skills are strongly associated with principals’ overall teacher evaluations and to a lesser extent with teacher value-added. While past teacher value-added predicts future value-added, principals’ subjective ratings can provide additional information, particularly when prior value-added measures are based on a single year of teacher performance.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 53

working papers series