As evidenced by other blog postings, those of us at Mission Measurement are very interested in education, both in general and from a measurement perspective.  In an effort to stay involved in the latest discussions in the field, a few of us read the recent report “Pathways to Prosperity” and participated in EdWeek’s “Pathways” web-based discussion.

The report and discussion bring up a number of very interesting and difficult questions, both directly and indirectly.  Rather than regurgitating everything, here is an overly simplified, brief synopsis. 

The ultimate goal of education is to prepare youth to be productive citizens.  In its attempt to accomplish this, the United States has focused education on a too narrowly defined “college for all” goal that excludes economically viable (and economically essential) career-preparedness or trade skills.  Moreover, the narrowly defined goal has made the typical high school education boring for many and watered-down relative to the demands of a four-year university.  Thus, we have a number of students who do not persist in education through the end of high school because they are bored, uninspired, or do not see a connection between what they are learning and what they desire to do and another group who are not academically able to persist through the end of college.  As a result, our education system is not successfully accomplishing its goal and worse, we are falling behind other countries throughout the world.

To begin to resolve this issue, the report suggests, we need to look abroad and see what other countries, especially those who are now outperforming us, are doing and how we can modify the most successful practices to match American culture and values.  Ultimately, the report proposes, the solution needs to involve a broader definition of the pathways available to young people, greater involvement in education for employers, and a social compact between society as a whole and young people.

I find the arguments made in the report, and the data used to support them, to be compelling and largely in line with a number of the thoughts and observations I have had over my years in education.  However, I also find myself asking a number of difficult questions related to these issues. 

-How do we ensure that a pathways approach (i.e. one that places more emphasis on the career readiness piece) does not turn into a new tracking mechanism that reinforces existing socioeconomic strata or create some form of segregation?  Is providing students the choice of pathways enough, given that students from different backgrounds have differing levels of knowledge about options available to them and differing levels of resources to support them in their pursuit of a pathway?

-Should we have a nationalized education system?  Given the interconnectedness of today’s world, does it still make sense to have so many competing views of: College and career readiness? Funding for education?  Accountability systems? Standardized tests?  Would it make more sense to have one common understanding of these things and one common benchmark for all schools?

-Has the narrowly defined “college for all” movement created unintended consequences that have left certain individuals worse off than they would have been had they pursued a trade or credentialing program?  For example, how many of the students that are sent off to college woefully underprepared and, as a result, unable to finish a degree, wind up saddled with debt that they likely will not be able to pay off and a worse job than they would have gotten through trade school or a credentialing program?

-How do we measure the performance of schools that are engaging in a pathways approach?  How do we hold them accountable for their performance?

It is this last question, that of measurement, that we here at Mission Measurement hope to help address through our work.  It is an exciting time in education because it is rapidly becoming an issue on the forefront of everyone’s mind and the groundwork is being laid for some truly incredible changes to occur.  We hope to play a critical role in helping move things forward.