Schools of education have never been accorded respect by the academy or by the public. But their reputation will assuredly take even a greater hit as a result of new criteria to evaluate them ("Seeking Better Teachers, City Rates Colleges That Train Them," The New York Times, Aug. 15). Although the change is slated for schools of education in New York City, there are nationwide implications.
The new system uses six measures, including the number of graduates who are placed in low-performing schools and in high-demand subjects, and their ability to boost student test scores. I'm not an apologist for education schools. But the criteria that New York City sets forth do not pass the fairness test. Schools of education cannot guarantee that their graduates will increase standardized test scores any more than medical schools can guarantee that their graduates will improve patient health. There are factors beyond the control of their respective practitioners.
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