Using VAM Data to
Determine Points (50 % of the
Total) toward Unified Single
Rating
Draft Procedures
11/21/2012
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Teacher Groups
• Core: Teachers who taught Reading,
Mathematics, or Algebra and have 2011-12
VAM Data
• Non-Core: Teachers of Other Subjects with
Students who Have 2011-12 VAM Data in
Reading
• School-wide: School-based Teachers without
Students who Have 2011-12 VAM Data in
Reading, Mathematics, or Algebra
• District-wide: Non-school based Teachers
without Students who Have 2011-12 VAM Data
in Reading
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Standardizing and Aggregating
VAM Outcomes
1. Standardize the 2012 VAM scores and their
standard errors using the districtwide mean and
standard deviations of teacher VAM estimates
weighted by the number of students within each
subject area and grade level.
2. Aggregate the standardized reading and/or
mathematics VAM scores and their standard errors
across grades to the teacher level for Category
CORE and NON-CORE teachers.
3. For school-wide and District-wide teachers,
aggregate standardized reading and
mathematics VAM scores and their standard errors
to the school or District level respectively.
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Determining Classification Categories
For each level of aggregation (teacher, school, or District),
follow the procedure below.
1. If the sum of the standardized VAM score and 1.96 times its
standard error is less than zero, assign Category 1.
(Under the normality assumption, one is 97.5% confident
that the VAM score is below the districtwide average.)
2. If the sum of the standardized VAM score and 1 standard
error is less than zero, assign Category 2 .
(One is 84% confident that the VAM score is below the
districtwide average.)
3. If the difference between the standardized VAM score
and 1.96 times its standard error is greater than zero,
assign Category 4 . (One is 97.5% confident that the VAM
score is above the districtwide average.)
4. Assign category 3 to all other teachers (or schools).
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Determining School-Wide Categories
1. School-wide categories are determined in both
reading and mathematics (or Algebra).
2. For all schools the procedure described above is
used to determine the school-wide category
based on reading VAM scores and their
standard errors.
3. For elementary, middle schools and K-8 centers,
the procedure is used with the mathematics and
Algebra VAM scores separately (when
available) and their standard errors. For high
schools, it is used with the Algebra VAM scores
and their standard errors.
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Assigning Points
• The 0-50 interval for the points based on the VAM
scores is split into four subintervals (categories) of
equal lengths:
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
0-12.5
12.5-25
25-37.5
37.5-50
• Once the classification category is determined
based on the VAM scores and their standard errors,
assign the maximum possible numbers of points for
the particular category.
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Assigning Points (continued)
Teacher Groups CORE and NON-CORE
• Assign points to each VAM classification category
as follows:
1
2
3
4
12.5 points
25 points
37.5 points
50 points
• For teachers who have points in more than one
subject area, calculate the weighted average of
the assigned points using the numbers of students
as weights.
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Assigning Points (continued)
Teacher Group School –wide
1. Determine points based on the school classification
category in reading and mathematics (or Algebra) as
described previously.
2. For schools that have both mathematics and algebra
points (middle, K-8), find the weighted average of
points based on the number of students used to
calculate VAM scores.
3. Compare the numbers of points assigned to schools
based on reading vs. based on mathematics/algebra
and assign the higher number to affected teachers.
Teacher Group District-wide
Assign points based on the District classification category
determined using the reading VAM scores and their
standard errors as described previously.
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Special Considerations
If any of the points assigned to teachers in
groups CORE or NON-CORE are based on
fewer than 10 students, compare that number
of points with the number assigned to the
school-wide group, and assign the higher
number.
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