Crash Testing the MCPS Hype

Joseph Hawkins

Senior Study Director, Westat. Former evaluation specialist, MCPS.

At this Montgomery County Public Schools website, MCPS proudly points out that it is the home of 34 National Blue Ribbon Schools.
Blue Ribbon Schools are awarded by the U.S. Department of Education—the feds. The award is a prestigious award denoting high quality schools. Back in the day, I did Blue Ribbon school site visits for the feds, and so, I believe winning denotes that something special is truly present. Click here to read more about the award.
I think it is fair to say that MCPS likes the Blue Ribbon program. And because we have so many winning schools, it is probably also fair to say that MCPS believes that the feds know quality schools when they see them.
So, many of us MCPS-watchers are somewhat surprised when MCPS rejects the suggestion that Jerry Weast-era programs be submitted to the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) for review. In fact, when making this suggestion, some of us have been told by MCPS officials that the feds don’t have a clue about how to conduct research. Really!...

Patch article continues here.