NYC Progress Report Chutes and Ladders!
A week ago, skoolboy encouraged readers to predict schools' upward and downward grade mobility. Here's how that shook out. When 26% of elementary and middle schools that received Fs last year - 9 schools - climb from a F to an A, it does make you wonder what exactly it is that we are measuring. Likewise, 26 schools cascaded from As or Bs to Ds or Fs. Readers, stare into the table and tell me what you see...
Comments
Of course, far more schools went up than down. More schools went up two or more levels than just one level: lots of C to A, F to B, etc.
The greatest downward movement is from A to B. Next: B to C. Next: C to D. The lower the grades go, the fewer descents to them.
So, failure should soon be a thing of the past.
Posted by: Diana Senechal | September 17, 2008 4:54 PM
38, 41, 15, 5, 2.
Try: A/B, C, D, F
Overall:
79, 15, 5, 2
A in 07:
90, 8, 1, l.t. 1
B in 07:
78, 16, 5, 1
C in 07:
72, 19, 7, 3
D in 07:
69, 18, 9, 4
F in 07:
67, 20, 3, 0
I'm guessing that the correlation between 07 and 08 scores is weak, except that A schools were more likely to stay A or B, and F schools all came off the F (into a distribution that is hard to distinguish from the B, C, or D schools).
"it does make you wonder what exactly it is that we are measuring."
Not "we," but I'll let you supply a more accurate subject. And not 'measuring', 'reporting.'
Posted by: Jonathan | September 18, 2008 7:27 AM