There are some districts in [New York] state that recorded proficiency rates of close to 100% on this year's math tests. This Lake Wobegon effect is an embarrassment...
Look, if you're going to start throwing around tired cliches instead of offering actual analysis, at least get the cliches right. As everyone (except, apparently, Sol Stern) knows, the Lake Wobegon effect refers to the mathematically specious idea that, to quote Garrison Keillor, "all of the children are above average." Proficient is not average. Proficient means you've acquired a certain defined set of knowledge and skills. While the percent of students who can reasonably be expected to meet any given definition of proficiency is debatable, there's no inherent generalized reason that it can't be "close to 100%." There are lots of of important things that close to 100% of people can do.
1 comment:
Thanks, Kevin, spotting this cliche, and then for distinguishing between proficiency and average. It's ironic how many educators and ed policy writers miss these differences.
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