Not available to order
Publication date:
16 December 2013Length of book:
170 pagesPublisher
R&L EducationISBN-13: 9781610489249
The systems that make up the accountability package in education: standards, assessments, and the quality determination for a school, have each entered the educational field under the explicit assumption by their creators that they would drive educator behavior in a positive way. But what if that isn’t actually the case? What if each of the components was actually designed for another purpose entirely and now is tasked with a role that was never considered in its design?
If that is the case those who put the systems in place risk expecting a result that the system was never designed to produce. That is exactly where we find ourselves today.
In education the misalignment between what the systems were designed to do and the intent of those who selected them is masked in the sheer complexity of the educational exercise. What this book does so marvelously is unravel that complexity and present the contradictions in a clear, coherent manner. Understanding these contradictions is the first step towards actual improvement.
This is a book that offers a new theory regarding educational accountability. As a theory, these ideas are not the final word on these topics, and John says as much in the process of sharing his ideas. But these ideas provide strong explanations for the current situation we face in education and provide a pathway for potential solutions. It is a book well worth the time spent to read and one that can fundamentally reshape our thinking about to improve learning for students across the country.