Philosophy, et cetera 2008-08-04

Who needs a challenge?

Thanks to Helen for drawing my attention to this absurd school rating system:The Newsweek and Washington Post Challenge Index measures a public high school’s effort to challenge its students. The formula is simple: Divide the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests a school gave by the number of seniors who graduated in May or June. Tests taken by all students, not just seniors, are counted. Magnet or charter schools with SAT combined verbal and math averages higher than 1300, or ACT average scores above 29, are not included, since they do not have enough average students who need a challenge. Got that? Only "average students" "need a challenge". So elite schools obviously have no place on a list of schools that challenge their students. Gifted kids can just twiddle their thumbs all day for all we care. ...

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