Education

Closing the Measurement Gap

October 29, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

In a recent Education Week Commentary, sociologist Jennifer Booher-Jennings of Columbia University writes that the federal government endorses entirely different standards for measuring performance in medicine than it does for measuring public schools.

In rating the quality of hospitals, federal agencies make “risk adjustments” for hospitals that treat sicker patients—the idea being that that those institutions shouldn’t be penalized when more of their patients die because of factors beyond their control. But in measuring the quality of schools, no such risk adjustments are made for factors such as poverty or student mobility, Ms. Booher-Jennings contends.

What do you think? Should schools’ performance be adjusted for risk factors? If so, which risk factors would you include?

A version of this news article first appeared in the TalkBack blog.

Events

Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum Tech Is Everywhere. But Is It Making Schools Better?
Join us for a lively discussion about the ways that technology is being used to improve schools and how it is falling short.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: May 31, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: May 17, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: May 3, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: April 26, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read