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%.
Interesting to note that when Broader, Bolder Approach first came out among the early signers on the approach was one Arne Duncan. Too bad his policies are so much in contradiction to the thrust of BBA
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Texas Education.
Dr. Ravitch you might be interested in this article about the debate in Michigan over implementing common core.
http://www.freep.com/article/20130715/NEWS06/307150016/common-core-education-standards-michigan
A must read! We must send this out to every news outlet. Time to control the story.
thank you for this; I found the Executive Summary and then downloaded the full report with references/bibl….etc.
an interesting quote: ” Less-publicized strategies for boosting student achievement were piloted in these cities but not widely replicated or expanded to scale because leaders and funders focused on the market-oriented reforms.” This is true and we see the computer tools being promised as “exciting ” and “Sexy”…. The study we did iin Greater Boston n 3 middle schools showed a teacher effect; one teacher was better whether she had the computer in the room or just the thesaurus (for teaching writing; this was not a math study but aimed at inquiry approach in science, study skills and written language. Math studies would possibly show a direct instruction effect with the computer in the first year.) This teacher effect is downplayed in most of the computer research reports or totally neglected because teachers are viewed as the “problem/fault: and they want to teacher-proof the computer curricuum.
another quote from the study:
” These promising but overlooked reforms are more multifaceted and holistic than reforms that seek quick fixes and rely on narrow, unreliable metrics.” I call the market reforms “rat psychology”; even Skinner was misinterpreted in this country (in his memoirs he explains how the horses were being punished etc.) Four variables of the school effectiveness research literature have been neglected in the market reforms:
(a) locus of control; (b) student’s internalizing expectations (standards, etc.) (c) academic self-concept and (d) and academic climate of the school (this is being destroyed by the rat psychology of market reforms). The market studies lump all these things into “family background” if they consider them at all; mostly, these factors are ignored.
Thanks, Diane for getting these reports to us with facts and data.
Wow- a must-read report. This is an EVIDENCE BASED scathing take-down of every claim and facet of the so called “education reform” movement. The massive costs of this market based reform would have been, and still could be, much better spent on the school support children living in poverty require- school based health clinics, counselors, coordination with needed social services, access to healthy food in school, and teachers who focus on individual needs and respond. Unfortunately, there seems to be very little respect for any evidence that contradicts the profit-motive ideology that is backing this school-as-factory approach to education.
Thanks, Diane!
The Chicago Cabal and the Duncan/Vallas/Obama/ Emanuel playbook:
The nuts and bolts of mayoral takeover, privatization, revolving doors and teacher churn:
http://www.mintpressnews.com/a-closer-look-at-the-joyce-foundation-shows-obamas-ties-to-chicago-school-privatizations/164972/
Great article, LInda.
Thanks for the link.
Was this published in a peer reviewed journal? I only ask because this has been an issue with some posters in previously cited research.
Would “reformers” state the real reasons why they are interested in privatization if the study was going to be published in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal?
From a brief reading it seems that this is an “advocacy report” and not necessarily “research” that would be considered for inclusion in a peer reviewed journal.
And, TE, you are correct to note that some fault/dismiss other “reports” for not being “peer reviewed” if the conclusions aren’t what they want to hear.
Peer review is “proxy” for identifyin an article meeting the standards of a scientific paper; too much to explain here so see Jack Hassard’s posts on the criteria for scientific research and what is “junk” science or “pseudo” science. Jack posts here on Diane’s web/blog and he also posts at “Art of Teaching Science.”
Jean,
Thanks for the reference to Jack’s site! Will be reading it!
Duane
Reference: here is another blog that is relevant to the discussion.
“Apple’s iPad Textbooks Cost 5x More Than Print”
By Lee Wilson
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Comment: I have watched the dismantling of the public library in my district. The newest “schemes” provide some kind of digital “books” that are only licensed for so many readers; once you go over that limit the fees are reapplied. I don’t have the specific details here but I have been watching carefully and have had several arguments with the director of the library and the IT director. All of the reference books have been removed from the shelves because “people can get that at home”.
I taught in a wealthy/affluent suburban (Greater Boston) district but I live in a city that is below the average on equity of resources so when I see what happens to the public library I predict what happens in the schools in these districts. If my library is the canary in the coal mine then I will want to stay out of their arena; I wish other teachers had this freedom but I have retired so i have more choices.
The market psychology is the “razor and the razorblade”…. give away the razor and you will have the client hooked. This actually happened about 1988; DEC gave our group a computer but then we were expected to be sales site for DEC in public schools.
When DEC closed they quickly moved some of their personnel into the fast track teacher education programs which they had every right to do I guess but they kept up the hype that these employees would make even better teachers than were typically in schools.