Comments on: Arkansas gets a B- in Ed Week’s “Quality” Counts Report http://mid-riffs.com/2010/01/arkansas-gets-a-b-in-ed-weeks-quality-counts-report/ a view from mid-America Sat, 04 Sep 2010 18:47:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: The Mere Academic http://mid-riffs.com/2010/01/arkansas-gets-a-b-in-ed-weeks-quality-counts-report/comment-page-1/#comment-23110 The Mere Academic Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:24:52 +0000 http://mid-riffs.com/?p=2170#comment-23110 Right ... I was not arguing for or against any of the measures there, I was just aiming to clarify that the ranking of 35 was only for a single component. Indeed, as Stuart notes, the aggregating of all of these disparate measures into a single index score is silly. Further, I would agree that we should pay more attention to outputs than inputs. Having said that, I am hopeful that positive scores on the Standards and Assessments measure are good indicators and this has the potential to lead to better outcomes on concrete performance measures in the near future. Right … I was not arguing for or against any of the measures there, I was just aiming to clarify that the ranking of 35 was only for a single component.

Indeed, as Stuart notes, the aggregating of all of these disparate measures into a single index score is silly. Further, I would agree that we should pay more attention to outputs than inputs. Having said that, I am hopeful that positive scores on the Standards and Assessments measure are good indicators and this has the potential to lead to better outcomes on concrete performance measures in the near future.

]]> By: Josh McGee http://mid-riffs.com/2010/01/arkansas-gets-a-b-in-ed-weeks-quality-counts-report/comment-page-1/#comment-23109 Josh McGee Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:12:15 +0000 http://mid-riffs.com/?p=2170#comment-23109 Mere Academic, I tried to make this point above, but maybe I failed. My contention is for the past two years we have received decent-to-good grades for the quality of our inputs, and poor grades on most output measures. For example we receive a B+ in the Teaching Profession category, but a D in both Achievement and College Readiness. The ranking of 10th is a little misleading because it weights inputs heavily. I am pleased that we have a standards and assessment system in place and I believe inputs are important, but I care more about the bottom line, attainment and achievement. Mere Academic, I tried to make this point above, but maybe I failed. My contention is for the past two years we have received decent-to-good grades for the quality of our inputs, and poor grades on most output measures. For example we receive a B+ in the Teaching Profession category, but a D in both Achievement and College Readiness. The ranking of 10th is a little misleading because it weights inputs heavily. I am pleased that we have a standards and assessment system in place and I believe inputs are important, but I care more about the bottom line, attainment and achievement.

]]> By: The Mere Academic http://mid-riffs.com/2010/01/arkansas-gets-a-b-in-ed-weeks-quality-counts-report/comment-page-1/#comment-23094 The Mere Academic Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:07:35 +0000 http://mid-riffs.com/?p=2170#comment-23094 We should be clear though, that Arkansas's ranking of 45th in EdWeek and 35th in the revised CREDO rankings are ONLY on the dubious Chance for Success Index. On the other hand, here are Arkansas's grades in the other categories: Standards Assessments and Accountability (2010) Grade = A Rank = 7th The Teaching Profession (from 2010 data) Grade = B+ Rank = 2nd School Finance (from 2010 data) Grade = C Rank = 25th K12 Achievement (from 2008 data) Grade = D Rank = about 32nd Transitions and Alignment (from 2009 data) Grade = B Rank = 6th (Tied) ** Of course, all of these grades are made up of a mix of components, some of which are better than others. Go to EdWeek to see for yourself. http://www.edweek.org/ew/qc/2010/17src.h29.html Here is today's article on this ... http://arkansasnews.com/2010/01/14/report-says-arkansas-10th-in-education/ We should be clear though, that Arkansas’s ranking of 45th in EdWeek and 35th in the revised CREDO rankings are ONLY on the dubious Chance for Success Index. On the other hand, here are Arkansas’s grades in the other categories:

Standards Assessments and Accountability (2010)
Grade = A
Rank = 7th

The Teaching Profession (from 2010 data)
Grade = B+
Rank = 2nd

School Finance (from 2010 data)
Grade = C
Rank = 25th

K12 Achievement (from 2008 data)
Grade = D
Rank = about 32nd

Transitions and Alignment (from 2009 data)
Grade = B
Rank = 6th (Tied)

** Of course, all of these grades are made up of a mix of components, some of which are better than others. Go to EdWeek to see for yourself.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/qc/2010/17src.h29.html

Here is today’s article on this …

http://arkansasnews.com/2010/01/14/report-says-arkansas-10th-in-education/

]]> By: SBuck http://mid-riffs.com/2010/01/arkansas-gets-a-b-in-ed-weeks-quality-counts-report/comment-page-1/#comment-23003 SBuck Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:08:14 +0000 http://mid-riffs.com/?p=2170#comment-23003 I can't believe they make the same glaring error even after Gary Ritter and I pointed out the error in a published letter to Ed Week. I can’t believe they make the same glaring error even after Gary Ritter and I pointed out the error in a published letter to Ed Week.

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