A textbook case of how to distort a story, courtesy of KHOU
These two stories are a first-rate example of how the media can distort a story by failing to provide context. What's the context in this case? Yes, HISD has lost tests, but it's a problem HISD has admitted to, and has been addressing -- KHOU's statistics showed a declining rate of test booklet losses -- and HISD has one of the better test resolution rates in the state of Texas at 99%.
Greenblatt sort of whistled past those facts.
And in the case of the Stanford Achievement Test, HISD is one of the few districts that accounts for and returns the tests to Harcourt, the test's publisher. Therefore, HISD is one of only a few districts that has documented losses (again, the percentage is small) because most other districts don't even account for theirs! What an amazing bit of information Greenblatt chose to leave out!
In fact, Greenblatt spoke to a Harcourt spokesman who said that the lost testing materials don't compromise the test. Greenblatt suggested that Harcourt said that because Harcourt doesn't want to develop another test! Is it really Greenblatt's place to suggest to viewers that Harcourt was lying? Is that what a professional journalist does? Well, apparently it is when said journalist doesn't get the answer he wants.
As for the TAKS test, here's what a Dallas Morning News story discovered:
According to Texas Education Agency data, 7,084 test booklets from this spring's state testing in DISD have disappeared.
That's many more than other large districts in the state. Houston lost 1,111, Austin lost 436, and Fort Worth lost 384.
Of the lost Dallas test documents, the largest number – 5,989 – were from the state's main exam, the TAKS. The remainder was from other tests, such as the alternative assessment the state gives to special-education students.
Dallas ISD lost 7,084...HISD lost 1,111, and HISD's resolution rate has been improving. Yet Greenblatt roasts HISD.
Here's a question for Greenblatt: how many tests did Cy-Fair ISD lose? How about Spring Branch? Fort Bend? Alief?
Is there a reason Greenblatt went after HISD only? We've documented this problem before with the Chronicle -- doing only tough, investigative stories on HISD and either doing puff pieces or completely ignoring other local school districts. It's bizarre. If this is an important story to do (and it seems to be a story worthy of investigation), then why not look at test booklet accountability for ALL Houston-area school districts? And present ALL facts and both sides of the story. And don't just provide "experts" who agree with the journalist's predetermined thinking.
I can only surmise that KHOU is getting some heat for this story, because on its website KHOU has provided links to many documents in an effort to bolster Greenblatt's story. Also, it has posted HISD's response letter. I haven't seen KHOU do that before with a story.
I would also guess that HISD teachers are outraged at KHOU's story. Teachers don't appreciate being accused of cheating.
RELATED: HISD's response
UPDATE: Interestingly, one of the documents KHOU has listed in the sidebar of its second HISD-bashing story is this list of school districts and how many tests they are missing. Remember that HISD is our benchmark and HISD's percentage of materials lost is .0022%. Dallas ISD's percentage of materials lost is .0202%, El Paso ISD's is .0316%, Klein ISD's is .0081%, Alief ISD's is .0063%, and Austin ISD's, Pasadena ISD's, Pearland ISD's and Spring Branch ISD's are all .0028%.
All higher -- as a percentage of materials lost -- than HISD's.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 11/10/05 11:42 AM | Print |
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