Caroline Grannan, erstwhile editor at the San Jose Mercury News, just posted a fact check of a recent speech by Ed. Secretary Arne Duncan. The fact checking was actually done by Chicago watchdog group Parents United for Responsible Education, and Grannan laments her former media colleagues’ “unwillingness to question claims like Duncan’s.” You and me both, Ms. Grannan.

According to PURE, Duncan claimed that a startling turnaround at one Chicago public school was achieved after its original students returned following a major restructuring. Citing Chicago Public Schools’ own data, PURE claims only 12 of the original students actually returned (more details in an earlier letter cited here).

That’s an interesting model for school improvement… ditch the low performing kids.

Not sure that could be brought to scale.