Continuing the Search for Better Quality Indicators

I don't have an answer, but I suspect we need to bring back many of the "firewalls" that technology and "reform" have demolished. Just like the need for a firewall between the news and the marketing departments of newspapers, and between investment bankers and their other functions, we need walls between educators and education entrepeneurs. To give the example that I've seen, credit recovery programs have inherent flaws but they are made much worse by administrators needing CYA. Administrators need to check off the "to do" lists' requirements that they demonstrate that "safety nets" are available for struggling students. The "quick fix" tutorial approach often leads to students trying to memorize answers rather than learn the material in the online tutotial. Most fail. But if also you don't invest in people to debrief those students and re-motivate them, then you get the worst of both worlds. Students are misled into believing they can under-acheive and get bailed out with a tutorial, and then they are forgotten, as adults claim they offered interventions. But if the same tutorial was used under the auspices of a community college, with a real instructor not supervised by the school system, the tool would be much more valuable. Preferably, these online courses would be offered in a location that is convenient, but away from the school building. Just offering the courses in a pre-fab building on other side of the parking lot could be beneficial, reminding students that they aren't in high school anymore where gamesmanship often trumps reality. And we in public schools are no different than people in other institutions. Community colleges or universities or any other institutions could benefit from more firewalls.