DavidC.BerlinerRegents’ProfessorEmeritus

MaryLouFultonTeachersCollege,ArizonaStateUniversity,USA

FacingFacts:Separa/ngFactfromFic/onaboutPublicEduca/on

SchoolAdministratorsAssocia0onofNewYorkStateRochesterNewYorkOctober18,2015

RidiculeistheonlyweaponwhichcanbeusedagainstunintelligibleproposiHons.-ThomasJefferson30July,1816

QUODGRATISASSERITUR,GRATISNEGATUR(ThatwhichisallegedwithoutproofmaybedismissedwithoutexplanaHon.)

“YouareenHtled,sir,toyourownopinions,butnotyourownfacts”-SenatorDanielPatrickMoynihan,ataSenatehearing.

“EducaHonalreformisaeuphemismforthedestrucHonofpubliceducaHon.”NoamChomsky

Factsdonotceasetoexistbecausetheyareignored-AldousHuxley

Iwonder:CananyoneinourgovernmentandamongourindustrialleaderssHlladd?442,000newstemgraduatesayear,for277,000jobsayearequalsasurplusof165,000STEMgradsayear.

AnobsessionwithmetricsforcesustobelesstrusHngofourobservaHonalskillsandtoputtoomuchfaithinmetricsthatappeartobe“objecHve,”“hard,”or“quanHfiable.”

WillCountySchoolDistrict92,,Lockport,IL.con0nuestoimproveteachingandlearningforallstudents.WearepleasedtoannouncethatDistrict92willimplementanewstandards-basedreportcardforkindergartenstudents.GeneralEnglishLanguageArtsKindergartenExpecta0ons:Followwordsleftoright,toptobogom,andpagebypage.Recognizehowspokenwordsarerepresentedinwrigenlanguage.Understandthatwordsareseparatedbyspaces.Recognizeandnameupperandlowercaselegers.Recognizeandproducerhymingwords.Count,pronounce,blend,andsegmentsyllables.Blendandsegmentonsetsandrhymingwords.IsolateandpronouncethephonemesinCVCwords.Demonstrateknowledgeofone-to-oneleger-soundcorrespondence.Associatethelongandshortsoundswiththefivemajorvowels.DisHnguishbetweensimilarlyspelledwordsbyidenHfyingthesoundsofthelegersthatdiffer.Readgradelevelhigh-frequencysightwordswithautoma0city.Reademergent-readertextwithpurposeandunderstanding.ForReadingInforma0onalTexts:Determinethemeaningofunknownwords.DeterminethemeaningofmulHple-meaningwordsandphrases.Usessightwords,leger/sounds,onset/rhymes,andconnecHonstootherwords.Chunkswords.Usescontext/pictures.AsksandanswersquesHonsaboutunknownwords.UsesmulHplesourcesofinformaHon(visual,syntax,meaning).Remembersandusesdetailswhendiscussingtext.IdenHfiesthemainideaandretellskeydetails.MakepredicHonsusinginformaHonfrompictures/textfeatures.Makepredic0onsbasedoninforma0ongainedthroughreading.DescribestherelaHonshipbetweenillustraHons/picturesandthetext.

ReadingLiterature:Determinethemeaningofunknownwords.DeterminethemeaningofmulHple-meaningwordsandphrases.Usessightwords,leger/sounds,onset/rhymes,andconnecHonstootherwords.Chunkswords.Usescontext/pictures.AsksandanswersquesHonsaboutunknownwords.UsemulHplesourcesofinformaHon(visual,syntax,meaning).IdenHfypartsofabookandpartsofatext.Rememberandusedetailswhendiscussingtext.Nameandunderstandtheroleoftheauthorandillustratorofastory.ThinkingBeyondtheText:Recognizeagributesofrecurringcharacters,Recognizecommontypesoftext,MakeconnecHonsbetweentheillustraHonsandthetext.Compareandcontrastcharactersinfamiliarstories.AcquireandreportnewinformaHon.Talkaboutpriorknowledge.Inferandtalkaboutcharacters’feelings,moHves,andagributes.Showevidencetosupportinferences.ThinkingAbouttheText:NoHcehowthewriterhasmadethestoryfunnyorsurprising.IdenHfyandappreciatehumor.Understandthatastoryhasabeginning,aseriesofevents,andanend.DiscusshowwritersuseinteresHngcharacters.AskandanswerquesHonsaboutkeydetails.PointoutconnecHonsbetweentextandpictures.Expressopinionsaboutthequalityoftext.ItlookslikethisforWri0ngandMathema0csaswell………AndInOhio:Kindergartenstudentsaretested11.3hours,onaverage,andgrade1studentsAretested11.6hours,onaverage.Testprepara8on8me=26.3hoursand26.6hoursrespec8vely.Thisismore8mefortes8ngthanusedtobeAllocatedforelementaryschoolinstruc8oninthevisualartsbeforeNCLB!

Here’swhatkindergartenersinFloridaaregoingtobesubjectedtothisyear,accordingtoValerieStraussoftheWashingtonPost:FromAugust10-September30theywilltaketheFloridaKindergartenReadinessScreener

(WorkSamplingSystemandFloridaAssessmentsforInstrucHoninReading).FromMarch2-April3,they’lltaketheComprehensiveEnglishLanguageLearningAssessment.FromApril13-17,they’lltaketheStanfordAchievementTest,TenthEdiHon

forReadingandMathemaHcs.FromApril13-May29they’lltaketheFloridaAssessmentsforInstrucHon

inReadingAssessmentPeriod3(AP3)FromMay11-June5,theywilltaketheDistrict-DesignatedEnd-of-CourseAssessmentAnd,justincasetheyhaven’thadenoughbythatpoint,FloridakindergartenersalsohavetheopHonoftakingthesetwotests:1.Toseeiftheyare“gifed:””TheIowaTests(IowaTestsofBasicSkillsandIowaTestsofEducaHonal Development),eithertheEnglishorEnglishLanguageLearners(ELL)version.2.TodecideaboutplacementforEnglishtoSpeakersofOtherLanguages(ESOL):

Miami-DadeCountyOralLanguageProficiencyScaleRevised

In2014theWorldGlobalEntrepreneurshipandDevelopmentIndex(TheGEDI)wasreleased.120countrieswereassessedandrankedbyresearchersassociatedwiththeImperialCollegeBusinessSchool,theLondonSchoolofEconomicsandPoli0calScience,UniversityofPécs,andGeorgeMasonUniversity.Thenumber1countryintheworldwas:TaDa!..............................................TheUSA!Theauthorssay:“EntrepreneurshipplaysacrucialroleintheUSeconomyandasresult,policyiniHaHvesarecreatedtoencourageentrepreneurialbehavior.This,coupledwiththecultureofdeterminaHonandmoHvaHon,makestheUSagreatplacetobeanentrepreneur.[Moreover,]thegulfbetweentheUnitedStatesandothercountriesislargeandappearstobewidening,….notnarrowing.”Furthermore,“thisyear'sIndexcomparedtheexperienceofmaleandfemaleentrepreneursforthefirstHme,toreflecttheincreasingparHcipaHonandimportanceofwomeninentrepreneurshiparoundtheworld.TheresearchersdeterminedthattheUSis………….TaDa!Theworldsleaderinfemaleentrepreneurship.”Source:hgp://www.thegedi.org/research/gedi-index/

NumberSix!

PupilsreciteDiZiGui,whichtranslatesas'standardsforbeingagoodstudentandchild',intheplaygroundofJialeCentreprimaryschoolinHainanprovince,China.

Numberofjobsavailable,2014,andnumberunemployedinthatsector:EconomicPolicyInsHtute.

2012 PISA Results Mean/Average Scores

No examination of variation

Reading Singapore Japan Korea Finland Canada Ireland Poland Estonia Lichtenstein Australia Etc. US is #21

Mathematics Singapore Korea Japan Lichtenstein Switzerland Netherlands Estonia Finland Canada Poland Etc.

US is # 32

Science Singapore Japan Finland Estonia Korea Vietnam Poland Canada Lichtenstein Germany Etc. US is #23

Note:TheNaHonalSchoolLunchProgramprovidesfreeorreduced-pricelunchforstudentsmeeHngcertainincomeguidelines.Thepercentageofstudentsreceivingsuchlunchisanindicatorofthesocioeconomicleveloffamiliesservedbytheschool.EsHmatesofthepercentageofstudentseligibleforfreeorreduced-priceluncharebasedonprincipals’reports.

Score

432(*,**)

464(*,**)

481(**)

494(*)

506(*)

513(*,**)

540(*,**)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

75percentormore

50to74.9percent

U.S.average

OECDaverage

25to49.9percent

10to24.9percent

Lessthan10percent

U.S.average

OECDaverage

1000

26

*SignificantlydifferentfromU.S.average**SignificantlydifferentfromOECDaverage

15year-oldstudentsinpublicschoolswithhalformoreofstudentseligibleforfreeorreduced-pricelunchhadloweraverageMATHEMATICSliteracyscoresthanboththeU.S.andOECDaverages—Thesearethebogom2bars.Butlookagainatthetoptwobarsandeventhethirdbar.Sametrendasin2009

Score

442(*,**)

483(*,**)

497

501

523(*,**)

528(*,**)

556(*,**)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

75percentormore

50to74.9percent

U.S.average

OECDaverage

25to49.9percent

10to24.9percent

Lessthan10percent

1000

OECDaverage

U.S.average

27

Note:TheNaHonalSchoolLunchProgramprovidesfreeorreduced-pricelunchforstudentsmeeHngcertainincomeguidelines.Thepercentageofstudentsreceivingsuchlunchisanindicatorofthesocioeconomicleveloffamiliesservedbytheschool.EsHmatesofthepercentageofstudentseligibleforfreeorreduced-priceluncharebasedonprincipals’reports.

*SignificantlydifferentfromU.S.average**SignificantlydifferentfromOECDaverage

15-year-oldstudentsinpublicschoolsinwhichhalformoreofstudentswereeligibleforfreeorreduced-pricelunchhadloweraverageSCIENCEliteracyscoresthanbothU.S.andOECDaverages

Score

452(*,**)

479(*,**)

496

498

519(*,**)

524(*,**)

559(*,**)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

75percentormore

50to74.9percent

OECDaverage

U.S.average

25to49.9percent

10to24.9percent

Lessthan10percent

OECDaverage

U.S.average

1000

28

Note:TheNaHonalSchoolLunchProgramprovidesfreeorreduced-pricelunchforstudentsmeeHngcertainincomeguidelines.Thepercentageofstudentsreceivingsuchlunchisanindicatorofthesocioeconomicleveloffamiliesservedbytheschool.EsHmatesofthepercentageofstudentseligibleforfreeorreduced-priceluncharebasedonprincipals’reports.

*SignificantlydifferentfromU.S.average**SignificantlydifferentfromOECDaverage

Studentsinpublicschoolsinwhichhalformoreofstudentswereeligibleforfreeorreduced-pricelunchhadloweraverageREADINGLITERACYscoresthanboththeU.S.andOECDaverages

TIMSS4THGRADESCORESBYSCHOOLPOVERTYLEVEL:MATHTIMSS8THGRADESCORESBYSCHOOLPOVERTYLEVEL:MATH

PIRLSREADINGAT4THGRADE:USADIDFINEOVERALLBUTSAMEPATTERN

FourofthebesthighschoolsintheUSA,

accordingtoUSNewsandWorldReport

FourofthebesthighschoolsintheUSA,accordingtoUSNewsandWorldReport

FourofthebesthighschoolsintheUSAaccordingtoUSNewsandWorldReport

Looksalotlikeskimmingandcreaminggoingontome!!!!!Theseschoolssimplywillnottakeallwhoapplyortheykickoutthosethattheydon’twanttoeducateorareunabletoeducate.

Basisschool-Scogsdale:146to21

GreatHearts-Chandler:113to45

Teachersaccountforabout10%Schoolsaccountforabout10%

Vs.Outofschoolfactorsaccountforabout60%

OUTSIDE-OF-SCHOOL FACTORS AFFECTING WHAT OCCURS INSIDE-THE-SCHOOL AND INSIDE-THE-CLASSROOM.

Percent of low birth-weight children in the neighborhood. �Inadequate medical, dental and vision care in family and neighborhood.�Food insecurity in family. �Environmental pollutants in home and neighborhood. �Family relations and family stress.�Percent of mothers at the school site that are single and/or teens.�Percent of mothers at the school site that do not possess a high school

degree. �Language spoken at home.�Family income. �Neighborhood characteristics [including sense of collective efficacy]�Rate of violence in the neighborhood. �Drug use in the neighborhood.Mental health in the neighborhood. �Average income in neighborhood. �Mobility rates of families in the neighborhood. �Availability of positive Role models in the community. �Availability of high quality early education.Transportation to get to jobs.Etc.

INSIDETHESCHOOLFACTORSAFFECTINGWHATOCCURSINSIDETHECLASSROOM

Classsize.Qualityoftheprincipalandotheradministrators.Collec0veefficacyofthefaculty.Teacherturnoverorschoolchurnrates.Qualityoftheschoolfacili0es.QualityandFrequencyofProfessionalDevelopmentOpportuni0es.Curriculum.Availabilityofcounselingandspecialeduca0onservices.Availabilityoflibrariansandschoolnurses.Integra0onofmusic,art,andsportsprograms.Provisionofakerschoolprograms.Schoolfinancesfromstateanddistrictfunds.Schoolfundingfromparentsandcommunity.Parentinvolvement.

Score

421(*,**)

455(*,**)

481(**)

492

494(*)

506(*,**)

549(*,**)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Black

Hispanic

U.S.average

Mul0racial

OECDaverage

White

Asian

1000

U.S.average

OECDaverage

50

*SignificantlydifferentfromU.S.average**SignificantlydifferentfromOECDaverage

U.S.AsianandWhitestudentshadhigheraveragescoresthanboththeU.S.andOECDaveragesinmathema0csliteracy

RelaHonshipbetweenanaHonsinequalityinincome(GiniCoefficient,highbeingmoreunequal)andAveragePISA(2006)mathemaHcsscorejustamongthewealthynaHons(Condron,2011).RelaHonshipsforscienceandreadingscoresaresimilar.

57