Publications

Our Working Definition of Student Achievement and School Quality
Memo · May 2016

Having good definitions of the terms "student achievement" and "school quality" is important in our nation's quest to improve public education. But the two terms are often defined too simply, too narrowly, too controversially. This working memo puts forth our own deeper and broader definitions of these two important terms.

Minnesota's Achievement Gap: Asking the Right Questions
Article · June 2013

Kolderie raises some questions about the one-dimensional definition of 'achievement' currently accepted essentially unquestioned. Challenging un-stated premises—though likely to upset people—is a 'must' for good decisions and successful policymaking. A commentary by Ted Kolderie in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Minnesota Students Describe Their Chartered School Experiences
Memo · December 2004

At the Charter School Student Summit held in St. Paul in December 2004, students discussed, in small groups, their experiences attending Minnesota chartered schools. This document summarizes their discussions.

Schooling, Statistics, and Poverty: Can We Measure School Improvement (Raudenbush)
Report · April 2004

Under NCLB school quality is indicated by the percentage of students that tests reveal as proficient in various subject areas at a given time. School improvement is the rate at which this percentage increases. The problem is that equating percentage-proficient with school quality cannot withstand serious scientific scrutiny.

Life Is Not a Standardized Test
Article · January 2001

A former district official and college president argues for re-setting objectives and assessments for both college and high school. "We have fallen into the trap of valuing what we measure," he says, "rather than measuring what we value". Education is about critical thinking, analytical reasoning and problem-solving.

Measuring Quality in Health Care and Education
Meeting Notes · June 1986

In health care, as in education, there is pressure to increase revenue. In K-12 this results from a need to improve quality; in health care, from a need to expand access. Like clinics and hospitals, K-12 districts seeking additional revenue like to say "my cases are tougher." Walt McClure describes techniques for measuring quality that show major differences in effectiveness among the 'producers'.

The Aims of Education (Whitehead, 1929)
Article · January 1929

Culture is activity of thought, and receptiveness to beauty. Scraps of information have nothing to do with it. We should aim at producing people who possess both culture and expert knowledge in some special direction. Their knowledge will give them ground to start from, and their culture will lead them as deep as philosophy and as high as art.

Stay in Touch

Get new Education Evolving publications and fresh analysis in your inbox, no more than once a month.