Read this article, which documents how data-driven policing has caused police to report statistics wrongly, classify crimes as more or less serious depending on the quota needed to fill, and has created constructs of “productivity” that warp the goals of policing.
What is the primary goal of policing? To keep our communities safe and crime-free. What is the primary goal of education? To assure that the younger generation is prepared in mind, character and body to assume the responsibilities of citizenship in our society. But what are the goals of education in a data-driven environment? To raise test scores, by whatever means necessary. This is akin to setting a quota for felony arrests for police or directing them that the crime statistics must go down.
Here we see a restatement of Campbell’s Law. When the stakes are high, people will not only forget the goals of their activity but the measure itself becomes corrupted. Thus, the data that are generated–whether by police or teachers–become meaningless because of the pressure applied to get them. In effect, we are paying people bonuses to generate good news that is not true. The good news is not true, the data are not trustworthy, the measures are no longer useful, and we are not achieving the purposes of policing or teaching. It’s what you might call a lose-lose.
But it does have certain benefits. It creates new industries for those who love counting and measuring and reporting. It creates new work for the consultants who will tell you how to reach your targets. It provides a rationale for endless workshops and professional development and study groups, all of which divert even more time from the original goals. It creates new work for the experts who will opine about better ways to reach the targets. And it gives bragging rights to the politicians who think they accomplished something.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Yes, we spend hours in workshops showing us how collect data and chart data. Create a chart with names, skills, goals…place students into categories and then plan instruction. It is a total waste of time. I could rattle off strengths and weaknesses, areas to improve and skill deficits in seconds for each kid. I don’t need to put it on a chart to prove I am following a procedure. All we do is cut down on instructional time that has already been reduced for test prep, test taking and testing the next test. It is insane. For as long as I can, I am going to nod along and then close the door and teach until they drag me out or I go running out the back door.
“What is the primary goal of education? To assure that the younger generation is prepared in mind, character and body to assume the responsibilities of citizenship in our society.” Not quite. There are thousands of missions statements out there, probably at least one for every district and school and more likely than not those are “secondary” statements. What is the primary goal of public education? And where can it be found?
To answer the second question first, in each state’s constitution in the article that authorizes public education. So in essence there are 50 different goals/purposes although I suspect that they are similar in nature to what Missouri’s constitution has to say: Article IX, subsection 1a: “A general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence being essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties of the people, the general assembly shall establish and maintain free public schools for the gratuitous instruction of all persons in this state within ages not in excess of twenty-one years as prescribed by law.”
I’ll let you decide what “A general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence being essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties of the people. . .” means. But I do not see anything about “preparing students to assume the responsibilities of citizenship”-whatever those “responsibilities” may be. We have assumed a purpose that may or may not be in concert with what the constitution says so I have concerns with these mission statements that go beyond the basic purpose as delineated in the constitution.
Now the “prescribed by law” part can be a problem in that some laws made may be unconstitutional, e.g., segregated schools. And I believe that when we sort and separate students using grades and standardized tests to name a couple of nefarious practices, some of whom then receive rewards funded by the state-scholarships, special treatment, awards, etc. . . , or vice versa, are sanctioned, not getting scholarships, held back, not given a diploma but a certificate of attendance, etc. . . , then we, the public schools are discriminating against a certain class of student, those who through no fault of their own (in essence like skin color) don’t “live up to the standards”. And in doing so we are contravening the fundamental purpose of education and causing harm to some students.
This is the dark side of being data driven. The data may have something to do with reality, but the way it is used corrupts whatever system uses it. Stephen J. Gould’s book “The Mismeasure of Man” is an in-depth story of how this happened to IQ testing and a good read besides. Keep up the good work! This comparison is right on the money.
I disagree. My definition is exactly the same as the one in the Missouri constitution, although the wording is different. We both describe the mission of the schools as preparing young people for the responsibilities of citizenship.
Great Blog!!! You are right on as usual. As Motorola employees used to say regarding the Six Sigma accountability system that played a large part in destroying that firm, “Be careful what you measure” and “the metrics become the goal.”
What is the purpose of education? I think that is the real question that we’re fighting. And are we talking about education – which hopefully includes teaching students how to think for themselves or schooling in which there is a diffusion of knowledge from master to pupil? As a teacher, I see the mission as trying to get our studetns to be independent creative thinkers, problem solvers and questioners – skills that are not easily tested on multiple choice bubble exams. But that is not what the reformers consider to be education. We have heard and heard about business leaders wanting emplyees that are capable of creative problem solving yet really what they support politically and financially is the develpment of people who will obey and follow blindly (and who they don’t have to pay very much)
When you look at the constitutional articles authorizing public education in the states, they are very similar and they are open to wide interpretation. Wide enough that the 2012 Texas GOP party platform states that they “oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills… and critical thinking skills… Which have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.”
Really? Teaching a child to think undermines parental authority? I wonder how many teachers would asay that that platform reflects what they consider to be education. I wonder how many parents would think it reflects their hopes for their children?
Not that hard. The purpose of education is to develop the mind, heart, character and health of the rising generation so that they will be ready to sustain and improve our democracy.
You would think. But doesn’t all that involve thinking? It seems some people are intimidated by that.
That is it in a nutshell… beautifully put !
This year our district set as a goal for school sites to reduce suspensions and expulsions. Our superintendent and her director of student assessment and accountability conducted several community forums in which the schools with high suspension and expulsion rates were shamed and those with lower rates were lauded as being better in control of discipline.
However, teachers and other staff know the real story. Most of the schools with lower suspension/expulsion rates were simply NOT recording referrals and not giving students consequences that fit the misbehavior. As a result, many teachers and staff are reporting not feeling safe on their campus.
Further, teachers who had high levels of students not passing their classes were sent to a workshop at the end of the school year. No one bothered asking any of these teachers why their students were failing their classes. More than a few were able to prove to me that the majority of those students failing were failing because of chronic absences.
The message to teachers have never been more clear: do not send out students who are being disruptive and do not fail students at any cost.
Pay attention to Season Four of the wire–manipulating the data? It’s called “juking the stats.”
“The Wire” (excuse me) Season Four is one of the finest representations of modern urban schools around. Adults tryoing desperately to do the right thing; kids whose lives are so damaged and riddled by poverty and the drug trade all around them. It is a powerful TV drama.
The police get caught up in trying to meet unrealistic quotas and expectations, of trying to demonstrate their capacity to do more with less–so they “juke the stats.” They falsify the data on crime.
After 23 years of teaching in a variety of schools and settings, I firmly believe we are teaching kids better than ever. What has changed significantly is the loss of control over what (and when/how much) we teach and the lack of respect and degree of ignorance about education from administrators and officials. Over the last 5-6 years, I have been continually amazed at what I was able to achieve as a teacher in the face of stunningly inept leadership driven by numbers.
One way that we here in Florida have been successful in stopping some damaging legislation such as parent trigger and some union busting bills is by connecting teachers with police, fire fighters. and other public employees. We are all fighting the same battles. Here in Florida, we joined via our Awake the State organization. Public employees must find that common ground and work together… it brings whole new meaning to the phrase, “We Are One.”
On another note, when I was speaking at my school board regarding high stakes testing resolution recently, I quoted you and your thoughts on Campbell’s Law. It made quite an impact. Consequently, my school board just signed on to the high stakes testing resolution – as well as the Florida School Board Association. Your opinion is respected on these matters and I thank you for your help!
Thank you for your courage and activism! If everyone did the same, we could turn this situation around. It’s beginning to happen. It’s happening in Texas, with the majority of school boards adopting the Texas resolution (the predecessor of the national resolution), and now major districts in Florida saying enough is enough. The light will shine through if we work together.
Reblogged this on Continuing Change and commented:
Many thanks, Diane Ravitch… your words of encouragement and wisdom mean so much to me. True leaders inspire … you are one.