It's funny you mention the Red Sox disregarding batting averages because that's a fantastic analogy. Batting average hasn't been a relevant metric for MLB for at least the past decade. More advanced and predictive sabermetrics like OPS and WAR have shown to be much more useful in assessing player value. Similarly, an exam that 90% of students pass on the first attempt (two years prior to graduation, mind you) has limited usefulness in identifying college and career readiness. If the Red Sox gave out contracts to players based on performances from two years prior, they would have re-signed Chris Sale (OK, maybe not a great example). The MCAS accomplishes nothing aside from redirecting the curriculum of most 10th grade teachers to mirror that of the test, which turns classrooms into rote test prep machines in service to a graduation requirement that represents the bare minimum of hurdles.
Teachers unions in many jurisdictions have come out aggressively against educational standards so that their membership cannot be held accountable for failure to teach. It’s a scandal. Thank you for bringing attention to it.
Excellent article, Roger. Sadly, the teachers unions across the country have become entrenched monopolies. Why are they allowed to set academic credentials?
It's funny you mention the Red Sox disregarding batting averages because that's a fantastic analogy. Batting average hasn't been a relevant metric for MLB for at least the past decade. More advanced and predictive sabermetrics like OPS and WAR have shown to be much more useful in assessing player value. Similarly, an exam that 90% of students pass on the first attempt (two years prior to graduation, mind you) has limited usefulness in identifying college and career readiness. If the Red Sox gave out contracts to players based on performances from two years prior, they would have re-signed Chris Sale (OK, maybe not a great example). The MCAS accomplishes nothing aside from redirecting the curriculum of most 10th grade teachers to mirror that of the test, which turns classrooms into rote test prep machines in service to a graduation requirement that represents the bare minimum of hurdles.
Teachers unions in many jurisdictions have come out aggressively against educational standards so that their membership cannot be held accountable for failure to teach. It’s a scandal. Thank you for bringing attention to it.
Roger, the party you consistently champion is a fully owned subsidiary of the teachers union.
Illiterates can't teach literacy, and just because you're black doesn't make you literate.
Excellent article, Roger. Sadly, the teachers unions across the country have become entrenched monopolies. Why are they allowed to set academic credentials?