Uneducated guesses : using evidence to uncover misguided education policies

Description

Uneducated Guesses challenges everything our policymakers thought they knew about education and education reform, from how to close the achievement gap in public schools to admission standards for top universities. In this explosive book, Howard Wainer uses statistical evidence to show why some of the most widely held beliefs in education today--and the policies that have resulted--are wrong. He shows why colleges that make the SAT optional for applicants end up with underperforming students and inflated national rankings, and why the push to substitute achievement tests for aptitude tests mak. Read more... Content: What happens if the SAT is made optional? -- Substituting achievement tests for aptitude tests -- Cut-offs for scholarships -- The aptitude-achievement function: an aid for allocating educational resources -- Comparing the incomparable -- On examinee choice in educational testing -- What if choice is part of the test? -- A little ignorance is a dangerous thing -- Assessing teachers from student scores: on the practicality of value-added models -- Shopping for colleges when what we know ain't -- Of cats and claims: the first step toward wisdom. Abstract: Challenges what our policymakers thought they knew about education and education reform, from how to close the achievement gap in public schools to admission standards for top universities. This book uses statistical evidence to show why some of the widely held beliefs in education today - and the policies that have resulted - are wrong. Read more...