tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post4488045463969982010..comments2024-03-29T04:34:05.185-04:00Comments on CURMUDGUCATION: A Better Way To Measure School QualityPeter Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511193640285760299noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-59920634236839063812017-10-02T17:40:10.480-04:002017-10-02T17:40:10.480-04:00“Measuring quality” is an oxymoronic concept.
I w...“Measuring quality” is an oxymoronic concept.<br /><br />I would suggest that the quality of a school can be semi-quantified by simply counting.<br /><br />Yes, just count the opportunities and count the supports.<br /><br /><br />Class size<br />Highly qualified teachers<br />Years of teaching experience<br />Teacher retention rate<br />Years of administrative experience<br />Academic offerings<br />Special area offerings<br />After school programs<br />Extra-curricular programs<br />Homework help<br />Mentoring programs for teachers<br />Mentoring programs for students<br />School to work programs<br />Tutoring programs<br />Alternate learning programs<br />Health (physical and mental) services<br />Screening for disabilities<br /><br /><br />After many years of teaching in high needs schools, I am convinced that the quality of a school should be determined only by those factors that are within its control: <br />opportunity and support.<br /><br />NY Teacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08292448959963091160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-3017805158786796482017-10-01T17:56:48.332-04:002017-10-01T17:56:48.332-04:00I agree with Dienne. And do you really think measu...I agree with Dienne. And do you really think measures of outcomes relating to "character" are something a direction we should be headed in? This is incredibly problematic, especially given MA is currently floating the idea for social impact bonds relating to social-emotional training. I don't like the idea of measuring at all, and this seems to be putting forth a program where the number of items measured increase exponentially. Just think of all the impact investing opportunities embedded in that framework. Have you taken a look at the MA ESSA plan. Essentially they say there will be NO additional resources. Everyone has to do MORE with LESS and demonstrate success. But hey, we are going to remove all protections of contracts and other things under the guise of providing innovative options for autonomy (within the austerity situation we manage). This seems to me to be a not so veiled pitch for MCIEA's work (see ex officio member Dan "personalized/CBE learning" French's involvement). They are setting up Ed Reform 2.0. MA is in the center of ALL of that. Hello, that is what "growth" means. "Growth" is code for betting on "success" for the Goldman/Pritzker crowd. Nope, nope, nope, not buying his book or his pitch for vastly expanded accountability metrics one bit. As you yourself say, for the most part communities are happy with their local schools. Put the accountability on STATES to FUND public schools with PUBLIC money. That's my demand. Alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01460110630084320034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-11937805067650087512017-10-01T15:58:23.724-04:002017-10-01T15:58:23.724-04:00I am still stuck with the notion that the six regi...I am still stuck with the notion that the six regional school accrediting agencies are the best way to measure schools, hold them accountable and create a road map for improvement. I have been through five WASC reviews and they were valuable to the school and the teachers. They should be more valuable for creating education policy. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of money to be made in co-opting the accrediting systems and few campaign dollars to made by embracing this system. We seem instead to be bent of reinventing the wheel. Thomas Ulticanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14347503503072251716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-13999100138430079872017-10-01T15:23:11.826-04:002017-10-01T15:23:11.826-04:00First we need to get past the notion that school q...First we need to get past the notion that school quality can be measured. Schools don't come in inches, pounds, liters or other standard units. Only quantities can be measured.<br /><br />But even to assess schools, we'd first have to agree on what exactly it is that schools are supposed to be doing. We're light years from that goal, so trying to assess when we don't even know what it is we're assessing kind of seems like a fool's errand....Diennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04570040547158789834noreply@blogger.com