Denial as a Reform Strategy
Reformers constantly deny any evidence that contradicts their narrative.
They insist that our public schools are failing, despite the clear evidence in the national assessments that test scores have never been higher for every group tested.
They insist that merit pay is necessary, even though it has never “worked,” in any sense of the word, not in raising test scores or in making teaching more attractive as a profession.
They insist that charters are better than public schools, even though study after study shows this is not true.
They insist that our public schools are failing, despite the clear evidence in the national assessments that test scores have never been higher for every group tested.
They insist that merit pay is necessary, even though it has never “worked,” in any sense of the word, not in raising test scores or in making teaching more attractive as a profession.
They insist that charters are better than public schools, even though study after study shows this is not true.
When Charters Enroll Students with Disabilities
Bruce Baker has studied charter enrollments in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Houston, and New York City.
Matthew DiCarlo observed that the GAO report actually understated the disparity in charter enrollments of students with disabilities, by comparing charters to the nation, instead of to the district where they are located. Urban districts have higher rates of students with disabilities than the national rate.
Bruce Baker notes that some charters inflate their numbers of special education students by taking only those with the mildest disabilities:
Matthew DiCarlo observed that the GAO report actually understated the disparity in charter enrollments of students with disabilities, by comparing charters to the nation, instead of to the district where they are located. Urban districts have higher rates of students with disabilities than the national rate.
Bruce Baker notes that some charters inflate their numbers of special education students by taking only those with the mildest disabilities:
A really big issue which I’ve been able to explore only in a few contexts is the breakout of children with
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