The Problem with Using Raw Test Scores to Evaluate Schools

In this Education Gadfly article, Michael Petrilli uses the dismal 2013 test results of Democracy Prep, a high-poverty New York City middle school (fewer than 10 percent were proficient on the state’s new Common Core-aligned tests) to illustrate the problem with using just test scores – the percent of students scoring proficient and above – to “grade” schools. This school would seem to deserve an F. 

But it turns out that Democracy Prep students have been gaining 2-1/2 times as much in math and five times as much in English as other New York City charter schools. “To move our scholars from whatever grade or performance level they enter to be ready for success in the college of their choice and a life of active citizenship takes us at least five years,” says Seth Andrew, founder of Democracy Prep. “Given that time, our scholars consistently out-perform wealthy Westchester County on their Regents exams in nearly every subject and our first class of graduates outperformed white students on their SAT’s.”

“Proficiency rates are terrible measures of school effectiveness,” concludes Petrilli. It’s better to measure a school’s “velocity” – how much academic growth the school helps students make each school year. “To be sure,” Petrilli continues, “proficiency rates should be reported publicly, and parents should be told whether their children are on track for college or a well-paying career… But using these rates to evaluate schools will end up mislabeling many as failures that might in fact be doing incredible work at helping their students make progress over time… They are being punished for serving students who are coming to them way, way below grade level.” 

“The Problem with Proficiency” by Michael Petrilli in The Education Gadfly, Aug. 15, 2013 (Vol. 13, #31), http://www.edexcellence.net/commentary/education-gadfly-weekly/ 

From the Marshall Memo #498