Re: schools

[DANSWART@aol.com]

This is resubmission of a post in the grading in schools thread.

In a message dated 10/4/99 10:32:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
clauson@deming.ces.clemson.edu writes:

I believe John Purchase wrote:
 
<< It is possible (but not probable) for the entire cohort of a particular  
year in a school district in Kalamazoo, Michigan to all achieve scores that 
exceed the scores corresponding to the 95th percentile in the norming 
population. >>
 
Looking through the lens of the SoPK, there are at least five problems with 
the schools district's pronouncement (as reported):
 
Poor Leadership:

According to the SoPK, setting a numerical goal without specifying, in 
detail, the method by which it is to be achieved and demonstrating the 
capacity of the system to produce such a result, demonstrates poor 
leadership, which can only lead to disappointment.  The district's statement 
sounds like sloganeering by someone hoping to achieve results through 
charismatic leadership.  Whenever there is a succession in leadership, or a 
distressing news bulletin hits the front page, management begins by 
announcing a new and better goal, BUT leaves out the methodology.  That is 
why this school district sounds like a candidate for poorer grades next time, 
not better grades.
 
Lack of understanding of variation:

There is no stated statistcal or logical framework upon which to interpret 
the subsequent results.  What if the promised results do not occur (and they 
won't)?  Worse yet, what if the promised goal is met?!  It is irresponsible 
to lead others to believe that the highly improbable should be the 
comprehensive experience.  There is no accounting for common or special 
causes, thus robbing the parents, students, and district of any meaningful 
actions based on the results.  How do we interpret a rise in scores, or a 
decrease in scores?  Better would be, here are our current scores (in control 
or not), here is the method by which we will continuously improve them.

Theory of Knowledge Ignored:

According to the SoPK, the job of the school district's management is 
prediction of future results.  As stated, the district's declaration cannot 
be subjected to the PDSA cycle.  Results cannot be attributed to any specific 
effort, policy or procedure.  Accordingly, no new knowledge may be 
obtained--a waste of time, money and energy. 

Poor Understanding of Psychology:

According to the SoPK, competent leadership must consider the psychological 
impacts of their proposals, methods and actions.  What will be the 
psychological effect on everyone should they fail to meet this, admittedly 
improbable, goal?  Worse yet, what if they meet the goal? If the goal is 
achieved without a repeatable method it is luck, leading to false pride and 
certain disappointment in the future (the results cannot be repeated and 
scores will certainly go lower).  Costs include loss of faith in government 
officials, apathy, poor leadership practices in the future.  What are the 
long range costs of basing our sense of success and well-being, the future 
leadership of government, business, and education on outcomes that our not 
probable and cannot be repeated?  

Lack of Systems Thinking:

According to the SoPK, competent management looks upstream and downstream to 
maximize improvement.  I don't see where they have done this.  What are their 
attempts to improve the multitude of other influences that create high or low 
scores?  There is no stated integration of score results with job success, 
unemployment figures, scientific discoveries, school hiring practices, 
teacher training, administrator training, parent training.  What are the 
costs and benefits to society of the proposed action on a total cost basis?

Other than those five things, the goal sounds admirable.  Methods can be 
scientifically evaluated before and after; motivations cannot.  The SoPK 
warns us that noble motivations are not equivalent to noble deeds, and they 
are often (unintentionally) very destructive.


Dan
danswart@aol.com
"If you know better, then you have an obligation to lead.  Don't give up." -- 
Myron Tribus
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