School Information System: Making The Grade

August 28, 2006

Making The Grade

Quiz: Of the 10 largest school systems, which have made the best gains in student scores? Answer: Philadelphia and New York. Between 2002 and 2005 for grades K-8, Philly gained 19.5 points in proficiency on the state assessment system, while NYC schools posted a 13-point increase on state exams. Even if you normalize for the different gains made in various states, you get the same rankings: Philly No. 1, NYC No. 2.

In 2002, only 21% of Philadelphia students were proficient. By 2005, that nearly doubled to 40%. At its current pace, Philadelphia will increase the proficiency of its students by more than 25 points across five years. That has life-changing consequences for a quarter of its students: One who would have dropped out might now graduate. Another who would have gotten into college might now get into a better one.

In sharp contrast to years past, most big public school systems are now producing achievement gains. That's to be applauded, but educational leadership can learn much from two cities with multiyear trajectories two to three times those of their similar-sized peers. Each has managed to put (and keep) together a group of factors that drive academic success, and that others may want to replicate:

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The fourth success factor may seem at odds with the third. While Messrs. Vallas and Klein believe in a robust, central system to support their schools, they promote educational competition within their cities. Have they concluded that it may not be possible to move to a complete free market of education in the near term; and, in the meantime, the old but improved system should coexist with a bevy of new educational providers? Or do they believe that one major educational provider with multiple smaller competitors is a preferable course that pushes all schools to higher performance levels? Whatever their philosophy, their actions are clear. Mr. Vallas now presides over a district where roughly 25% of schools are charters or managed by private institutions. Mr. Klein has increased the presence of charters and alternative providers -- and argued that New York's legislature should lift the cap on charters. He's also given unprecedented freedom to a quarter of the sites within his system, those he deems to be most capable of managing their freedom -- as long as they agree to be held accountable if their children fail to improve.