Comment Re:in college this would . . . Empirical evidence? (Score 1) 509
There is also another factor to consider. The quality of a school is effected not only by the quality of the teachers, but by the quality of the students.
In the UK, schools that are mostly populated by students from deprived backgrounds (e.g. missing fathers, long term unemployment, high crime etc.) tend to get the worst reports as schools.
To close a school is surely to transport at least a fair chunk of the reason for the closure to another nearby school, causing them to begin to struggle with results.
I don't think it is as clear cut as closing the school itself. If the school is doing badly because of teaching quality - sack the teachers and get new ones. If it doing badly because of poor resources - invest more money. If it is doing badly because of the culture the students bring with them from their home life - then will closing the school really solve the problem, or merely transport it elsewhere?
In the UK, schools that are mostly populated by students from deprived backgrounds (e.g. missing fathers, long term unemployment, high crime etc.) tend to get the worst reports as schools.
To close a school is surely to transport at least a fair chunk of the reason for the closure to another nearby school, causing them to begin to struggle with results.
I don't think it is as clear cut as closing the school itself. If the school is doing badly because of teaching quality - sack the teachers and get new ones. If it doing badly because of poor resources - invest more money. If it is doing badly because of the culture the students bring with them from their home life - then will closing the school really solve the problem, or merely transport it elsewhere?
