tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post1608490814972789507..comments2024-03-28T20:37:26.897-04:00Comments on the daily howler: DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Stepping in for the Washington Post!<b>bob somerby</b>http://www.blogger.com/profile/02963464534685954436noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-75593211309594271102013-09-26T16:33:32.043-04:002013-09-26T16:33:32.043-04:00For another view: http://www.mahablog.com/2011/03...For another view: http://www.mahablog.com/2011/03/03/fun-with-numbers-2/<br /><br />Any comparisons that do not attempt to simultaneously control for all relevant variables (i.e., using multivariate methods) are suspect. That would include those of IowaHawk or the Mahablog. Google Harvey Goldstein at Bristol University if you want to read ablout how nonsensical educational rankings are. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-21735379885904935122013-09-11T14:04:15.529-04:002013-09-11T14:04:15.529-04:00The statistics are from the Department of Educatio...The statistics are from the Department of Education and use the same NEAP standard test. BTW, I am from a state that has fewer minorities than Wisconsin.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-27924117769377131722013-09-07T12:28:47.993-04:002013-09-07T12:28:47.993-04:00Dear Texan: Perhaps your choice of damned lies and...Dear Texan: Perhaps your choice of damned lies and statistics is the wrong one. All the states choose different tests to administer, and if you don't compare based on the SAME test, you can manipulate your stats to whatever you like them to mean. The blog you choose to quote is doing just that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-71170638724548161092013-09-06T18:04:39.887-04:002013-09-06T18:04:39.887-04:00The rankings of States for education is also a myt...The rankings of States for education is also a myth. Follow the link. Although the information is from 2009, you can get the idea:<br /><br />http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2011/03/longhorns-17-badgers-1.html<br /><br />Essentially, when taking into account the demographics of the student population, Whites in Texas outperformed Whites in Wisconsin; Blacks in Texas outperformed Blacks in Wisconsin; Hispanics in Texas outperformed Hispanics in Wisconsin (except 4th grade science). Since Whites outperformed Blacks and Hispanics and Wisconsin is over 90% White, Wisconsin ranked #2 and Texas (55% White) ranked #47, but digging in the demographics, Texas was superior in 17 of 18 demographic categories.<br /><br />"Lies, damned lies, and statistics" - Benjamin DisraeliAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-87996080601415285182013-09-06T16:10:02.228-04:002013-09-06T16:10:02.228-04:00The two strongest states on the TIMSS test, Massac...The two strongest states on the TIMSS test, Massachusetts and Minnesota, both have teachers union membership well above 90%. Of course, it's well known -- cough, cough -- that Finland's schools are heavily unionized. So much for the myth that teachers unions hold back educational progress.urban legendnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-82479683927565506042013-09-06T15:52:57.457-04:002013-09-06T15:52:57.457-04:00Myths repeated by journalists for major national p...Myths repeated by journalists for major national publications with virtually no effort to obtain genuine facts are not held in good faith. They do not deserve even that much credit.urban legendnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-3866783973206450562013-09-06T13:28:58.850-04:002013-09-06T13:28:58.850-04:00Actually, here in Alabama we have a very powerful ...Actually, here in Alabama we have a very powerful teachers union, despite the lack of unionization in most other industries.cacambonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8611810694571930415.post-29923344187483328432013-09-06T12:35:10.708-04:002013-09-06T12:35:10.708-04:00I don't know what to do about it because they&...I don't know what to do about it because they're narrow and parochial AND they make broad generalizations about the whole country. What is that called? I don't even know. <br /><br />The constant casual mentions of teachers unions is one example. The set this up as "reformers" versus "unions" but vast areas of the country don't have "unions." The teachers unions in New York are not actually representative of the unions or associations elsewhere. <br /><br />They have to know that Texas or South Carolina are not hotbeds of organized labor, right? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com