Methods and Use of Value-Added Models in Education

Erin Joyce
Jacqueline Burke
Matt Cohen

Panel Discussion about the Methods and Use of Value-Added Models in Education

Value-added is a statistical analysis that measures the academic growth rates of groups of students over time. Ohio uses value-added to provide growth measure reporting to districts, schools, and teachers. Learn the history of Ohio’s value-added analytics (VAA) approach to drive classroom and school improvement. This event features experts from OSU, Battelle for Kids, and Ohio Department of Education. Panelists will share their perspectives on the methods used to evaluate the contributions of schools and teachers to learning, and on the future of VAA in Ohio.

About the Panelists

Erin Joyce is the Associate Director of the Ohio Education Research Center. In her role, Erin manages the day-to-day operations of the Ohio Education Research Center and leads client engagement for the OERC and Ohio Analytics partnership. Prior to joining the OERC, Ms. Joyce worked in both the non-profit and government sectors, including 6 years with the Ohio Department of Education. Her career has focused on improving outcomes for children, youth and families. Ms. Joyce earned her MA in Government and International Relations from the University of Notre Dame.

Jacqueline Burke is the Senior Director of Improvement and Impact at Battelle for Kids. She is committed to helping educators explore the intersection of deep learning and the needs of the whole child. As a Senior Director, she is particularly skilled at facilitating collaborative conversations and professional learning with small and large audiences as they re-think designing and measuring opportunities that combine rigorous academic standards and 21st century skills, knowledge, and dispositions to ensure all students are future ready. Jacqueline has more than 25 years of education experience, including teaching, school, and district administration roles, as well as regional state-level experience. She has an extensive background in assessment and using data to inform and improve teaching and learning.

Matt Cohen is the Chief Research Officer at the Ohio Department of Education. Dr. Cohen has Dr. Matthew Cohen has dedicated most of his 40-year career to the Ohio Department of Education, where he continues to promote research and policy supporting improved student learning in the state’s education system. As a consultant, he currently provides expertise to guide accountability policy related to the new federal education law (the Every Student Succeeds Act). Before his retirement in 2016, Dr. Cohen served as the Department’s chief research officer, director of federal relations, and executive director for policy and accountability. He also has held faculty positions at Carnegie-Mellon University, Oberlin College and Miami University.