Why Tests Cannot Be Used Both to Measure Students and Teachers
Policymakers are mostly agreed that they can measure teacher quality by whether scores go up or down. Research does not support this simplistic notion. Mostly, researchers have found that teachers in affluent districts get bigger score gains on standardized tests than teachers who are in poor districts, who have many children who don’t read English or have special needs. And there is what I think
NYC Charters Bomb on Common Core Tests
Stephanie Simon reports that some of NYC’s most celebrated charter schools were outperformed by the city’s much maligned traditional public schools. KIPP and Democracy Prep had lower scores than the public schools with less funding. Only Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy charters aced the tests. “Just 23 percent of charter students scored proficient in language arts, compared with 31 percent in pub
Why Is America Wasting Our Children’s Futures?
In a brilliant essay in the Los Angeles Times, Susan Ochshorn says that the United States is squandering its future by not investing in the well-being of children. Ochshorn, an advocate for early childhood education, cites an Urban Institute study showing that “federal spending on children fell by $2 billion from 2010 to 2011, the first dip in 30 years. The children’s share of the budget pie was r
Leonie Haimson: Don’t Believe the New York Scores
Leonie Haimson, executive director of Class Size Matters and administrator of the New York City parents’ blog, wrote this analysis of the new state test scores: Dear parents: As you may have probably heard, the new state test scores were released to the press and they are disastrous. Only 31% of students in New York State passed the new Common Core exams in reading and math. More than one third —
New York Times Loves High-Stakes Testing, No Matter How Absurd the Scoring
The New York Times editorial board, which has uncritically endorsed every bad piece of legislation or policy that is based on high-stakes testing, warmly endorses the absurd results of the Common Core tests in New York. It echoes Secretary Duncan in asserting that the tests prove how terrible US public education is. The Times displays its ignorance of the scoring rubric, in which Commissioner Joh
My Article in the NY Daily News about the Testing Fiasco
This was my effort to educate the public about the fiasco created by the Common Core testing in New York. The ending may surprise you. Or may not.
Heilig on Black Alliance for Educational Options: Follow the Money
Julian Vasquez Heilig has been posting an illuminating series of posts that he calls “The Teat.” Each of his posts follows the connection between advocacy groups and their funders. Some of these advocacy groups appear to do research, studies, and surveys, but they invariably reflect the priorities of those who supply the money. In this post, Heilig inquires into the activities of the Black Allian
In Plain English: Why “Reform” is the Problem, Not the Solution
Alan Brown, a professor in North Carolina, wrote this open letter to State Senator Berger, who has sponsored a series of destructive bills that were passed into law. It was published here. It is clear, informed, and coherent. The tone is friendly and non-confrontational. Brown invites Senator Berger to look at the evidence. This letter could serve as a model. Everyone should write to their elected
Those Phony, Misleading Test Scores: A NY Principal Reacts
Katie Zahedi is principal of Linden Avenue Middle School in Red Hook, New York, which is located in upstate Dutchess County. She is active in the association of New York Principals who bravely oppose the State Education Department’s educator evaluation plan based mostly on test scores. Zahedi has been a principal and assistant principal at her school for twelve years. The views she expresses here
Despite the fact that the new Common Core tests showed that only 26 percent of students in New York City “passed” the new state tests in reading, and only 30 percent in math, Mayor Bloomberg hailed the sharp decline in test scores as “very good news.” The scores were especially grim for black and Hispanic students, as well as students with disabilities. The achievement gaps on the tests were very
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-7-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Hugh Bailey: Is the School Reform Movement Falling Apart?Hugh Bailey, columnist for the Connecticut Post, takes a clear-eyed look at what is called “school reform” and finds that it is full of holes. The essential element of “reform” is that schools should be run by a non-educator. Paul Vallas is a poster boy for that theory. He di