Since 2011, Florida has used a value-added model (VAM) to determine an individual teacher’s contribution to student learning growth. The covariate adjustment value-added model for statewide English Language Arts/Reading and Mathematics assessments statistically establishes the expected (predicted) learning growth for each student, called an expected score. When a student’s actual performance differs from these expectations, a portion of that difference is attributed to the teacher’s and a portion is attributed to the school’s influence. Together, this information is used to compute a teacher’s value-added score.
VAM scores measure the impact of a teacher (program completer) in a Florida public or charter school on student learning by controlling for other factors that may impact the learning process and by controlling for the influence of differences among the entering classes so that schools and teachers do not have advantages or disadvantages simply as a result of being assigned to a certain school or to a certain class within a school. A score of 0 indicates that students performed no better or no worse than expected based on the factors in the model which are delineated below. A positive score indicates that students performed better than expected. A negative score indicates that students performed worse than expected. Individual teacher scores are expressed in terms of Developmental Scale Score points:
- 0 = Good, or predicted
- > 0 = Better than predicted
- < 0 = Less (worse) than predicted
“Performance of prekindergarten-12 students on statewide assessments using results of student learning growth formula per Section 1012.34, F.S.,” means that the score is based on the performance of p-12 students assigned to in-field program completers from the previous three-year period who received a student learning growth score from the most recent academic year for which results are available. “In-field teacher" is defined as an instructional employee assigned duties in a classroom teaching subject matter or providing direct support in the learning process of students in the area in which the instructional personnel is trained and certified. [Rule 6-5.066, Florida Administrative Code]
Student characteristics (covariates) identified to “level the playing field” in the value-added model are:
- Up to two prior years of achievement scores
- Number of subject-relevant courses enrolled in
- Students with Disabilities Status
- English Language Learner Status
- Gifted Status
- Daily Attendance
- Mobility (number of times student changed schools)
- Difference from modal age in grade as an indicator of retention
- Class size
- Homogeneity of students' entering test scores
The VAM data are used as one measure of our completers' impact on P-12 learning. These data are also analyzed to determine if there is stability of measurement, i.e., consistency of results from year to year. Our sample sizes tend to be small and do not reflect the actual number of completers in the field.
By Florida statute, evaluation data are made available to the institution during each subsequent academic year. Data are updated during the Summer semester. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2019-2020 evaluations were cancelled by the Florida Governor's Emergency Order, thus VAM data will not be available for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Per the Florida Department of Education, data for the 2023-2024 reflect the following modifications: The average Student Learning Growth Results (or VAM score) for 2020-2021 program completers employed in an in-field instructional position in 2021-2022.
The impact on student learning score is based on the performance of p-12 students assigned to in-field program completers from the previous one-year period who received a student learning growth score from the most recent academic year for which results are available. [State Board Rule 6A-5.066, F.A.C.]
Beginning with the 2022-23 academic year, Florida implemented new statewide, standardized assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics: Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) aligned with the new Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) content standards. Because the 2022-23 assessments measure B.E.S.T. standards while the 2021- 22 assessments measure the Florida Standards, VAM results for the 2022-23 academic year (which would have relied on comparing the two) are not available. VAM results will resume in the 2023-24 academic year.