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Diane Ravitch

Diane Ravitch Quotes

Historian

Diane Ravitch is an American historian and education policy analyst. She is recognized for her extensive work in the field of education, particularly her research on the history of American education and her criticism of the No Child Left Behind Act.

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Famous Diane Ravitch Quotes

“The trouble with test-based accountability is that it imposes serious consequences on children, educators, and schools on the basis of scores that may reflect measurement error, statistical error, random variation, or a host of environmental factors or student attributes. None of us would want to be evaluated - with our reputation and livelihood on the line - solely on the basis of an instrument that is prone to error and ambiguity. The tests now in use are not adequate by themselves to the task of gauging the quality of schools or teachers ... they must be used with awareness of their limitations and variability. They were not designed to capture the most important dimensions of education, for which we do not have measures.”

Education Students Parents Testing Teachers Schools

Book:The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education

Source: The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education

“Of course, all students should learn African history, as they should learn the history of other continents and major civilizations. But this history should be taught accurately and based on the best scholarship, not ideology or politics.”

Should Courses Students Taught Civilization Majors Ideology Continents Scholarship

Author:Diane Ravitch

“I support charters, but the right kind of charters. I support charters that support kids who have the highest needs. A charter should be targeting students who are in serious trouble. It should serve students who didn't succeed in public schools when it can help them. Or, at least, charters should agree to accept similar proportions of the kids with the highest needs.”

Needs Should Kind Helping Kids School Accepting Support Trouble Students Serious Succeed Highest Agree Proportion Public School Charter

Author:Diane Ravitch

“In DC, policymakers think that if we can only have high enough standards, tough enough tests, and hold people accountable, we can close the achievement gap. And it hasn't happened. Yet the new law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, is based on the same test-based and market-driven framework and ideology, except it lets the states do it.”

People Ifs Thinking States Enough Law Happened Students Succeed Achievement Standards Tough Tests Driven Ideology Gaps Old People Framework Achievement Gap

Author:Diane Ravitch

“Teachers' working conditions are students' learning conditions”

Teacher Teaching Conditions Students Student Learning Working Conditions

Author:Diane Ravitch

“What is happening to teachers now across this nation is a disgrace. The attacks on them are a blot on our nation. Teachers and students are not different interest groups. Anyone who demeans teachers demeans education and hurts children.”

Children Different Nations Interest Hurt Teacher Groups Students Happenings Disgrace Teacher And Student Interest Groups

Author:Diane Ravitch