Many think tank reports used by lawmakers to shape education policy are little more than “junk science,” authors Kevin G. Welner and Alex Molnar argue in this Education Week Commentary.
According to Welner and Molnar, the majority of research published by private think tanks uses flawed data, inappropriate methods, and draws broad conclusions that are not supported by the evidence provided. Instead of basing policy decisions on this research, Welner and Molnar encourage a more open public dialogue to steer school reform in the right direction.
What do you think? Do reports by think tanks add to the debate? Or do they exert undue influence on policymaking?
