Reply #10: Not untouchable. But teachers don't control all...

[YvonneCa]

...the variables of student performance. (ie: They can assign homeowork, but not make it get done.) Teachers also don't control a student's level when they walk in their door. A fifth grade class may have students who start the year with second grade skills. Teachers may teach those kids well...maybe two years growth...and they are still performing below grade level (fourth grade) at the end of the year. NCLB punishes for that, since the student is not at grade level or above. I prefer to evaluate the teacher by growth (as only ONE measure of performance.)