Video: Controversy Over "Step" Dance Contest
In a nutshell: White sorority learns step dancing 15 years ago at a black/white sorority mixer, enters and wins national contest last month (see performance above). Controversy ensues, contest sponsors declare a tie. Washington Post article here.
Secretary Duncan loves to tell the story of a hypothetical fifth-grade teacher who is considered a failure under NCLB despite having raised a child's reading level two grade levels in one academic year because that child entered reading at a 2nd grade level and so is still a year behind. Now I'm not aware of anything in the NCLB that actually calls any teacher a failure but it's true that the child would still not be performing on grade level and that would contribute to a school's failure to make AYP. And I agree with Duncan that the teacher in question should be considered an excellent teacher not a failure.
Sattler: Growth Isn't Enough
But when Duncan uses this example to talk about how we should focus on growth, that's where I start worrying.
News: Re-Staffing Announced For 6 Boston Schools
Dramatic shake-up planned at 12 Boston public schools James Vaznis Boston Globe: Boston school officials announced yesterday that staff at six schools will have to reapply for their jobs and five principals will be replaced after the schools were listed among nearly three dozen statewide that will probably be declared “underperforming’’ and subject to drastic change.