Article about a project in NYC that attempts to measure the impact of teachers in the classroom.

Clearly resisted by most parties, I was struck by the declaration of one of the NYC officials:

“If the only thing we do is make this data available to every person in the city — every teacher, every parent, every principal, and say do with it what you will — that will have been a powerful step forward,” said Chris Cerf, the deputy schools chancellor who is overseeing the project. “If you know as a parent what’s the deal, I think that whole aspect will change behavior.”

Are we going to publish the rates of new teachers who quit? Of poverty within a given school? Of principal turnover?

This data without context — how it will undoubtedly be taken regardless of how its presented — will be utterly irrelevant.