Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2009

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Learning Sciences and Human Development

Committee Chair

Paul Chapman

Abstract

Ohio made value-added law in 2003 and incorporated value-added assessment to its operating standards for teachers and administrators in 2006. Value-added data is used to determine if students are making a year's growth at the end of each school year. Schools and districts receive a rating of "Below Growth, Met Growth, or Above Growth" on the state report card.;Value-added data produces valuable information that can be utilized by teachers and administrators for school improvement efforts. This case study examines how one school implemented and experienced Ohio's Value-added model. Few, if any, case studies exist on this topic. The study included teacher, principal, and stakeholder interviews, observations, and document analysis. The Constant Comparative Method (Maykut and Morehouse, 1994) was used to code and compare data collected from the following four questions: (1) How is value-added assessment being implemented and what does that mean to teachers, principals, and stakeholders? (2) What is the context of Ohio's Value-added model at the school level? (3) What are the types of services and training received by administrators and teachers? and (4) What are the effects of Ohio's Value-added model?;Results from this study show that twelve themes emerged from the research collected at one rural elementary school in Ohio. It was also determined that no established framework for Ohio's Value-added model existed. Therefore, four guiding principles of the model were founded on selected and pertinent research. They include: (1) Student Achievement, Student Growth, and Student Success; (2) Teacher and Administrative Quality and Professional Development; (3) Leadership of the Model; and (4) Stakeholder Enlistment and Support.;Results from the study can be used: (1) to give administrators a ground-view of what it is like to experience and implement Ohio's Value-added model at the building level; (2) to examine other teachers' perceptions of the model; (3) to provide information to parents on the model; and (4) to give policymakers further insight to how schools and districts can met Adequate Yearly Progress. Findings suggest that effective school leaders have the ability to influence and motivate teachers to carry out change in a culture that is based on trust. This type of culture allows teachers time to collaborate and discuss how teaching and learning can be improved by examining student data. However, findings from this study indicate that value-added data should not be used to evaluate teachers; rather, it should be used to improve the instructional process so all student academic levels are met.

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