As districts across the country have become more diverse and students are able to attend schools not determined by their zip code, the need for accessible education data has grown exponentially.
Education Week reported this week on the School Choice Design Challenge, which resulted in the creation of six mobile applications or ‘apps,’ with which students can compare data on the city’s 732 high school programs.
The apps – created at the relatively low cost of $72,000 – allow for side-by-side comparisons of schools, and have reportedly become useful for low-income and immigrant families in search of educational alternatives.
The ease at which NYC families can access this technology demonstrates the positive effects and popularity of having access to school data. Transparency of information is a hallmark of Parent Power, which will hopefully continue to expand beyond this Big Apple app.
The Purpose of PISA
This week, we will learn the 2012 results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), taken by 15 year-old students from all over the world. If 2009 is any judge, no one really expects the United States to catapult to the top of the list of participating countries, but 2012 results are guaranteed to indicate how much work we have to do in improving education.
In 2009, US students scored only in the “average” category in reading, below countries like Finland, Canada, Japan, Poland and Iceland. Thirty-one jurisdictions outperformed the U.S in mathematics.
But before examining 2012 scores, it’s important to know why PISA was created in the first place. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the group that administers PISA, test results are intended to show where countries stand, and motivate policymakers to identify shortcomings and remedy them with proper reforms.
The central finding based on PISA has been that students around the world, regardless of economic situation or cultural background, have the potential to learn when given the opportunity.
This coincides seamlessly with the need to create environments where parents are given access and options to schools, and to ensure schools are accountable to boosting student outcomes. When children are placed in the environment that’s right for them, their ability to learn and prepare themselves for the world beyond secondary education increases exponentially. (Which is why it’s critical for parents to know what options are available to them, and why we’ve created the Parent Power Index.)
What good is the fixation on how the United States stacks up against other countries if it’s not followed up by introspection and action?
This year, it’s paramount that policymakers, members of the media, and legislators identify the challenges facing our education system, and enact the necessary reforms to overcome them.
When the 2015 results come out, we’ll know whether things remain business as usual when it comes to education in America. And while we’ve certainly moved the reform needle in the last 20 years, we know there is much work to be done still. Make it your New Year’s Resolution to take action and help better education in America – start by seeing how much power parents have in your state, and contact us for more ways to help!