Moving the hiring process from subjective to effective

A new paper from the Center for Education & Data Research evaluates hiring tools used by the Spokane Public Schools (SPS) to predict teacher-applicant value-added scores, absence behavior, and attrition rates. The study encompassed all applicants, both hired and rejected, and found that those hired had more effective value-added scores, as well as tending to be less absent or likely to quit. The SPS hiring process has four stages: acceptance of applications; a 21-point pre-screening by Human Resources; a 60-point screening by principals; and an in-person interview. Screening scores on the two rubrics had strong correlation to positive characteristics, though had stronger relationships with some subcomponents than others. Scores on the 21-point rubric, which included the subcomponents of Experience, Depth of Skills, and Recommendations, had a positive but insignificant relationship to teacher effectiveness in math and reading. On the 60-point rubric, the subcomponent of Classroom Management had large effects on student outcomes for math and reading. Training, Flexibility, and Instructional Skills also significantly impacted math. Certificate and Education subcomponents had little impact. For the 60-point rubric, predictive power was centralized in the components of Experience, Classroom Management, Flexibility, and Instructional Skills; Interpersonal Skills and Preferred Qualifications predicted significantly less. The SPS screenings validate that this type of guidance on interpreting applications is an improvement on the ad-hoc hiring processes typically seen in schools. More

Source:  Public Education News Blast

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Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is an education support organization that works as a collaborative partner in high-poverty communities.