What is a teacher value-added model?

VAMs estimate teacher effectiveness by measuring how much a teacher's students grew academically compared to statistically similar students taught by other teachers. A positive VAM means students gained more than expected; negative means less than expected. VAMs are highly controversial due to instability across years (teacher rankings change significantly from year to year).

Are VAMs reliable for teacher evaluation?

Research shows teacher VAM scores are unstable: correlations between year 1 and year 2 scores are only r = 0.3–0.5. The American Statistical Association warns against using VAMs as primary evaluation tools, citing that many factors outside teacher control affect student growth. Most states now use VAMs as one of multiple components in teacher evaluation.

Teacher Value-Added Model (VAM) Basic Calculator

How It Works

Estimate a simplified teacher value-added score by comparing actual student growth to expected growth based on prior performance, demographics, and school context. Simplified implementation of the EVAAS/TVAAS methodology used in teacher evaluation

Each component has a specific meaning:

Prior performance — The prior performance recorded for the patient or scenario being assessed.
Demographics — The demographics recorded for the patient or scenario being assessed.
School context — The school context recorded for the patient or scenario being assessed.

Note: Interpret the teacher vam result against the clinical thresholds and context described above.

How to Use

Enter the prior performance, demographics, school context for the patient or scenario you are assessing. Estimate a simplified teacher value-added score by comparing actual student growth to expected growth based on prior performance, demographics, and school context. Simplified implementation of the EVAAS/TVAAS methodology used in teacher evaluation. Use the teacher vam result to inform your clinical assessment.

Glossary and Definitions

Value added model: A key concept in Teacher VAM: Estimate a simplified teacher value-added score by comparing actual student growth to expected growth based on prior performance, demographics, and school context. Simplified implementation of the EVAAS/TVAAS methodology used in teacher evaluation.
Teacher effectiveness: A key concept in Teacher VAM: Estimate a simplified teacher value-added score by comparing actual student growth to expected growth based on prior performance, demographics, and school context. Simplified implementation of the EVAAS/TVAAS methodology used in teacher evaluation.
EVAAS: A key concept in Teacher VAM: Estimate a simplified teacher value-added score by comparing actual student growth to expected growth based on prior performance, demographics, and school context. Simplified implementation of the EVAAS/TVAAS methodology used in teacher evaluation.
Student growth: A key concept in Teacher VAM: Estimate a simplified teacher value-added score by comparing actual student growth to expected growth based on prior performance, demographics, and school context. Simplified implementation of the EVAAS/TVAAS methodology used in teacher evaluation.
Teacher evaluation: A key concept in Teacher VAM: Estimate a simplified teacher value-added score by comparing actual student growth to expected growth based on prior performance, demographics, and school context. Simplified implementation of the EVAAS/TVAAS methodology used in teacher evaluation.
VAM: A key concept in Teacher VAM: Estimate a simplified teacher value-added score by comparing actual student growth to expected growth based on prior performance, demographics, and school context. Simplified implementation of the EVAAS/TVAAS methodology used in teacher evaluation.
Teacher VAM: The Teacher VAM computes a result from the inputs you provide, based on the method described above.