"Beware of geeks bearing formulas": Reflections on growth models for school accountability

Educators may be unhappy with the current NCLB-style accountability model. But they should exercise equal caution when considering the growth model because a poorly designed growth model would be no better than the poorly designed proficiency model we have now. The tension between more accurate - and arguably more fair - assessments of school quality, and uniformly high standards for achievement, will not be resolved easily.