D.C. Success Must Go Beyond Test Scores, Study Says, p. 6
The National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies has been hired to evaluate the effectiveness of reforms to the D.C. school system that were made during the tenure of its previous chancellor, Michelle Rhee. While test scores have been going up in the district since Rhee came aboard in 2007 and implemented some major reforms, the NRC says that test scores alone cannot prove students are learning better, nor can they be attributed to specific changes made by Rhee. The NRC wants the district to beef up its longitudinal student data system so it can properly evaluate the effects of Rhee’s reforms. The system for gathering this data is not up and running yet. Most urban school systems have more sophisticated data systems than those in D.C.
Some problems with the current data: There have been demographic changes in the district in recent years, such as an increase in the poverty rate, a decrease in the numbers of students with disabilities or with limited English proficiency, a decrease in black students, and an increase in white and Hispanic students. Demographic changes can skew the data. Also, it was noted that test scores were beginning to increase before the reforms were made. A closer look at specific schools and specific areas will be in order as more data become available.
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