Rhee's testing legacy: An open question
This was written by Matthew Di Carlo, senior fellow at the non-profit Albert Shanker Institute, which is located in Washington, D.C. A version of this appeared on the institute’s blog. By Matthew Di Carlo Hardly anybody, regardless of their opinion about the newly departed D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee thinks that test scores alone are an adequate indicator of student success. But this is how the debate has unfolded, in no small part because of her own emphasis on them. Her aim was to raise scores and, with few exceptions (also here and here), even those who objected to her “abrasive” style and controversial policies seem to believe that she succeeded wildly in the testing area. This conclusion is premature. A review of the record shows that Rhee’s test score “legacy” is an open question.