tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post3903411650391710408..comments2024-03-26T11:07:03.496-04:00Comments on Ed Notes Online: Does "Education Week" Violate Journalistic Standards?ed notes onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33431390.post-27398747260524871342008-02-28T22:01:00.000-05:002008-02-28T22:01:00.000-05:00I emailed Chris Swanson last year who puts togethe...I emailed Chris Swanson last year who puts together the Quality counts rankings – asking him why Ed Week had taken out any examination of educational quality out of its measures – including class size – to focus almost exclusively on poverty measures, and testing to rate states and districts. Here is an excerpt:<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>“The 2007 report does not include indicators related to school climate, teacher quality, or school finance, as it has in past years. Indicators on state standards, assessments, and accountability systems in K-12 are still included. “<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>The 2008 rankings put back some measures related to teacher certification and resources, but again excluded class size and other critical measures.<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>Below is my email message and his response. I encourage others to email him as well at cswanson@epe.org<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>Leonie Haimson<BR/><BR/>Executive Director<BR/><BR/>Class Size Matters<BR/><BR/>124 Waverly Pl.<BR/><BR/>New York, NY 10011<BR/><BR/>212-674-7320<BR/><BR/>leonie@att.net<BR/><BR/>www.classsizematters.org<BR/><BR/>http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>Please make a tax-deductible contribution to Class Size Matters now!<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/> _____ <BR/><BR/>From: Leonie Haimson [mailto:leonie@worldnet.att.net]<BR/>Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 4:54 PM<BR/>To: Chris Swanson<BR/>Cc: 'Leonie Haimson'<BR/>Subject: a big thumbs down re new Quality Counts<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>I’m very disappointed to see these changes. While adopting all these broader economic measures, and including more test score data and measures relating to standards etc., you drop any attempt to assess how well states are trying to improve their educational systems, by omitting the indicators on school climate, finance etc. – except for access to preK, as though this was the only educational program that mattered.<BR/><BR/>These indicators had been the most valuable aspect of your reports. How are we to understand, for example, that NY state ranks so low in terms of graduation rates, while being above average in access to preK, income, etc?<BR/> <BR/><BR/>I must protest. You’ve sold us all short. <BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>Leonie Haimson<BR/><BR/>Class Size Matters<BR/><BR/>124 Waverly Pl.<BR/><BR/>New York, NY 10011<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comments. As we move towards a somewhat different framework, we're especially looking for reaction.<BR/> <BR/>As you may have seen in the report, several of our policy categories are on a temporary hiatus this year. Most notably, that includes policies<BR/>related to teacher quality and our finance/resource indicators. During the course of the year we have several events planned (and possibly more<BR/>in the works) to engage the education community and rethink issues in these areas. Although we've tracked teacher and finance indicators over<BR/>the years, we want to make sure that we are continuing to focus on the measures that are more important/promising/effective when we reintroduce<BR/>these sections. There has been so much debate in these two areas recently that we wanted to be sure to take a deliberate approach as<BR/>we put together the new framework.<BR/> <BR/>In the meantime, we have an online TalkBack feature where we are taking comments on these issues, so feel free to weigh in there if you would like.<BR/>http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/tb/2007/01/05/1182.html<BR/> <BR/>Best<BR/> <BR/>Chris Swansoned notes onlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.com