Education Success Stories?
November 26, 2022 3:16 AM Subscribe
I am looking for stories, and especially data, about schools that have turned around for the better. Also interested data or stories about school districts or states that have made significant improvements. And, of course, I'd like to learn how any of these made those improvements.
This This American Life episode talks about the improvements one school made (before they were undone by the district, which it also goes into): Two Steps Back.
posted by odd ghost at 4:38 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by odd ghost at 4:38 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've just re-read (I was looking for a specific reference) David Winkley's Handsworth Revolution (2002). It is available at the Internet Archive. There's also this book about Harrow Fold School. And there are two books by Katharine Birbalsingh about the London school Michaela, though her approach is Marmite. This review gives a sense of why. This 2020 School Improvement Commission report, Improving Schools, may be useful and lists other publications. In practice, my experience as a school governor is that it is hard to move from the big picture statements about good practice in those sorts of reports to sustained improvement on the ground. Some schools apparently move from poor to good and then back again quickly, which suggests that improvements were either not real or not sustainable.
In terms of data, here are the recent figures on inspections and improvement or decline. You can use school performance data to identify schools where performance (absolute or value-added) has improved, though would need to watch out for small cohorts.
On preview - your reference to states suggests you are not interested in UK schools, but will leave this here in case.
posted by paduasoy at 5:08 AM on November 26, 2022
In terms of data, here are the recent figures on inspections and improvement or decline. You can use school performance data to identify schools where performance (absolute or value-added) has improved, though would need to watch out for small cohorts.
On preview - your reference to states suggests you are not interested in UK schools, but will leave this here in case.
posted by paduasoy at 5:08 AM on November 26, 2022
Response by poster: I am also open to hearing about education turnarounds outside the USA.
posted by NotLost at 8:22 AM on November 26, 2022
posted by NotLost at 8:22 AM on November 26, 2022
NotLost, do you only want to hear about schools for children, or would you also be open to hearing about schools for adults (such as universities, medical schools, etc.)?
posted by brainwane at 9:53 AM on November 26, 2022
posted by brainwane at 9:53 AM on November 26, 2022
Response by poster: I was originally thinking of K-12 (or the equivalent), brainwane, but any stories from schools for adults might lend insight.
In case it helps for context, this is mainly in pursuit of helping improve the schools in my district and state. But anything related might be interesting and help someone in a roughly similar situation. Thanks for asking.
posted by NotLost at 10:29 AM on November 26, 2022
In case it helps for context, this is mainly in pursuit of helping improve the schools in my district and state. But anything related might be interesting and help someone in a roughly similar situation. Thanks for asking.
posted by NotLost at 10:29 AM on November 26, 2022
One of many, many challenges with education research is that you first have to decide what is important and worthy of being improved. What does an institution claim to value, and what does it actually value? Looking at the Ofsted report, there's a link to the research underlying their framework, and that might be helpful. I do think that in general education research and strategy in Europe is more coordinated. You might find an article like this useful.
Pellegrini, M., & Vivanet, G. (2021). Evidence-Based Policies in Education: Initiatives and Challenges in Europe. ECNU Review of Education, 4(1), 25–45. https://doi-org/10.1177/2096531120924670
It's on Sci-Hub if you can't get to it.
Student populations and contexts are massively variable, so what works in some contexts may not work in others. This is a criticism of evidence-based education. You also have to be cautious of the easy story and the snake-oil sales for programs, and also for technology magic wands. It's a bit like management advice. Long on stories, but short on careful thinking about the stories, and short on good data of many kinds.
One thing we know works is money, but few people want to hear that. It helps if the students aren't hungry and teachers aren't stretched thin. Massachusetts has, by some definitions, a very successful school system.
In the U.S. you might look at the Department of Education What Works Clearinghouse, but even there you probably have to be careful. There are often foundations with agendas set by billionaires which fund and report on research. You might look at organizations like the NEA and what they advocate for.
posted by idb at 10:51 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Pellegrini, M., & Vivanet, G. (2021). Evidence-Based Policies in Education: Initiatives and Challenges in Europe. ECNU Review of Education, 4(1), 25–45. https://doi-org/10.1177/2096531120924670
It's on Sci-Hub if you can't get to it.
Student populations and contexts are massively variable, so what works in some contexts may not work in others. This is a criticism of evidence-based education. You also have to be cautious of the easy story and the snake-oil sales for programs, and also for technology magic wands. It's a bit like management advice. Long on stories, but short on careful thinking about the stories, and short on good data of many kinds.
One thing we know works is money, but few people want to hear that. It helps if the students aren't hungry and teachers aren't stretched thin. Massachusetts has, by some definitions, a very successful school system.
In the U.S. you might look at the Department of Education What Works Clearinghouse, but even there you probably have to be careful. There are often foundations with agendas set by billionaires which fund and report on research. You might look at organizations like the NEA and what they advocate for.
posted by idb at 10:51 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you all. You have given me some good sources to explore.
posted by NotLost at 8:38 AM on November 27, 2022
posted by NotLost at 8:38 AM on November 27, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by NotLost at 3:59 AM on November 26, 2022