Iowa teacher evaluations not effective, state report says

Associated Press Feb. 1, 2013 10:13 am Updated: Feb. 1, 2013 10:13 am

A state review says most Iowa teacher evaluations don't help administrators identify their top performers.

The report released Thursday says that of the nearly 17,600 teachers evaluated during the 2011-12 school year, 98 percent received a positive rating.

Jay Pennington wrote the report for the Iowa Education Department, and he says 58 percent of the Iowa school districts reported using a system in which teachers either met or didn't meet evaluation standards.

Pennington says that evaluation system isn't providing "that spread that says who are your good, who are your great, teachers."

Gov. Terry Branstad's education reform package under consideration in the Legislature would include a three-tier performance scale and would factor in student performance.