Mathematics Expert Rejects Use Of Value-Added Modeling In Education

John Ewing, president of Math for America, writes at the Washington Post (5/10) "Answer Sheet" blog about the "misuse" of mathematics historically, noting that the "most common misuse of mathematics is simpler, more pervasive, and (alas) more insidious: mathematics employed as a rhetorical weapon-an intellectual credential to convince the public that an idea or a process is 'objective' and hence better than other competing ideas or processes. This is mathematical intimidation." He adds that value-added modeling is "the latest instance of the phenomenon," noting that it is "touted as the modern, 'scientific' way to measure educational success in everything from charter schools to individual teachers. Yet most of those promoting value-added modeling are ill-equipped to judge either its effectiveness or its limitations."