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

by Gerald W. Bracey

• ISBN13: 9780761976035
• ISBN10: 0761976035
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-04-11
• Publisher: Corwin Pr
• More Book Details

Summary

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.

Table of Contents

About the Author	ix
Introduction: Why You Need a Book Like This	1	(6)
PART I: Principles of Data Interpretation, or, How to Keep From Getting Statistically Snookered	7	(76)
Beware of Averages	11	(3)
Follow the Money	14	(5)
Beware of the Uncritical Acceptance of Convenient Conclusions	19	(3)
Watch for Selectivity in the Data	22	(6)
Show Me the Data!	28	(3)
Beware of Nostalgia	31	(7)
Beware of Causal Explanations Made From Correlational Data	38	(6)
Be Aware of Whether the Statistics Being Used Are Numbers or Rates (Percentages)	44	(4)
Know Whether You're Dealing With Ranks or Scores	48	(2)
Make Sure the Statistic Used Is the Right One	50	(4)
Ask How the Variable Is Defined	54	(2)
Ask How the Variable Is Defined---And Then Ask What the Criterion Measure Is	56	(2)
Differentiate Practical and Statistical Significance	58	(5)
Look for Trends, Not Snapshots	63	(4)
Beware of Trends	67	(1)
Ask What the Consequences Are Even If the Interpretation of the Data Is True	68	(4)
Beware of Changing Demographics	72	(3)
Try to ``See Through'' Graphs	75	(5)
Beware of Big (Small) Numbers	80	(1)
Beware of Generalizations	81	(2)
PART II: Aspects of Achievement	83	(52)
The Rise of Testing	88	(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