Betsy DeVos doesn’t think numbers are important

[88m3]

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has a history of either failing to understand or ignoring topics that pertain to her job. Now we can add “numbers” to the list.

A staunch proponent of unregulated school choice, DeVos said at a recent public forum that she wants her record in office graded on expansion of those policies rather than on the academic outcomes, according to the Washington Post. “I’m not a numbers person,” she said.

While school choice gets support across the political aisle, the best way to determine its success and effectiveness would be hard data. That’s how lawmakers have historically determined education policy.

For example, the divisive No Child Left Behind Act — a portion of the larger Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which authorizes federal spending on K-12 schooling — requires that schools test various grade levels in math, reading, and science to ensure “proficiency,” which marks when a student has reached a specific benchmark, like a third-grade reading level.

But at her confirmation hearing, DeVos didn’t seem to understand a basic tenet of the debate over No Child Left Behind: the difference between using test scores as a measure of proficiency and using them as a measure of growth, indicating a student’s progress over time. Sen. Al Franken, who asked for her thoughts on the issue, had to explain the concepts to her.

Instead of following the numbers, DeVos would apparently rather spew soundbites — like comparing school choice to taking an Uber instead of a taxi— that suggest the education market behaves like the traditional business one. It doesn’t.

Betsy DeVos doesn't think numbers are important


Takbir!

 

[Pressure]

Hrmm...it is almost like these policies are faith based.

 

[ORDER_66]

Be the head of the Department of Education and SAY NUMBERS AREN'T IMPORTANT BREHS!!!! So what the fukk are kids going to school for???

 

[Dr. Acula]

You guys will start to feel less frustrated when you realize Bannon stated these people were chosen for the express purpose they will destroy the institutions they lead.

Why do you think there are still 500+ staffing positions still unfilled?

This is all by design. The goal is to break the system into itsy bitsy pieces.

 

[Pressure]

Be the head of the Department of Education and SAY NUMBERS AREN'T IMPORTANT BREHS!!!! So what the fukk are kids going to school for???

To learn to valuable skills for the future. For example, working for food:

New Mexico Outlaws School ‘Lunch Shaming’

 

[ORDER_66]

To learn to valuable skills for the future. For example, working for food:

New Mexico Outlaws School ‘Lunch Shaming’

No more food shaming, carry your own lunch...

 

[the cac mamba]

Chilling.

 

[Shogun]

Until Americans begin valuing and taking personal ownership of educating themselves and their children...nothing will work.
Looking to "the government" to magically educate everyone is pointless.

 

[levitate]

ButHerEmails

 

[Berniewood Hogan]

Until Americans begin valuing and taking personal ownership of educating themselves and their children...nothing will work.
Looking to "the government" to magically educate everyone is pointless.

No one's asking for a magical solution. We just don't want the education system run by a family of Scamway Christian Jihad mercenaries who want to destroy it.

 

[Shogun]

No one's asking for a magical solution. We just don't want the education system run by a family of Scamway Christian Jihad mercenaries who want to destroy it.

Agreed, but its still all political jockeying. No where in this debate is actually educating kids the motivation.

 

[Dr. Acula]

Until Americans begin valuing and taking personal ownership of educating themselves and their children...nothing will work.
Looking to "the government" to magically educate everyone is pointless.

We have a lot of successful people in our society who went to public schools.

Without access to education there would be a whole generation of people who didn't receive it.

Its easy to talk about the failures, and they are there, but ignore the most obvious but forgotten fact that most of our population is publically educated. There are doctors, lawyers, engineers, nurses, etc that went to public schools and got an education.

 

[88m3]

Agreed, but its still all political jockeying. No where in this debate is actually educating kids the motivation.

Wrong!

We have a lot of successful people in our society who went to public schools.

Without access to education there would be a whole generation of people who didn't receive it.

Its easy to talk about the failures, and they are there, but ignore the most obvious but forgotten fact that most of our population is publically educated. There are doctors, lawyers, engineers, nurses, etc that went to public schools and got an education.

 

[Serious]

insane

 

[Shogun]

We have a lot of successful people in our society who went to public schools.

Without access to education there would be a whole generation of people who didn't receive it.

Its easy to talk about the failures, and they are there, but ignore the most obvious but forgotten fact that most of our population is publically educated. There are doctors, lawyers, engineers, nurses, etc that went to public schools and got an education.

I teach social studies in a public school. I agree that DeVos and her ilk are morons.
Still, though, politicians aren't doing much better for education in this country.
Most people debate education as a proxy to further whatever partisan narrative they've bought into when the obvious fact is America doesn't value education, and until it does, there isn't much that will improve the situation.