Dear
Campbell,
I
read in the Wall Street Journal
that you have formed a new organization called “The Seventy
Four,” meaning the 74 million children who attend school in America. I noted
that you want to advocate on behalf of the children so they get a better
education. You and I have that in common. We both advocate on behalf of our
nation’s children.
As
you begin your new advocacy, there are a few things you need to know. Some of
them you can find in my book “Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization
Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools.”
*Test
scores are not declining or flat. In fact, they are the highest they have ever
been since the federal government started measuring scores in the early 1970s.
They are the highest ever for white, black, Hispanic, and Asian students.
*Graduation
rates are at their highest point in history, for all of these groups.
*Dropout
rates are at their lowest point in history, for all those groups.
The
schools and students that really need help are those who live in very poor
communities. Kids who live in poverty often don’t have adequate health care,
nutrition, decent housing, and economic security.
Why don’t we work together to
advocate for better living conditions for these children, their families, and
their communities. Standardized test scores are a mirror of family income. Some
poor kids beat the odds, but there is a tight correlation between test scores
and family income.
Now,
I realize that you are very concerned about the fact that 50% of our students
are “below grade level.” I want to make sure you understand that “grade level”
means “the median.”
It is the midpoint, and it doesn’t have a set meaning.
There will always be 50% above grade level, and 50% below grade level. That is
the definition of “grade level.”
I
don’t think you should be so fast to dismiss the intellectual calibre of
American students. I strongly recommend that you obtain a copy of a sample
eighth grade math test from the New York State Education Department.
Make sure
it is Common Core-aligned. Take the test. Please let me know how it goes and
how many questions you got right.
Good
luck with that! I am available to talk if you have any questions. Feel free to
call or drop a line.
Diane
Ravitch