Media outlets in New York have recently published data about teachers based on their students’ test scores, after a court forced the school system to release the information. I’m all for public access to information and the smart use of data, but I also know that numbers can be misinterpreted and misread. In this case, there’s a risk not only to teachers but also to students if we draw the wrong conclusions from these test results.
The emphasis on standardized testing, which has increased in the decade since No Child Left Behind was enacted, has already distorted public education. Parents have realized that the time spent preparing students for these tests, subjecting them to rote drills on a narrow curriculum, would be better used engaging students in a broader