Florida media specialist given bad evaluation for students she never taught. Not fair. [View all]

[madfloridian]

They used to be called librarians, but the term is now Media Specialist. A good one is worth their weight in gold for all the services they provide to students and teachers. I hear through the grapevine this one is great.

Yet she was marked Needs Improvement. She does not teach students for test-taking. That is not her job.

Teachers upset with newly released appraisals


Kelly Moore, a media specialist at Littlewood Elementary School, works after school on Tuesday.
Doug Finger/The Gainesville Sun

Kelly Moore has students from all grades pass through her library. As a media specialist at Littlewood Elementary, she does not prepare students for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Yet students' performance on the statewide assessment still affected her teacher evaluation for the 2011-2012 school year, which determined she "needs improvement."

"Needs improvement is like an F," she said.

Teachers are becoming fearful of this Value Added Model being pushed throughout the country by both parties.

Many expressed concern about job security, as state law holds that if they are rated unsatisfactory two consecutive years or two out of three years, they may be placed on an annual contract and possibly terminated.

The county superintendent offered teachers an apology for all the stress. He blamed Tallahassee, but VAM is bigger than just Florida.

"This is another half-baked scheme out of Tallahassee affecting the teacher profession," he said.