That's an old, old principle of management. The trick, of course, is to collect the right data, and to use it properly once collected.
Today was MCAS testing for #2 Son. This is state-wide testing for all Massachusetts school pupils. It's very broadly popular with parents, and very broadly unpopular with the teacher's union. The reason is that it's collecting pretty much the right data, and using it correctly.
It's the right data, because it's a consistent test. The specifics of what's on the test are actually a bit irrelevant, as long as the state wide average score is far enough below a perfect score. What's actually being measured isn't so much the performance of any particular pupil, as the performance of each school.
You can see why it's important for average score to be less than perfect score: if all pupils scored 100%, you couldn't compare schools.
This is why the test has very broad public support - parents can see how effective their education tax dollars are. This is precisely why the test is broadly unpopular with the teacher's unions. Individual teaher's attitudes will vary - some won't mind the spotlight.
The system works well (well enough to be useful). In New England, each town controls it's school system. Some towns choose high property taxes and better schools; others choose lower taxes and worse schools. The test scores provides an independent measure that people can use to decide where to live, or who to vote for.
All in all, an example of how to measure government services. Of course, it relies on competition between governments. As such, it will be very unpopular with people who want to centralize governmental power.
Being from a severly gerrymandered district can affect voting outcomes too. :-)
ReplyDeleteUhhh... gotta stick in my $.02.
ReplyDeleteI understand your principle, but higher taxes don't necessarily equal "better schools". That's something the unions have been trying to cram down our throats since, well, since there were unions in the educational system.
In the Granite State, most school funding comes from property taxes, so we're fairly keen on the issue; it get the dander all up when folks stand up at town meetings & declare we MUST throw more $$$ at the schools.
Just for comparison, what was the cost per student when you went to school (adjusted for inflation)?
I'll be willing to bet you got more smarts for you buck back then than the kids do today...
//soapboxrant off//
Doubletrouble, you're right. I'd say that there is a correlation between higher school budgets and better performance.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't causal, though. It may be that towns that attract parents who value good schools get higher budgets, although it's really the parent's involvement that makes the difference.
IOW, it may be a selection process to attract families who want better education, not money being well spent.
I don't know, and don't know of any good research here.
It's certainly easy to blow a big budget without getting a good return, and vice versa (see home schooling).
Oh, and I think that kids were smarter when you and I were kids ... ;-)
More affluent people tend to be more supportive of education. They also tend to be more involved in their kid's education. That of course is a two edged sword, especially if you are the teacher. This, not necessarily salaries, is why towns like Sharon, Newton, Wellesley, Easton, Lexington, have good MCAS scores and a higher percentage of kids going on to college than cities and towns like Brockton, Chelsea, Revere, and so on.
ReplyDeleteMrs. TOTWTYTR is a public school teacher. She hates the MCAS because her subject is not one that is tested. Subjects that are not tested get second or worse priority. Which is why History, Social Studies, and other non MCAS subjects are the first to be cut and get the least resources. Which explains the sorry state of public school History and Social Studies education.
Oh, even the non MCAS subjects have to build their curricula around MCAS subjects.
...even the non MCAS subjects have to build their curricula around MCAS subjects.More of what's being measured.
ReplyDeleteWe should be measuring history - it's ridiculous that this isn't on the MCAS.