Perception versus reality. From NPR:
In public radio’s mythical Lake Wobegon, “all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”
The first two conditions are merely unlikely. The third one is a mathematical absurdity. However, a new survey suggests that almost all parents believe it to be true.
In a recent survey of public school parents, 90 percent stated that their children were performing on or above grade level in both math and reading. Parents held fast to this sunny belief no matter their own income, education level, race or ethnicity.
The nationally administered test known as the Nation’s Report Card, or NAEP, suggests a very different reality. About half of white students are on grade level in math and reading by fourth grade; the percentages are lower for African-Americans and Hispanics.
And to take it a step further, as long as 90 percent of parents think their kid is performing at grade level or above, education reform will be a hard sell.
