Huh. This is interesting [Texas Schools]

[noxiousdog]

Texas has typically been lambasted for having poor schools ranking in the high 40's in most overall rankings. However, once you adjust for demographics, that's no longer the case.

taken from katinga at the motley fool:
Original Source

Here's a comparison between WI and TX, from http://educationnext.org/are-wisconsin- ... -than-t.... Note how TX also beats the national averages, I think in every case.

2009 4th Grade Math
White students: Texas 254, Wisconsin 250 (national average 248)
Black students: Texas 231, Wisconsin 217 (national 222)
Hispanic students: Texas 233, Wisconsin 228 (national 227)

2009 8th Grade Math
White students: Texas 301, Wisconsin 294 (national 292)
Black students: Texas 272, Wisconsin 254 (national 260)
Hispanic students: Texas 277, Wisconsin 268 (national 266)

2009 4th Grade Reading
White students: Texas 232, Wisconsin 227 (national 229)
Black students: Texas 213, Wisconsin 192 (national 204)
Hispanic students: Texas 210, Wisconsin 202 (national 204)

2009 8th Grade Reading
White students: Texas 273, Wisconsin 271 (national 271)
Black students: Texas 249, Wisconsin 238 (national 245)
Hispanic students: Texas 251, Wisconsin 250 (national 248)

2009 4th Grade Science
White students: Texas 168, Wisconsin 164 (national 162)
Black students: Texas 139, Wisconsin 121 (national 127)
Hispanic students: Wisconsin 138, Texas 136 (national 130)

2009 8th Grade Science
White students: Texas 167, Wisconsin 165 (national 161)
Black students: Texas 133, Wisconsin 120 (national 125)
Hispanic students: Texas 141, Wisconsin 134 (national 131)

Note that every single demographic (perhaps cherry picked, but here's the source) is above average.

Iowahawk's original blogpost.



edit: Texas is also higher than national average on low income family demographic (140 to 133).
Edit2: Also, apparently the south hates women. (except Texas and Tennessee).
edit3: Nice job NEAP! That's a wonderful tool!

[LawBeefaroni]

So how can the total for all ethnicities for Wisconsin for Science Grade 8 be higher than Texas (157 Wis vs. 150 Tex, national average 149) but the individual scores for each enthnicity for Wisconsin be lower?

2009 8th Grade Science
White students: Texas 167, Wisconsin 165 (national 161)
Black students: Texas 133, Wisconsin 120 (national 125)
Hispanic students: Texas 141, Wisconsin 134 (national 131)

There's some stats trickery going on somewhere.

And no, it's not the other two demographics that were left out. For "American Indian" there is no data for either. For Asian/Pacific Islanders:
Texas 170, Wisconsin 152, (national 159).

My guess is there's some sort of weighting that gets accounted for in "all data" summaries.

[noxiousdog]

So how can the total for all ethnicities for Wisconsin for Science Grade 8 be higher than Texas (157 Wis vs. 150 Tex, national average 149) but the individual scores for each enthnicity for Wisconsin be lower?

2009 8th Grade Science
White students: Texas 167, Wisconsin 165 (national 161)
Black students: Texas 133, Wisconsin 120 (national 125)
Hispanic students: Texas 141, Wisconsin 134 (national 131)

There's some stats trickery going on somewhere.

And no, it's not the other two demographics that were left out. For "American Indian" there is no data for either. For Asian/Pacific Islanders:
Texas 170, Wisconsin 152, (national 159).

My guess is there's some sort of weighting that gets accounted for in "all data" summaries.

It's because of the difference in demographics. Texas is 55% white, 12% black, and 30% latino. It's actually more minority weighted the younger you get. Wisconsin is 85% white, 4% latino, and 4% black, with a whole lot of other.

So, for eighth grade science: .55*167 + .15*133 + .3*141 < .88*165 +.04*120 +.04*134

[PLW]

This is interesting, although I'm not quite sure what to make of it. I definitely makes Texas look good.

[Smoove_B]

I definitely makes Texas look good.

Well, how does this make you feel?

The state has the third highest rate of teenage births in the country, and the second highest rate of repeat births to teenage girls. Sixty-three out of every 1,000 girls between 15 and 19 years old becomes a mother. That compares to 5 out of 1,000 in the Netherlands, and 42 in the United States as a whole. Texas is also well ahead of Rwanda (44), Micronesia (51), and Egypt (50).

I'm not foolish enough to suggest they're skipping the sex ed to focus on the academics, but let's get a little perspective here.

[Mr. Fed]

I definitely makes Texas look good.

Well, how does this make you feel?

The state has the third highest rate of teenage births in the country, and the second highest rate of repeat births to teenage girls. Sixty-three out of every 1,000 girls between 15 and 19 years old becomes a mother. That compares to 5 out of 1,000 in the Netherlands, and 42 in the United States as a whole. Texas is also well ahead of Rwanda (44), Micronesia (51), and Egypt (50).

I'm not foolish enough to suggest they're skipping the sex ed to focus on the academics, but let's get a little perspective here.

Hey! Be reasonable! Texas has a good-faith and reasonable approach to sex ed!

Another, Lifetime Health, listed “8 Steps to Protect Yourself from STDs,” none of which involved using condoms. One of the steps was “get plenty of rest,” which the book suggested would lead to better decision-making.

[noxiousdog]

And how does that compare against demographics?


Data

National Averages per 1000:
White: 43
Black: 123
Hispanic: 125

Texas
White: 52
Black: 98
Hispanic: 131

That's... interesting. The black and white trend are strong and opposite (20%).

[Smoove_B]

Not so good. As is the case with most public health issues I'm aware of, when you look at the broad-brush data, it's usually much worse for minorities and the poor. Suffice to say, you're not adjusting your way out of this one.

[noxiousdog]

Not so good. As is the case with most public health issues I'm aware of, when you look at the broad-brush data, it's usually much worse for minorities and the poor. Suffice to say, you're not adjusting your way out of this one.

You're missing the point. Assuming that government has a significant influence (which I'm not sure it does, but that would be an interesting correlation as well), Texas is doing something right with teen pregnancy and blacks. They are doing something wrong with teen pregnancy and whites. Those are large and significant differences and it would behoove those who study it to figure out what's relatively working and what isn't.

[Holman]

Do we still have to study from Texas' crappy textbooks?

[GreenGoo]

This isn't criticize Texas for random reasons thread.

[noxiousdog]

This isn't criticize Texas for random reasons thread.

Especially when it appears to be working better than average. Maybe some other states need crappy textbooks.

[Toe]

Due to Texas's hold on the text book industry, I would not put it past them to do everything in their power to skew any type of test result by whatever means possible so they can maintain said hold.

[PLW]

Due to Texas's hold on the text book industry, I would not put it past them to do everything in their power to skew any type of test result by whatever means possible so they can maintain said hold.

(Just for the 'bama fans)

It's a conspiracy, Pawl!

[Isgrimnur]

Speaking of Texas and teen pregnancy, what do we win?

Congratulations, Texas! After a lot of hard work and many long nights, we're number one in the nation for repeat teen births. According to the Centers for Disease Control, which released a new report on April 2, in 2010, 22 percent of Texas teenagers aged 15-19 who gave birth were delivering their second (or third, or fourth) child. We even beat Mississippi, which came in second, and way outpaced those underachievers in New Hampshire, which has the lowest rate of repeat teen birth in the nation (less than 10 percent of their delivering teens had already given birth before).
...
So basically, our teenagers keep getting pregnant because things are a mess here. And with your state representatives doing their damndest to keep sex education out of Texas classrooms, they're likely to stay that way. Let's all look forward to accepting the Knocked Up Teens Award again next year. Start drafting your acceptance speeches now.