Conn. teacher measures to add student performance

DANBURY, Conn. (AP) — State education officials are requiring new teacher evaluations to include a large measure of students' academic growth.

The largest share, 45 percent, of a teacher's evaluation is based on student performance, such as test scores. Observation of a teacher is worth 40 percent of the score, parent feedback accounts for 10 percent and student feedback is 5 percent.

The News-Times of Danbury reports that Danbury Deputy Superintendent William Glass calls the new teacher evaluations a "game-changer."

Max Waxenberg, executive director of the Connecticut Teachers Association, which has 41,000 teacher members, thinks the mandate is too much of a one-size-fits-all in a state with varied municipalities such as affluent Darien and urban and poor Bridgeport.

Local school plans must be filed by April 15.