Education Topics

• Research Methods and Reviews
• Teacher Quality and Compensation
• Value-Added Methods
• Curricula and Computers in the Classroom
• Charter Schools and School Choice
• College Access
• Career-Focused Education
• At-Risk Youth
• School Leadership
• After-School Initiatives
• Academic and Nonacademic Competencies
• Clients

Assessing Teacher Effectiveness in Pittsburgh Public Schools

In a project with the Pittsburgh Public Schools, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT), and the American Federation of Teachers, Mathematica is developing value-added models to both measure student achievement and inform performance-based pay.

Mathematica is developing value-added models for the Pittsburgh Public Schools to estimate contributions of individual teachers to their students’ achievement gains and examining the relationship between value-added results and other measures of teacher effectiveness. In addition, the project is providing technical support on integrating value-added models and other evaluation measures into the District’s data systems. Mathematica is also providing technical assistance to the District and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers on ways of incorporating value-added results alongside other measures to develop a pay-for-performance plan that recognizes and rewards teaching excellence.