Sean Kershaw's Weblog
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February 16, 2007
Facts and Data in Education: Learning more about LearnMore
The recent Don Samuels debate provides more to comment on than I know what to do with, but let's start with the role of facts in policy conversations.
In a recent Star Tribune column, Nick Coleman cites No Child Left Behind statistics that show that 72% of black children graduated from Minneapolis high schools - and that 82% graduate at North High. Here's a link that supports this claim.
>But what about other statistics? Consider these numbers.
MINNESOTA PROFICIENCY TEST DATA (MCAs): (Here's a link to a tool to analyze these numbers.)
- 73% of all North 10th graders failed the state proficiency exam in reading (50% failed district-wide).
- 80% of low-income black 10th graders at North failed the state proficiency test in reading (18% of White middle-class students failed district-wide)
- 97% of all North 11th graders failed the state proficiency test in math (84% failed district-wide).
- <99% of low-income black 11th graders North failed the state proficiency test in math (60% of White middle-class students failed district-wide)
I'm going to contact Nick to talk about this - because I seriously doubt that the NCLB numbers (a program I assume he HATES) are really accurate. Other statistics, which I obviously need to find and cite, put the number MUCH lower.
No matter what - graduation doesn't matter - it's readiness for higher education that matters and the MCA #s aren't good.
Which brings me to a great site:
Learnmore MN
During our higher education study group three years ago, the statistics from the Minnesota Private College Research Foundation were the best I found - and did the best job at highlighting the key issues. I think this site is fantastic, both for it's presentation of information, and for highlighting the implications of not significantly increasing the number of students ready to succeed in higher education.
My point is that we can't pick and choose our statistics in an issue as important as this. I think Nick's numbers miss the real concerns, even though he's right to urge Council member Samuels and the Mayor to use their authority to change the situation.
Posted by Sean Kershaw at February 16, 2007 6:29 AM