Monday, January 30, 2012

"Teachers & Parents for Real Education Reform": IFF Study Released to Criticism of Research Methodology

"Teachers & Parents for Real Education Reform": IFF Study Released to Criticism of Research Methodology:


IFF Study Released to Criticism of Research Methodology



Quality Schools, Every Child, Every Neighborhood Indeed
A response by Teachers and Parents for Real Education Reform

The Illinois Facilities Fund report titled: Quality Schools, Every School, Every Child, Every Neighborhood was released last week at a briefing by Deputy Mayor for Education De’Shawn Wright. There were no surprises in the report. Back in November, local analyst Mary Levy had accurately predicted the analysis and recommendations that would be forthcoming based on the reports IFF has written in five other cities.

Flawed Methodology Brands Schools for Closing and Staff for Firing

When IFF’s Director of Educational Research Jovita Baber presented the overview, the methodological problems in the report became clear. The IFF report’s methodological problems can be summarized as follows:
  • The researchers created a zero-sum game in which schools are divided into four “Tiers” based on