DEFIES MEASUREMENT
First Year in Review
What an amazing first year for the documentary film Defies Measurement!
A sea change is occurring in public education. It is a grassroots movement
that is led by educators, students, parents and community members who are fighting
against misinformed "reforms" and demanding equity and justice for EVERY child.
Defies Measurement is playing a significant role in this movement. In only one year,
this film has been viewed by thousands of individuals throughout the world, it has been
screened in hundreds of communities within the United States and it has served as
an essential tool in educating communities about the REAL issues facing public education.
As news of the film continues to spread, more and more communities are able to organize
screening events which inspire meaningful dialogue and change within communities.
There is still a lot of work to do in this movement and I will continue
to figure out more and more effective ways to use Defies Measurement
in support of this important effort.
Thank you for all of your support!
Shannon Puckett,
Director of Defies Measurement
The first year in numbers
Where the film has screened
In addition to universities, college classrooms, libraries, movie theaters, community centers, high schools and living rooms, the film was also shown at The Network for Public Education Conference in Chicago (April, 2015) and is currently streaming on Kweli Tv.
How the film is reaching the public
When addressing the issues facing public education, the effort to educate, organize and create change within our communities is grassroots. It is being led by parents, students, educators and community members who are concerned about destructive reforms that have been crippling our public schools for decades.
Defies Measurement is playing a pivotal role in this grassroots movement by serving as a free and easily accessible tool that can be used to educate individuals and communities about the injustices that are currently impacting our public schools, teachers, students and communities.
Free and easy access
With the help of Kickstarter funding and grants from NoVo Foundation, DVDs, screenings and online viewing of Defies Measurement have been made available for free to the public. To improve access for all, there is now a version available with Spanish subtitles!
Social Media
Social media has been a powerful tool in spreading the word about the film and in sharing information about upcoming community screening events. The website averages 700 views per week. The Defies Measurement Facebook page has 700 followers and Twitter has proven to be an essential tool in spreading information about the film. Grassroots movements are fueled and sustained by social media. The success of the Defies Measurement model is no exception.
Screening Events
The plan to release the film for free and allow individuals to organize screening events on their own has been incredibly successful!
Individuals wanting to organize a screening of the film can find all of the information they will need on the Defies Measurement website. Talking points and an activity guide are also available and all materials are free and easy to download...
making this one of the easiest films to organize a screening event for!
What people are saying about the film
Defies Measurement has been extremely well-received by educators, parents, students and allies of public education. Reviews of the film have appeared in Daily Kos, Education Weekly, California Teacher, Philly.com and in countless Education Blogs including Diane Ravitch's Blog, Cloaking Inequity, Curmudgucation and Crazy Crawfish. Individuals continue to send praise and thanks for the film via social media and email.
Looking ahead
This movement in support of public education and against the misinformed reformers will continue to grow and Defies Measurement will continue to play a role in this movement. The model for outreach that was used in year 1 was successful and will be used again in year 2.