http://gothamschools.org/2008/11/18/geoff-canada-fixation-on-outcomes-will-hurt-poor-communities/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://gothamschools.org/2008/11/18/geoff-canada-fixation-on-outcomes-will-hurt-poor-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-1154 Robert Pondiscio Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:56:04 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=4910#comment-1154 I agree with Mr. Thompson. There's not a good idea in education that doesn't become a bad idea once it hardens into orthodoxy. The fixation on data in general and reading scores in particular is one which, as Canada's comment suggests, is easy to follow off a cliff. I agree with Mr. Thompson. There’s not a good idea in education that doesn’t become a bad idea once it hardens into orthodoxy. The fixation on data in general and reading scores in particular is one which, as Canada’s comment suggests, is easy to follow off a cliff.

]]> http://gothamschools.org/2008/11/18/geoff-canada-fixation-on-outcomes-will-hurt-poor-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-1130 john thompson Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:42:53 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=4910#comment-1130 Geofrey Canada has earned the right to speack honestly. Its at our peril that we sidestep the hard truth that he articulates. Geofrey Canada has earned the right to speack honestly. Its at our peril that we sidestep the hard truth that he articulates.

]]> http://gothamschools.org/2008/11/18/geoff-canada-fixation-on-outcomes-will-hurt-poor-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-1110 Sarah Reckhow Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:01:04 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=4910#comment-1110 Reading this reminds me of a study by MDRC on career academies http://www.mdrc.org/publications/482/overview.html (Jay Matthews wrote about it a few months ago). Aside from being a wonderful study that actually uses random assignment and follows the students long after graduation, it also provides a cautionary note about focusing solely on standardized tests to evaluate programs. Students who attended the career academies did not do better on standardized tests. Based on that approach to evaluation, they would be closed and declared a failure. But-- the students who attended the career academies made more money and were more likely to be living independently with a spouse/partner and children than their counterparts who attended traditional high schools. Reading this reminds me of a study by MDRC on career academies http://www.mdrc.org/publications/482/overview.html (Jay Matthews wrote about it a few months ago). Aside from being a wonderful study that actually uses random assignment and follows the students long after graduation, it also provides a cautionary note about focusing solely on standardized tests to evaluate programs. Students who attended the career academies did not do better on standardized tests. Based on that approach to evaluation, they would be closed and declared a failure. But– the students who attended the career academies made more money and were more likely to be living independently with a spouse/partner and children than their counterparts who attended traditional high schools.

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