School league tables are harmful to education. Tables based on “ropey data” are even worse. In this open letter 100 academics speak out against league tables.
We are a group of New Zealand academics teaching and researching in universities. As a group we are very concerned about the proposed publication of ‘league tables’ of primary school performance based on National Standards, whether compiled by media organisations or by Government. We believe that National Standards achievement data and the available school and student level contextualising data are so clearly unsuitable for the purpose of comparing school performance that to purport to do so would be dishonest and irresponsible. We also believe, based on the experience of other countries, that the publication of league tables will be extremely damaging for New Zealand primary education. As academics we will condemn and disregard any published league table of primary school performance and we urge the New Zealand public to do likewise.
Current Signatories (names will continue to be added)
Emeritus Professor Raymond Adams, Massey University
Dr Vivienne Anderson, University of Otago
Judy Bailey, University of Waikato
Associate Professor Miles Barker, University of Waikato
Dr Roseanna Bourke, Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Jenny Boyack, Massey University
Professor Christopher Branson, University of Waikato
Trish Brooking, University of Otago
Associate Professor Gavin Brown, University of Auckland
Dr Mike Brown, University of Waikato
Dr Seth Brown, Massey University
Tracey Carlyon, University of Waikato
Dr Vicki Carpenter, University of Auckland
Professor James Chapman, Massey University
Sue Cheesman, University of Waikato
Jeanette Clarkin-Phillips, University of Waikato
Tracey-Lynne Cody, Massey University
Associate Professor Lindsey Conner, University of Canterbury
Dr Marian Court, Massey University
Dr Hamish Crocket, University of Waikato
Associate Professor Kathie Crocket, University of Waikato
Professor Niki Davis, University of Canterbury
Associate Professor Nesta Devine, AUT University
Dr Vijaya Dharan, Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Helen Dixon, University of Auckland
Judy Duncan, University of Auckland
Emeritus Professor Warwick Elley, University of Canterbury
Fiona Ellis, University of Otago
Dr Brian Finch, Massey University
Dr Katie Fitzpatrick, University of Auckland
Lester Flockton, University of Otago
Dr Margaret Franken, University of Waikato
Dr John Freeman-Moir, University of Canterbury
Associate Professor Alison Gilmore, University of Otago
Dr Barrie Gordon, Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Alexandra Gunn, University of Otago
Maggie Haggerty, Victoria University of Wellington
Tamsin Hanly, University of Auckland
Paul Hansen, Massey University
Dr Sally Hansen, Massey University
Emeritus Professor Richard Harker, Massey University
Dr Penny Haworth, Massey University
Michelle Hesketh, University of Auckland
Paul Heyward, University of Auckland
Associate Professor Mary Hill, University of Auckland
Robert Hoeberigs, University of Auckland
Jodie Hunter, Massey University
Philippa Hunter, University of Waikato
Dr Michael Irwin, Massey University
Jayne Jackson, Massey University
Andrew Jamieson, Massey University
Dr Joce Jesson, University of Auckland
Professor Alison Jones, University of Auckland
Dr Alison Kearney, Massey University
Janette Kelly, University of Waikato
Dr Joanna Kidman, Victoria University of Wellington
Ken Kilpin, Massey University
Judine Ladbrook, University of Auckland
Dr Darrell Latham, University of Otago
Dr Deidre Le Fevre, University of Auckland
Dr Frances Langdon, University of Auckland
Debora Lee, University of Auckland
Associate Professor Kathleen Liberty, University of Canterbury
Dr Kirsten Locke, University of Auckland
Professor Terry Locke, University of Waikato
Dr Judith Loveridge, Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Jude MacArthur, Massey University
Dr Sasha Matthewman, University of Auckland
Professor Helen May, University of Otago
Professor Stephen May, University of Auckland
John McCaffery, University of Auckland
Dr Alyson McGee, Massey University
Dr Mandia Mentis, Massey University
Frauke Meyer, University of Auckland
Louise Milne, University of Waikato
Professor Linda Mitchell, University of Waikato
Associate Professor Missy Morton, University of Canterbury
Associate Professor Carol Mutch, University of Auckland
Dr Karen Nairn, University of Otago
Wendy Neilson, University of Waikato
Associate Professor Peter O’Connor, University of Auckland
Anne-Marie O’Neill, Massey University
Professor John O’Neill, Massey University
Dr Kirsten Petrie, University of Waikato
Dr Peter Rawlins, Massey University
Dr Karen Rhodes, Massey University
Associate Professor Tracy Riley, Massey University
Professor Peter Roberts, University of Canterbury
Nigel Robertson, University of Waikato
Dr Susan Sandretto, University of Otago
Alan Scott, University of Canterbury
Cathy Short, University of Waikato
Associate Professor Mary Simpson, University of Otago
Anne Sinclair, University of Auckland
Dr David Small, University of Canterbury
Jill Stephenson, University of Auckland
Gary Tenbeth, University of Auckland
Dr Kate Thornton, Victoria University of Wellington
Professor Martin Thrupp, University of Waikato
Dr Trevor Thwaites, University of Auckland
Lynley Tulloch, University of Waikato
Distinguished Professor William Tunmer, Massey University
Dr Bill Ussher, University of Waikato
Dr Jannie van Hees, University of Auckland
Professor Margaret Walshaw, Massey University
Dr Kama Weir, Massey University
Dr Bronwyn Wood, Victoria University of Wellington
[See original for further notes and details.]
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