ONLY 1.1 PERCENT OF HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS ARE TRULY 'HIGH FLYERS,' STUDY SAYS

[Peter Farruggio <pfarr@cal.berkeley.edu>]

Similar to the findings of Gerald Bracey and Stephen Krashen (and 
others) a few years ago in response to the standardistas' "No Excuses" hype....

Pete Farruggio




> ONLY 1.1 PERCENT OF HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS ARE TRULY 'HIGH FLYERS,' STUDY SAYS
>
> ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
> EDUCATION POLICY STUDIES LABORATORY (EPSL)
> Education Policy Research Unit (EPRU)
>
>
> ****NEWS RELEASE--FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE****
>
>
> ONLY 1.1 PERCENT OF HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS ARE TRULY 'HIGH FLYERS,' STUDY SAYS
>
> Findings challenge Education Trust, Heritage Foundation studies
>
> CONTACT:  Douglas N. Harris (850)644-8166 (email) harris@coe.fsu.edu or
> Alex Molnar (480) 965-1886 (email) epsl@asu.edu
>
> TEMPE, Ariz. (Tuesday, March 21, 2006) - Only 1.1 percent of high-poverty
> schools consistently achieve at high levels on standardized tests, according
> to "Ending the Blame Game on Educational Inequity: A Study of 'High Flying'
> Schools and NCLB," a policy brief released by the Education Policy Studies
> Laboratory at Arizona State University.
>
> This finding directly challenges the results of policy studies published by
> the Education Trust and Heritage Foundation which claim that 15.6 percent of
> high-poverty schools are highly performing.  According to study author and
> Florida State University Professor Doug Harris, the Education Trust and
> Heritage Foundations studies used questionable methodology to determine
> "high flying" schools.  For instance, if one grade in a high-poverty school
> scored high on a standardized test in only one subject for one year,
> Education Trust deemed the school "high flying."  The study released today
> examines test score gains and performance over time to identify schools that
> achieve consistently at a high level.
>
> Harris finds that the number of high-poverty schools reaching high
> performance status is much lower than previously reported, and the cause of
> this achievement gap is not mainly the fault of educators and
> administrators--as Education Trust and Heritage Foundation suggest--but is a
> function of the economic and social conditions facing the students enrolled
> in these schools.
>
> The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) makes the same mistake, Harris
> argues.  The law provides performance incentives for schools to help all
> students reach proficiency, but ignores the fact that, due to economic and
> social conditions, students start school at very different levels of
> readiness.  As a result, the law holds schools responsible for factors
> outside their control.
>
> In addition, Harris finds that a low-poverty school is 22 times more likely
> to be high performing than a high-poverty school.  Equally alarming,
> low-poverty, low-minority schools are 89 times more likely to be high
> performing that high-poverty, high-minority schools.
>
> Based on his findings, Harris recommends the following:
>
> * Policy makers continue the recent focus on measurable student outcomes,
> such as test scores, but redesign policies to hold educators accountable
> only for those factors within their control;
>
> * Policy makers take a comprehensive approach to school improvement that
> starts in schools but extends into homes and communities, and addresses
> basic disadvantages caused by poverty; and
>
> * All educational stakeholders acknowledge that educational inequity is
> caused by problems in both schools and communities, and avoid trying to
> blame the problem on schools alone.
>
>
> Find this document on the web at:
> http://www.asu.edu/educ/epsl/EPRU/documents/EPSL-0603-120-EPRU.pdf
>
>
> CONTACT:
> Douglas N. Harris
> Assistant Professor, Florida State University
> 850-644-8166
> harris@coe.fsu.edu
>
>
> Alex Molnar, Professor and Director
> Education Policy Studies Laboratory
> (480) 965-1886
> epsl@asu.edu
> http://edpolicylab.org
>
>
>
> **********
>
> The Education Policy Research Unit (EPRU) conducts original research,
> provides independent analyses of research and policy documents, and
> facilitates educational innovation. EPRU facilitates the work of leading
> academic experts in a variety of disciplines to help inform the public
> debate about education policy issues.
>
> Visit the EPRU website at http://educationanalysis.org
>
> The Education Policy Studies Laboratory (EPSL) at Arizona State University
> offers high-quality analyses of national education policy issues and
> provides an analytical resource for educators, journalists, and citizens. It
> includes the Arizona Education Policy Initiative (AEPI), the Commercialism
> in Education Research Unit (CERU), the Education Policy Research Unit
> (EPRU), and the Language Policy Research Unit (LPRU). The EPSL is directed
> by Professor Alex Molnar.
>
> Visit the EPSL website at http://edpolicylab.org
>
> ###
>
> ------ End of Forwarded Message