Louisiana’s pretend voucher ‘accountability’ plan
From the you-can’t-make-up-this-stuff department: Louisiana’s governor and schools chief are championing an “accountability” plan for private schools in the state's voucher program that doesn’t hold these schools accountable if they have fewer than 40 voucher students.
Yes, as this Reuters story makes clear, a school can allow its 39 voucher students to fail to show basic competency in reading, math, social studies and science and still keep receiving state funds. Most of the schools in the voucher program this coming year, it turns out, will be covered by this provision.
What happens to schools with 40 or more voucher students? Not as much as you might think. Schools will be assigned a numerical grade based on the standardized test scores of their voucher students, and if a 
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (Michael Conroy/AP)school score is less than 50 out of 150 points, that school can’t bring in any more voucher
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (Michael Conroy/AP)school score is less than 50 out of 150 points, that school can’t bring in any more voucher
5 ways to teach kids to use technology safely
This was written by Lynette Owens, director of Trend Micro’s Internet Safety for Kids and Families division.
By Lynette Owens
The Internet has always been around as far as our children can tell. Today, as many as half of all kids up to age 8 use Internet-connected devices, 7.5 million kids under 13 use Facebook, and 30% of apps on parents’ phones are downloaded by their kids. They’re playing games, watching videos, or using Skype with far-off relatives. As early as kindergarten or first grade, they are being introduced to their teacher’s website using the PC or laptop in the school library.
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By Lynette Owens
The Internet has always been around as far as our children can tell. Today, as many as half of all kids up to age 8 use Internet-connected devices, 7.5 million kids under 13 use Facebook, and 30% of apps on parents’ phones are downloaded by their kids. They’re playing games, watching videos, or using Skype with far-off relatives. As early as kindergarten or first grade, they are being introduced to their teacher’s website using the PC or laptop in the school library.
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Texas’s standardized tests flawed, researchers say
Researchers say they have found a design flaw with the standardized tests that Texas students must take for “accountability” purposes — and the implications could be important across the country.
According to studies done by Walter Stroup, an associate professor at University of Texas at Austin, and two other researchers, the design flaw in the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) assessments suggests the exams “are virtually useless at measuring the effects of classroom instruction,” this story in The New York Times says.
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According to studies done by Walter Stroup, an associate professor at University of Texas at Austin, and two other researchers, the design flaw in the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) assessments suggests the exams “are virtually useless at measuring the effects of classroom instruction,” this story in The New York Times says.
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Yes, algebra is necessary
This was written by cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham, professor and director of graduate studies in psychology at the University of Virginia and author of “Why Don’t Students Like School?” His newly published book is “When Can You Trust The Experts? How to tell good science from bad in education.” This appeared on his Science and Education blog.
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