NJ Charters: "Pretty Ugly"
I'm sure the hive-mind of Broadies down at the NJ DOE is buzzing today; Bruce Baker posted something they aren't going to like:
What does all this mean? Well, Dr. Baker ran a "regression analysis" - a statistical tool for seeing how varying factors can change an outcome - on New Jersey charter schools. Here, he's looking at whether a charter school did better or worse than predicted on the state 8th Grade math test. The prediction is based on the characteristics of the students; for example, if a school has fewer poor students, we would expect it to do better
Statewide schools over and under predicted performance
First of all: you owe it to yourself to read the entire post. Bruce is one of those academics, like Paul Krugman, who can actually explain wonky stuff in terms you and I can understand.
What does all this mean? Well, Dr. Baker ran a "regression analysis" - a statistical tool for seeing how varying factors can change an outcome - on New Jersey charter schools. Here, he's looking at whether a charter school did better or worse than predicted on the state 8th Grade math test. The prediction is based on the characteristics of the students; for example, if a school has fewer poor students, we would expect it to do better