Bail Me Out! : Handling Difficult Data and Tough Questions about Public Schools

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ISBN: 9780761976035 | 0761976035
Cover: Paperback
Copyright: 4/11/2000

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Summary

Supplemental Materials

A brief historical look at America's loss of confidence in public schools is presented to show how data have been used to create half-truths and erroneous positions.

About the Author

Introduction: Why You Need a Book Like This

(6)

PART I: Principles of Data Interpretation, or, How to Keep From Getting Statistically Snookered

(76)

Beware of Averages

(3)

Follow the Money

(5)

Beware of the Uncritical Acceptance of Convenient Conclusions

(3)

Watch for Selectivity in the Data

(6)

Show Me the Data!

(3)

Beware of Nostalgia

(7)

Beware of Causal Explanations Made From Correlational Data

(6)

Be Aware of Whether the Statistics Being Used Are Numbers or Rates (Percentages)

(4)

Know Whether You're Dealing With Ranks or Scores

(2)

Make Sure the Statistic Used Is the Right One

(4)

Ask How the Variable Is Defined

(2)

Ask How the Variable Is Defined---And Then Ask What the Criterion Measure Is

(2)

Differentiate Practical and Statistical Significance

(5)

Look for Trends, Not Snapshots

(4)

Beware of Trends

(1)

Ask What the Consequences Are Even If the Interpretation of the Data Is True

(4)

Beware of Changing Demographics

(3)

Try to ``See Through'' Graphs

(5)

Beware of Big (Small) Numbers

(1)

Beware of Generalizations

(2)

PART II: Aspects of Achievement

(52)

The Rise of Testing

(15)

Types of Tests

103

(9)

Other Indicators of Achievement

112

(23)

PART III: Handling the Tough Questions

135

(63)

How Come American Students Fall Farther Behind Their International Peers the Longer They Stay in School?

137

(12)

Why Are Test Scores Falling?

149

(13)

How Come Private Schools Do so Much Better Than Public Schools?

162

(6)

Why Don't We Have Vouchers so the Money Would Follow the Child?

168

(4)

Why Don't We Use Charter Schools as Laboratories for Innovation for the Rest of the System?

172

(6)

Why Are We Throwing Money at Schools?

178

(5)

Why Are SAT Scores Still Falling?

183

(2)

Why Don't Bright People Go Into Teaching?

185

(4)

With All This Talk About Standards and Accountability, Why Aren't Teachers and Administrators Held Accountable?

189

(9)

Conclusion

198

(3)

Resource A: Pop Quiz Answers

201

(4)

References

205

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Bail Me Out! : Handling Difficult Data and Tough Questions about Public Schools

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials