In the news: Do K–8 school rankings tell the whole story?

For the first time, U.S. News & World Report is ranking the nation’s elementary and middle schools to go along with its annual ranking of high schools and colleges. But unlike the high school and college rankings, which are national, the new K–8 rankings are categorized at the state, district, charter and magnet levels. This means these rankings are based, almost entirely, on standardized tests.

Should parents solely base their school selection for their child on these rankings? Our experts say, no. Regents Professor Emeritus  David Berliner says rankings that rely on test scores, even as they adjust for factors like student poverty, often tell as much about a student’s income background as they do about achievement.

Read the article and hear more from Berliner, Dorn, Glass and Powers.