Chicago Strike Outcome a Possible Boon to Teacher Evaluation Reform

Students' test scores will remain part of success measurements

The end of the Chicago teachers' strike adds to a groundswell favoring a new way to judge classroom instructors -- grade them based on students' standardized test scores.

The district and union agreed to a contract that, for the first time, ties teacher evaluation to student performance. The Chicago Teachers Union, with 30,000 members, walked off the job Sept. 10 partly because of concern that longtime employees would be treated unfairly under such reviews.