Day24 Twenty years ago，only half of the students who graduated from Einstein High School went on to attend a college or university

The following appeared in a speech delivered by a member of the city council：

“Twenty years ago，only half of the students who graduated from Einstein High School went on to attend a college or university.Today，two–thirds of the students who graduate from Einstein do so.Clearly，Einstein has improved its educational effectiveness over the past two decades.This improvement has occurred despite the fact that the school’s funding，when adjusted for in？ation，is about the same as it was 20 years ago.Therefore，we do not need to make any substantial increase in the school’s funding at this time.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument.In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument.For example，you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion.You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument，what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound，and what，if anything，would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

文勇五问：

（1）本题中，事实是什么？结论是什么？“Twenty years ago，only half of the students who graduated from Einstein High School went on to attend a college or university.Today，two–thirds of the students who graduate from Einstein do so.”和“the school’s funding，when adjusted for in？ation，is about the same as it was 20 years ago.”是事实，“Therefore，we do not need to make any substantial increase in the school’s funding at this time.”是结论，值得反驳吗？

（2）目前对学校的教育投资按通货膨胀率折算和20年前等值，就一定意味着学校没有加大投资吗？同学们要注意，通货膨胀率是一个变化的量。

（3）教育投资是决定一个学校教学质量的全部吗？如果不是，其他方面的要素是否有可能和20年前并不一样？例如：有更多更优秀的教师投身教育，这是否会影响我们最终的论断？

（4）升学率的提高一定代表学校教育效率提高了吗？有没有其他可能？例如，随着高等教育的普及，原本不那么优秀的孩子，他们在二十年前可能难以进入大学，但在二十年后却可以进入大学。

（5）即便是在基金资助一直不变的情况下，我们的教学效率真的提高了，这是否就意味着增加基金资助并不利于或无助于升学率的进一步提高呢？基金资助的增加可能会锦上添花。

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