The Teacher Data Reports on SchoolBook: An Explanation
SchoolBook has published the teacher data reports using a new tool that was created by interactive journalists at The New York Times and WNYC. The goal of the tool: to make the data easier to understand and put the rankings into context. Read our explanation.
Release of Teacher Data Is Widely Denounced
Outside the doors of the Tweed Courthouse, the headquarters of the city's Education Department, there were few champions on Friday of the release of individual performance rankings of 18,000 public school teachers.
An Audio Report on the Who, What and Why of Teacher Ratings
WNYC asks its own Beth Fertig and Rob Gebeloff of The New York Times to analyze the teacher data reports and the impact of their release on "All Things Considered." They offer a thoughtful but concise summary. Take a listen.
After Championing Release, City Says It Did Not Want Teacher Data Public
In a guide sent to public school principals on Friday, city officials suggested that they respond to upset teachers' concerns by telling them that the Department of Education "did not support the release of this data; we were required to do so by the courts." But it was the Education Department that stoked the media's interest in pursuing publication of the teacher reports.
The Response on Twitter
Many teachers, advocates, journalists and others have used Twitter these past few days to comment on the release of the teacher data reports. Here's a slice of the day's rolling conversation.
Teachers React to Release of Data
Teachers throughout the city have been objecting to the public release on Friday of individual teacher performance rankings. Some listed complaints. Others wanted to explain why they got the ratings they did and to try to put them in perspective. Here are some of their comments.
Two Chancellors, Two Different Public Views on Teacher Ratings
Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott has expressed reluctance about releasing thousands of individual teacher ratings to the public, striking a different tone if not a different outcome from that of his predecessor, Joel I. Klein, who paved the way for their release.
Queens Students Use Break to Test Science and Music App
Ever since the iPad was introduced two years ago, educators and publishers have been developing ways to use its touch-screen technology in the classroom. So has the Icelandic singer Bjork. Her latest album is designed as a touch-screen application to teach about science and music. WNYC’s Beth Fertig caught up with some students in Queens trying out the new app during their winter break.
Teachers, Reply to Your Data Report Here
Here is the form to respond to your teacher data report.
City Teacher Data Reports Are Released
UPDATED | After a long legal battle and amid much anguish by teachers and other educators, the city Department of Education released individual performance rankings of 18,000 New York City public school teachers to the public on Friday. The rankings are now available on SchoolBook, listed by school.
College Racial Gap Continues to Grow
Richard Perez-Pena reports in The New York Times that the nation reached a milestone as of last March, with more than 30 percent of American adults holding at least a bachelor's degree, and nearly 11 percent holding at least a master's degree. That is up from 26.2 percent and 8.7 percent 10 years earlier. But the news is less hopeful when it comes to blacks and Latinos, "who not only continue to trail far behind whites, the gap has also widened in the last decade."
Nine Schools Cited for Exam and Credit Irregularities
The City Education Department has called for investigations into nine high schools for irregularities in the way the schools scored examinations or awarded credits, and has identified hundreds of students in the city who were allowed to graduate without meeting basic requirements.
Queens School Aide Arrested in Sexual Abuse Case
A school aide in Queens was arrested Thursday on charges of sexually abusing a student younger than 11 years old, the police said, becoming the fifth city school worker charged in the last few weeks with sexual crimes against children.
Teachers: An Invitation to Respond to Your Data Report
UPDATED | The New York Times, like other news organizations in the city and the Department of Education itself, will soon publish the teacher data reports that were the subject of a prolonged Freedom of Information effort. In SchoolBook’s spirit of conversation and community contribution, we are inviting any teacher who was rated to provide her or his response or explanation. We plan to include those responses alongside the ratings themselves, so readers can consider them together. You can find the response form in this post.
School Admissions? Even the Experts Are Overwhelmed
Feeling overwhelmed by the search for a school for your young child? An expert in test preparation shares your pain.
Gates Defends Teachers, Denounces Public ‘Shaming’
In an opinion article in Thursday's New York Times, Bill Gates -- famous for Microsoft and his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a deep-pocketed supporter of causes related to school reform, including more accountability for teachers -- comes out strongly against the release of teacher data reports, calling it a public shaming of teachers.
Five Students Arrested a Day, Police Data Show
New figures on police activity in city schools show that in the fall, safety agents and officers arrested about five students a day. On Wednesday, advocates used this statistic to criticize the city for giving the Police Department too much control over discipline in schools.
Why February?
Like many other neighboring districts, New York City public school students and teachers are enjoying a week off for midwinter recess. The break started as an energy-saving measure in the 1970s and later became an annual tradition because of a budget deal between the city and teachers.
Ravitch Says New Evaluation System Is ‘Madness’
The public schools may be closed all week for February Break, but critics and other writers are busy examining the new teacher evaluation agreement that was reached last week. Among the critics: Diane Ravitch and The Daily News columnist, Juan Gonzalez.
New Rules Planned for School Vending Machines Nationwide
It's too soon to tell whether the switch to healthier food in school cafeterias -- and in school vending machines -- has had a discernible effect on childhood obesity in New York City. But now the Obama administration seems to be following in New York's footsteps and is considering imposing similar vending machine rules on all the nation's schools, The New York Times reports on Tuesday.