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Along with everyone else I know (well, maybe not everyone…), I’ve been eagerly awaiting the publication of the LA Times data on Value Added Method analysis of teachers.

This morning, half asleep, I heard on the radio that the Times finally decided to publish the results. Whoo hoo! After looking all over their website, I realized that they INTEND to publish it, not that they HAVE published it. More baited breath.

So while we wait, let me share with you what I’ve found to entertain myself on their website. Tomorrow, hopefully, we’ll all be able to weigh in on the actual dirt.

For full coverage of the LA Times work to date, including many articles, methodology papers, a video of reporters discussing research methods, and a chance to weigh in yourself, visit:http://www.latimes.com/news/local/teachers-investigation/

They have a California Schools Guide (http://projects.latimes.com/schools/) where you can see public information—such as percentage of students proficient and student demographics—nicely displayed about any California school, public or private, and make comparisons. No teacher data here yet.

Comments from teachers (and comments about comments on teachers!): http://discussions.latimes.com/20/lanews/la-grading-teachers/10

Nice list of research sources about VAM: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-value-added-sources,0,6109096,full.story

Q&A about their version of VAM: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-qanda-20100816,0,4120439.story

The technical paper, for us research types: http://www.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2010-08/55538493.pdf