Va. looks at new teacher evaluations

The Virginia State Department of Education is examining how teachers and administrators are evaluated, and is considering issuing guidelines that would link teacher pay to student performance.

The education department plans to come up with new teacher-evaluation guidelines that public schools can use to improve student achievement. The new system also could help school divisions develop performance-based compensation plans.

A panel that is developing new evaluation guidelines includes teachers, principals, students and representatives of the Virginia Education Association and other groups. The work is being funded by federal money.

The work group aims to test its initial evaluation models on districts with high-poverty and low-performing schools next year.

-- Associated Press