About Those Minnesota Charter Schools
Joe Nathan, who was a leading figure in the development of the charter movement, has spiritedly defended charters on this blog. He points to charters in Minnesota to show that the original ideals of the movement survive there. Unlike New York City, for example, where the charters are aggressively entrepreneurial, glory in pushing public schools out of their space, spend more than the neighborhood public school, and crow that they are far, far better and get higher test scores and deserve even more space.
But Minnesota is not altogether idyllic. Last December, John Hechinger of Bloomberg News wrote a disturbing article about segregated charter schools in Minnesota. He wrote about an all-black charter school (for “East
But Minnesota is not altogether idyllic. Last December, John Hechinger of Bloomberg News wrote a disturbing article about segregated charter schools in Minnesota. He wrote about an all-black charter school (for “East
Is This a Real Graduate School of Education?
Evidently the Relay Graduate School of Education is not the only “graduate school of education” in which charter school leaders award masters’ degrees to charter school teachers.
There is also a “graduate school of education” in Boston organized by charter schools to train charter teachers to get “jaw-dropping” test scores. Not surprisingly, this one acknowledges its ties to Relay and TFA. It seems we are developing a parallel system of “graduate” schools, one for charters, another for public schools.
As I scan the “faculty” of this “graduate school of education,” I could not find anyone with a doctorate in any field.
As I scanned the “course catalogue,” I saw courses in methods, classroom management, community relations,
There is also a “graduate school of education” in Boston organized by charter schools to train charter teachers to get “jaw-dropping” test scores. Not surprisingly, this one acknowledges its ties to Relay and TFA. It seems we are developing a parallel system of “graduate” schools, one for charters, another for public schools.
As I scan the “faculty” of this “graduate school of education,” I could not find anyone with a doctorate in any field.
As I scanned the “course catalogue,” I saw courses in methods, classroom management, community relations,
Note to Jeb Bush: Florida Loses Its Bragging Rights
Coach Bob Sikes blogs about Florida, where he teaches.
He just sent me his latest post, which shows that Florida has lost ground in its national rankings in both business and education under Governor Rick Scott.
Of course, Governor Scott listens closely to whatever former Governor Jeb Bush says, since he is now seen as a national authority on the subject of choice and educational excellence. But, somehow, those two big guys together blew it.
In CNBC’s rankings of the best states to do business, Florida fell from #18 to #29. Governor Scott likes to boast
He just sent me his latest post, which shows that Florida has lost ground in its national rankings in both business and education under Governor Rick Scott.
Of course, Governor Scott listens closely to whatever former Governor Jeb Bush says, since he is now seen as a national authority on the subject of choice and educational excellence. But, somehow, those two big guys together blew it.
In CNBC’s rankings of the best states to do business, Florida fell from #18 to #29. Governor Scott likes to boast
Are Charter Schools Public Schools?
A reader from Pennsylvania asks whether charter schools are public schools if they seek to avoid transparency and if their teachers are not subject to the same evaluation scheme as public school teachers:
Charters insist on being called “public” schools.
Yet in Pennsylvania charters are in court trying to prevent laws requiring them to be transparent about their operations, as public schools are required to do.
The state legislature just passed a law requiring 50% of teacher evaluations to be based test scores. The law EXEMPTS charter teachers from this new evaluation system.
In the ALEC rush of legislation at the close of its session last week, a bill was introduced in the PA legislature
Charters insist on being called “public” schools.
Yet in Pennsylvania charters are in court trying to prevent laws requiring them to be transparent about their operations, as public schools are required to do.
The state legislature just passed a law requiring 50% of teacher evaluations to be based test scores. The law EXEMPTS charter teachers from this new evaluation system.
In the ALEC rush of legislation at the close of its session last week, a bill was introduced in the PA legislature