Like School Comparisons on My School are Out of Date

Posted on Saturday May 8, 2010

Changes in the demographic profiles of geographical areas between census years may invalidate many comparisons of so-called “like schools”. >> Read on...

Extensive Private Tutoring Corrupts the Reliability of School Comparisons on My School

Posted on Friday May 7, 2010

Widespread and increasing use of private tutoring corrupts the reliability of comparisons of so-called “like schools” on the My School website. >> Read on...

My School Ignores Differences in the Ethnic Composition of Schools

Posted on Thursday May 6, 2010

The so-called “like school” comparisons in the My School website are a travesty. One of the many background factors which influence school results but which are ignored by My School is the ethnic profile of schools. This flaw leads to misleading comparisons of school results. >> Read on...

Misclassification Errors in My School Comparisons: A Response to Professor McGaw

Posted on Tuesday April 27, 2010

Professor Barry McGaw, Chairman of ACARA, says that Save Our Schools is incorrect in claiming that the “like school” comparisons on the My School website are biased in favour of private schools. However, the available evidence supports the SOS case. >> Read on...

Missing Census Data May Further Bias My School Comparisons

Posted on Saturday April 24, 2010

High non-response rates for the questions on key Census variables used to measure the socio-economic status of schools on the My School website may further bias “like school” comparisons in favour of private schools. >> Read on...

Principals to Boycott Tests in England

Posted on Thursday April 22, 2010

School principals in England vote to boycott primary school tests used to publish school league tables. >> Read on...

School Daze

Posted on Wednesday April 21, 2010

More detail on how comparisons of so-called ‘like schools’ on the My School website are biased in favour of private schools. >> Read on...

My School: The Sum of All Fears

Posted on Friday April 16, 2010

The so-called like school comparisons on the My School website are biased in favour of private schools and exaggerate quality differences between similar schools. >> Read on...

Why Testing Fails: How Numbers Deceive Us All

Posted on Sunday April 4, 2010

Judging schools by test outcomes is doomed to failure. Once a number is used to judge outcomes, people will adjust their behavior to maximize that particular number. The actual outcome no longer matters. >> Read on...

Govt. Blocked Evaluation of the Adverse Consequences of My School

Posted on Wednesday March 31, 2010

Confidential minutes of a meeting of the national education ministers council reveal that ministers knew there would be adverse consequences from My School, and asked for them to be identified. The decision was never implemented. It appears it was blocked by the Federal Education Minister and her department. >> Read on...

My School Comparisons are Biased in Favour of Private Schools

Posted on Saturday February 20, 2010

The ‘like school’ comparisons on the My School website purport to compare the test results of schools having similar socio-economic student populations. However, like is not consistently compared with like. >> Read on...

‘Like School’ Comparisons on My School are Flawed and Misleading

Posted on Saturday February 20, 2010

The My School website purports to enable comparisons of school results amongst socio-educationally similar schools – so-called ‘like schools’. However, these comparisons are unreliable because the measure of like schools is flawed and it fails to take account of many factors outside the control of schools which affect test results. >> Read on...

New York to Red Flag Teachers who Fail to Improve Test Results

Posted on Thursday February 18, 2010

The My School website ‘red flags’ schools with low test results. The next step may be ‘red flags’ for teachers who fail to improve class test results, following the introduction of a teacher rankings in New York City by Julia Gillard’s mentor, School’s Chancellor, Joel Klein.< >> Read on...

US School Cheating Scandal Sends Warning on My School

Posted on Tuesday February 16, 2010

One of the largest school cheating scandals ever in the US is under investigation in the state of Georgia. The case has momentous implications for Australia now that My School is up and running. >> Read on...

Gillard’s Case for Publishing School Results is Based on Faith Not Evidence

Posted on Sunday February 7, 2010

An article in Australian Teacher Magazine says Julia Gillard’s claims about the benefits of the My School website do not withstand scrutiny,and that the Minister’s claims are faith-based rather than evidence-based.< >> Read on...

Uniquely Australian Mimicry

Posted on Thursday February 4, 2010

Like the ghost of Christmas past, no sooner are school NAPLAN results made public than an absolute cornerstone of the Klein claptrap is announced as new policy for expanding the My School website and “further empowering parents”.< >> Read on...

House of Commons Report Damns League Tables and Warns on School Report Cards

Posted on Monday February 1, 2010

The UK House of Commons Committee for Children, Schools and Families has made a devastating critique of the impact of league tables on education in England. >> Read on...

Parents Should Beware of My School Test Results

Posted on Thursday January 28, 2010

‘Parents beware! These results are highly inaccurate and misleading! Use them at your peril!’ This should be the red letter warning on school test results published on the My School website. >> Read on...

Languages Learning Under Threat from League Tables

Posted on Monday January 25, 2010

Language education in secondary schools continues to decline under the pressure of league tables according to new reports on language education just released in England and the United States. >> Read on...

Overtested, Overrated and Over Here

Posted on Wednesday January 20, 2010

The 28th of January this year will mark a very dark day for our education system in Australia. For the first time in our history, school data will be published nationally and available online. >> Read on...

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