The Broader Bolder Approach to Education has steadfastly opposed the high-stakes testing and privatization “reforms” that have done so much to undermine public education.

Now it has published a major analysis of the failure of these reforms.

Here in clear, graphic images is a report card on districts like New York City and the District of Columbia.

These are not models for other urban districts or for American education in general.

The market approach fails kids and demoralizes educators.

Here are a few of the findings:

* Test scores increased less, and achievement gaps grew more, in “reform” cities

than in other urban districts.
*Reported successes for targeted students evaporated upon closer examination.

*Test-based accountability prompted churn that thinned the ranks of experienced teachers, but not necessarily bad teachers.

*School closures did not send students to better schools or save school districts
money.

* Charter schools further disrupted the districts while providing mixed benefits,
particularly for the highest-needs students.

The market reformers’ rhetoric far outpaced the reality. For example, Mayor Bloomberg claimed that his reforms had cut the black-white achievement gap by 50%. The reality: the gap declined by 1%.