Who is delivering information on student achievement, and what is their motivation? Information on student achievement is usually relayed by a second party that interprets studies, surveys, tests, or other data. Depending on their relationship to schools, there may be a bias in how information is reported. What kind of bias could each of the following sources have? State education official Testing company Teachers’ union School principal University researcher Community newspaper reporter Governor’s office Educational foundation Introduction What is the purpose of public education? Who makes major decisions affecting your child’s education? What do we really know about student achievement and school performance, and how do we find out more? Who is delivering information on student achievement, and what is their motivation? Weighing the evidence How to get involved Questions for parents to consider today: In your community, how and from whom do you hear about student achievement? What could be affected by student achievement data in your community? If student scores go up, will your school receive more funding or resources? If student scores go down, will your school receive less funding or resources? Are taxes likely to be changed based on student achievement? What types of educational news stories tend to be covered in your local news? Does your school respond reactively to the local media or proactively? How is news on student academics issued from your school? Home | Roots in History | Innovators | Evolving Classroom Photo Gallery | About the Series | Get Involved Copyright © 2001 Roundtable, Inc. All rights reserved.