Whitney Tilson's School Reform Blog: NJ teachers union ads

The New Jersey teachers union has been running TV ads that really take the cake. Without actually lying, they present an absurdly rosy picture of New Jersey's public schools. New Jersey is one of the wealthiest states, so it's not surprising that, overall, students test well and a high % graduate from high school, but this masks the awful truth that poor and minority children in the state attend some of the WORST schools in the nation -- think Newark, Trenton, Camden, etc. -- despite some of the highest per-pupil spending in the country! Below is a transcript of the ad, followed by the real facts (all courtesy of fellow Dems for Ed Reform board member, Charlie Ledley).

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Ad Transcipt:

[small NJEA logo, bottom left]; [text: "Work"]

Young white female teacher, in the school halls: "When families and teacher's work together,"

Older African American male teacher in front of microscope in science lab: "...work together...",

Middle-aged white male teacher in front of the blackboard: "....our children are the winners...."

Young African American teacher/mother, "the winners."

Middle-aged white teacher/mother #1 in science lab: "As both a teacher...."

Middle-aged white teacher/mother #2 in classroom: "and a parent,"

Middle-aged white male teacher #2 in classroom: "...I'm proud our schools stress..."

Older white female teacher in the school library: "the importance of personal responsibility..."

Middle aged (Latina?) teacher, "and respect for..."

Young asian male teacher (in science lab with microscope and children behind him) "...respect...."

Older (latina?) female teacher, "....and respect for others."

[screen shots of African American male teacher with goggles overseeing stuents with goggles doing a science experiment including a microscope and a beaker of red fluid. Young white male teacher in front of blackboard with students behind him. Older white female teacher helping one of several students with a string instrument. Middle aged white female teacher #3 in library helping student on a cumputer. Teacher in front of a class writing on the blackboard and talking."]

Narrator, "In fact, city and suburb, New Jersey's public schools lead the nation for graduates ready for college."

[Text: "#1 College Prepared; Source: Education: The State We're In. Center for Progress [sic] and Int. for America's Future.]

Narrator, "In urban elementary schools, the percentage of students scoring profficient or higher in reading has tripled."

[Image: Student raises his hand.]

[Text: "1999-2005 Reading Scores Tripled; Source New Jersey Department of Education"]

Narrator, "And we have the nation's best graduation rate."

[Text: "We''re #1 Graduation Rate; Source: Nat'l Board of Educ. Testing a Policy"; image of sudents from behind running out of school in blue caps and gowns.]

Young Agrican American woman, "NJEA members,"

Middle-aged teacher/mother #1, "Making public schools great,"

Middle-aged male teacher in classroom (from before) "Great, for every child,"

African American woman, "....for every child."

[Text, "NJEA logo; Great for every child. www.njea.org."]

[Text: "NJEA logo; www.NJEA.org]

Some quick factual reaons the ad is outrageously disingenuous:

According to the same study by CAP & the Inst. for America's Future (http://emailimages.ctsg.com/caf/edureport_gsbf_NewJersey.pdf),

1) New Jersey achievement gap is one of the worst in the nation, which you wouldn't know from the ad's reference to "city and urban":

(a) 15% of low-income 4th graders are proficient in reading, compared to 48% of non-poor students. New Jersey ranks 49th in the nation on this measure.

(b) 14% of African-American 4th graders are proficient in reading, compared to 49% of white students. New Jersey ranks 40th out of 42 states that had data available on this measure.

(c) 21% of Latino 4th graders are proficient in reading, compared to 49% of white students. New Jersey ranks 36th out of 41 states with data available on this measure.

2) Citing state level standards and student performance data obscure the truth:

(a) Among 4th graders, 78% of students are proficient on the state reading

test, while 39% are proficient on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. With a 39-point gap, New Jersey ranks 25th in the nation on the disparity between state and national performance measures for 4th grade reading.

(b) In math, 68% of 4th graders achieve proficiency on the state math test,

compared to 39% who do so on the NAEP. With a 29-point gap, New

Jersey ranks 17th in the nation on this measure.

test, while 37% achieve proficiency on the NAEP. With a 37-point gap,

New Jersey ranks 32nd out of 47 states with data available on this

measure.

(d) In math, 57% of 8th graders achieve proficiency on the state math test,

compared to 33% who do so on the NAEP. With a 24-point gap, New

Jersey ranks 21st out of 47 states with data available.

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