Mercedes Schneider, that brilliant teacher in Louisiana with a Ph.D. in research methods, takes a skeptical look at the way the state is playing statistical tricks in New Orleans and the Recovery School District.

After you read her post, you will never believe anything that you read or hear from Louisiana officials or the media about the “miracle” of the Recovery School District.

One thing we should have learned in the past dozen years is that it is dangerous to allow politicians to tie their ambitions to schools. When that happens, the Department of Education–whether it is a district or a state–turns into the Department of Political Propaganda, dedicated to burnishing the image of the governor or the mayor. How can we know whether schools are improving when huge amounts of money are spent to spin the results so the politician in charge looks good?