Diane Ravitch on testing, accountability, curriculum, charters and much more
Points yesterday ran a 800-word excerpt from this Morning News interview with education historian Diane Ravitch. Her book, "The Death and Life of the Great American School System," is generating a lot of attention, including this review in the New York Times yesterday.
Here's a longer version of the interview she did with Morning News editors and writers a couple of weeks ago. As you will see, there was a lot of give-and-take:
What's the intent of your new book? After all, you once were on the side of many education reformers?
My hope is this book is the equivalent of Rachel Carson's "The Silent Spring" or Jane Jacobs' "Maiden Song." I have gotten got a response that makes me feel there is a groundswell for a movement that has no leader. I hope an elected official emerges who gives voice to this tremendous dismay, even betrayal, about why the same policies so ineffective under Bush are being pursued under Obama.
I define them as "measure and punish." My argument, which I think I document well, is that the No Child Left Behind Act has failed and that Obama is building upon that same foundation.
How would you measure progress or success?
Here's a longer version of the interview she did with Morning News editors and writers a couple of weeks ago. As you will see, there was a lot of give-and-take:
What's the intent of your new book? After all, you once were on the side of many education reformers?
My hope is this book is the equivalent of Rachel Carson's "The Silent Spring" or Jane Jacobs' "Maiden Song." I have gotten got a response that makes me feel there is a groundswell for a movement that has no leader. I hope an elected official emerges who gives voice to this tremendous dismay, even betrayal, about why the same policies so ineffective under Bush are being pursued under Obama.
I define them as "measure and punish." My argument, which I think I document well, is that the No Child Left Behind Act has failed and that Obama is building upon that same foundation.
How would you measure progress or success?
