This is one of the most interesting education stories on the web this week.
David Kirp wrote a very good article in the New York Times about how the Union City public schools have improved over the years without charter schools or TFA. The Times gave it the headline “The Secret to Fixing Bad Schools.”
Gary Rubinstein decided to subject it to careful analysis, as he has done on other occasions when Arne Duncan, President Obama and others claim to have discovered “miracle schools.”
Gary determined that Union City is not a miracle district, that the claims don’t match the rhetoric.
This provoked a fascinating series of responses to the article.
Some people were upset that Gary would puncture a picture that was good for “our side.”
Some said that Kirp never claimed Union City was a “miracle.”
Some said that the “reformers” would use his debunking to argue that schools can’t succeed without using their tough medicine (e.g., firing everyone and closing the school and bringing in TFA).
Read it and see what you think.
But bear in mind that the article is based on David Kirp’s new book Improbable Scholars, which goes into much more detail about Union City and its schools.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I dislike overinflation of results, misuse of statiistics, and general exaggeration that makes those of us not full of blather look worse. I don’t care which side does it.
Instead of being mad at Rubinstein, people should be even more harsh on anyone using reformer tactics, no matter ‘which’ side that they are on. In fact, I’m harder on ‘my side’ because I look bad and it undercuts the view that I support more than the reformers could ever do. Its all self promotion in the end, isn’t it?
Isn’t there a point where the bullshit just gets absurdly deep and everyone stops?
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The comment section is popping. One thing people who are so disapproving and critical of his analysis and post fail to realize; our side is truer. We don’t fudge or strech the results. After all, data is data. Sometimes good and sometimes bad.
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Gary is doing us all a major service by going wherever the data leads.
Educators and real reformers don’t need to hype, spin, or distort reality; that’s what corporate pseudo-reformers seeking to take over the schools do.
The truth, and struggle based on those truths, will set us free.
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Simple truths spoken in plain English.
Thank you.
🙂
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I agree with everything said above. We NEED to be critical of ourselves. In addition, Gary does go on to state his approval of what these school districts are doing to improve student performance. Pre-K and teacher developed curricula work to improve teacher morale, student morale, etc. Yes, leaps and gains in test scores might not accompany this process immediately, but, as we all know, education is a slow, methodical process. We won’t see the true outcomes these policies have on the lives of children for 10 or 15 years. Also, I wonder how many of the commentators from Gary’s blog have read the book the NYT article is based on.. I haven’t read it yet but maybe Gary’s concerns are outlined in the book as well.
I guess it surprised me to see how hostile so many on the commentators were regarding Gary’s blog. This shouldn’t be a divisive conversation. We know what we are all working towards and we know, at the end of the day, Gary is one of the most thoughtful and articulate voices to have on “our team.”
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The truth does not need a “bodyguard of lies.” What we do need is candid discussions of what works as well as candid discussions of what we mean by “works.” If all we refer to are test scores, then we encourage the nefarious effects of NCLB. Tests are not the goal of education, they are an indicator. Union City is not a miracle district. It’s a district that is doing a good job and creating a positive climate. That’s good. We can celebrate their steadfast commitment to their students, as well as small victories. We will leave the propaganda and bombastic claims to the “reformers.”
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Yes, we do need candid discussions of what works and candid discussions of what we mean by “works.”
Readers can decide for themselves how they would describe the NY Times column that Rubenstein comments on.
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And, once again, what tests?! These faulty, poorly constructed, poorly scored “standardized” (NOT!) tests published by Pearson et.al.? Can’t we just STOP looking at the test scores & basing success on the test scores? They tell us NOTHING and, furthermore, are lies.
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