Challenged Index

I have to admit, while we’ve criticized the Challenge Index for creating an industry in high school ratings, albeit flawed, through Newsweek, I’d be less than honest if I didn’t acknowledge that it’s also created a not-too-bad industry in criticizing it. Latest installment, over at the WaPo Sara Mead and I debate Newsweek’s rankings with Jay Mathews, who does the rankings for Newsweek and the WaPo. See also this webchat from the WaPo last year for more background and this post.

And Matt Yglesias jumps in, too. Per Matt’s point, I don’t think the Challenge Index has to go, it could be modified…but in our piece Sara and I break a little news about why they’d better hurry…