Validity of Standardized Teacher Test Scores for Predicting Beginning Teacher Performance

Abstract

Standardized teacher tests of basic skills and content knowledge continue to be used as predictive measures of teaching ability despite the absence of research that either supports or refutes a connection between scores on teacher tests and beginning teachers' performance in classroom settings. The research project presented in this article was designed to compare standardized basic skills (reading, writing, mathematics, and grammar) and content area test scores with performance items on an INTASC standards-based rubric, scored by beginning teachers' supervisors. Eight competency indicators on the rubric evidenced a positive correlation with one or more of the four basic skills test subareas and four more competencies showed a negative correlation. In addition, performance ability under three composite standards correlated with two of the basic skills test subareas. There was no correlation whatsoever between any aspect of the content area tests and classroom performance of first-year teachers as assessed by immediate supervisors.