Search Results for: data
Popping Balloons: Data, Evaluation and Accountabilty
At the Monday December 9th Madison Board of Education meeting there was much discussion of data, evaluation, and by implication, accountability. Most of this was in the context of the Reading Recovery program and the broader discussion of teaching reading … Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
Data Driven Sanity
Diane Ravitch has some more words of sanity on Data Driven policy making at the Bridging Differences blog. Click the link for the entire post; here is an excerpt: This approach rests squarely on the high-stakes use of testing. One … Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, Best Practices, education, National News, nclb, No Child Left Behind, Uncategorized
Cherry Pick’n, Or When Scott Milfred Does Data Driven Policy
Scott Milfred’s column in the Sunday May 17, 2009 Wisconsin State Journal is a textbook example of the kind of foolishness people indulge in when they are dazzled by data that seems to support their favored policies. Mr. Milfred likes … Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, Best Practices, education, Gimme Some Truth, Local News, Uncategorized
What Is Wrong With Data Driven Accountability — 17 Paragraphs, 4 Students (at most)
Some good news on the most recent WKCE scores from Nuestro Mundo, as covered in a 17 paragraph Capitol Times story. Good news, which like much achievement data is of limited use. The headline trumpets “Promising” gains and the big … Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, Best Practices, education, Local News
Data _____Decision Making — MMSD Math Task Force Action
In an earlier post I wrote about the dangerous, counterproductive, if casual racism of the Math Task Force Report and in another I wrote about the almost complete lack of assessment of MMSD Middle School Math teacher knowledge and skills … Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, Best Practices, Budget, education, Local News, Uncategorized
Quote of the Day — “Most Powerful” Data
“I am not a number,” from The Prisoner. It’s one reason why the most impressive data we used at the schools I’m most familiar with were the results of interviews with alumnae conducted years after they left us. But even … Continue reading
The Teacher Voice in Data-Driven Accountability
From Randi Weingarten (President of the United Federation of Teachers, NY), via EdWonk. Excerpt: We hear a lot these days about what I call “3-D reform,”—data-driven decision making and about using tests to improve teaching and learning. Sadly, in this … Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, AMPS, Best Practices, National News
Special Education Budget Amendment: Helping Hands
The Board has an opportunity to make investments NOW that will improve the experiences, safety and well being of or students and staff. The scholarship that has been used as one of the justifications for decreases in SEA staffing was misapplied. Allowing things to continue to deteriorate will only make implementing systematic changes more difficult. For these (and other) reasons, I will by supporting a special education staffing budget amendment. When you can give a helping hand, you should. Continue reading
Foot(note) Stompin’ — The IMA Proposal + Related Update
Update, 8/14/17, 1:14 PM: The Board just received an email that the IMA vote meeting will be rescheduled to 8/21/17. Note: I began this post in January 2017, and then set it aside. As a result, some of the introductory … Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, Gimme Some Truth, Local News, MMSD, Uncategorized
[Update] — Still a Sow’s Ear — Isthmus Montessori Academy Contract
This will be the third time the Board has voted on a version of this proposal. The previous two times the Board and the Administration agreed that the proposal did not meet the requirements of the MMSD Charter School policy (related concerns about state statutes were also expressed by some Board Members). Each time, a majority of the Board voted to advance the proposal in order to provide opportunities to address the shortcomings (I voted no each time). Among the questions before the Board on July 31 is whether this has been accomplished; whether sow’s ear has been transformed into a silk purse. I think it is still a sow’s ear. Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, AMPS, Budget, education, Equity, finance, Gimme Some Truth, Local News, MMSD, Uncategorized
