Do We Really Want “the Best and the Brightest”?
A reader remembers that when David Halberstam used the phrase “the best and the brightest,” it was not praise. It was an ironic reference to the seemingly brilliant Harvard graduates at the State Department, the National Security Council, and the think tanks who got us into the war in Vietnam.
You often hear education reformers, including President Obama, talk about how we must have the “Best and Brightest” from the most elite schools enter the teaching workforce to improve education.
I always want to say to say to them, the phrase “Best and Brightest” doesn’t actually mean what you think it
You often hear education reformers, including President Obama, talk about how we must have the “Best and Brightest” from the most elite schools enter the teaching workforce to improve education.
I always want to say to say to them, the phrase “Best and Brightest” doesn’t actually mean what you think it
Who Might Be Romney’s Education Secretary?
Education Week has an article by the always well-informed Alyson Klein that speculates about Romney’s possible choice for Secretary of Education.
The possibilities include:
Jeb Bush, former Florida governor, who shaped the Romney agenda for privatization of the nation’s schools;
Tom Luna, the state superintendent in Idaho who is known for his allegiance to online corporations and his efforts to increase class size;
Joel Klein, the former chancellor of NYC, now selling technology for Rupert Murdoch, another supporter of
The possibilities include:
Jeb Bush, former Florida governor, who shaped the Romney agenda for privatization of the nation’s schools;
Tom Luna, the state superintendent in Idaho who is known for his allegiance to online corporations and his efforts to increase class size;
Joel Klein, the former chancellor of NYC, now selling technology for Rupert Murdoch, another supporter of
Will Bridgeport Elect a Voucher Advocate?
Residents of Bridgeport, CT, will soon vote in an election for members of their school board.
For reasons to complicated to get into here, the previous unelected school board was declared illegal by the state’s highest court, which ordered a new election.
If you read Jonathan Pelto’s blog, you will get the full story of how an illegal board was put in charge of the district, hired Paul Vallas to be a superintendent for $229k a year at the same time that he runs a consulting
For reasons to complicated to get into here, the previous unelected school board was declared illegal by the state’s highest court, which ordered a new election.
If you read Jonathan Pelto’s blog, you will get the full story of how an illegal board was put in charge of the district, hired Paul Vallas to be a superintendent for $229k a year at the same time that he runs a consulting
Vouchers in Florida: No Difference
The latest evaluation of the Florida voucher program showed that students in voucher schools made academic gains similar to their peers in public schools.
I am old enough to remember the old rhetoric:
Vouchers were going to “save” poor children from “failing” public schools.
Vouchers were going to “close the achievement gap.”
Vouchers were a panacea, all by themselves, for producing high academic achievement.
I am old enough to remember the old rhetoric:
Vouchers were going to “save” poor children from “failing” public schools.
Vouchers were going to “close the achievement gap.”
Vouchers were a panacea, all by themselves, for producing high academic achievement.
The Good, Bad and Ugly in the Cleveland Plan
Stephen Dyer has prepared this analysis of the Cleveland Plan for the blog at my invitation. The plan has been endorsed by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Ohio Governor John Kasich. Dyer is in a good position to review the proposal because he is the Education Policy Fellow at Innovation Ohio, progressive think-tank, and was previously chairman of the committee in the Ohio House of Representatives that oversaw the redesign of the state’s education funding formula. Before that, he was a journalist, which makes him ideally suited to explain what is happening in the city of Cleveland.
As a former legislator, I tend to roll my eyes whenever someone declares they are doing something “bold”. I’ve heard it used for so many different policies that the word has lost nearly all its meaning for me.
So when I heard that a “bold” plan had been devised for public education in the City of Cleveland, I have to admit
As a former legislator, I tend to roll my eyes whenever someone declares they are doing something “bold”. I’ve heard it used for so many different policies that the word has lost nearly all its meaning for me.
So when I heard that a “bold” plan had been devised for public education in the City of Cleveland, I have to admit
Charters Hope to Open in Florida’s Top County
Three charter schools want to open in St. John’s County in Florida, which is the state’s highest ranking county.
Some of the state legislators, including one of the state senate’s most avid supporters of charters, are surprised. They thought that charters were supposed to rescue students in failing schools, but St. John’s County is known for its excellent public schools.
If approved, the charters will siphon almost $13 million out of the public school budget, requiring at least 200
A Sad Report from Detroit
Some of the state legislators, including one of the state senate’s most avid supporters of charters, are surprised. They thought that charters were supposed to rescue students in failing schools, but St. John’s County is known for its excellent public schools.
If approved, the charters will siphon almost $13 million out of the public school budget, requiring at least 200
A Sad Report from Detroit
I asked for news about Detroit.
Detroit is one of the trying grounds for corporate reform.
It is a petri dish for reformers to try out their theories.
The district has an intense concentration of racial segregation and poverty and low test scores.
For reformers, this toxic combination suggests that what is needed is school reform, meaning, charter schools run by private management. No part of the reform plan addresses racial segregation and poverty.
Detroit is one of the trying grounds for corporate reform.
It is a petri dish for reformers to try out their theories.
The district has an intense concentration of racial segregation and poverty and low test scores.
For reformers, this toxic combination suggests that what is needed is school reform, meaning, charter schools run by private management. No part of the reform plan addresses racial segregation and poverty.
Who Are the “No-Excuses” Teachers?
This study of the “scalability” of no-excuses charter schools was written by Steven Wilson, who is a supporter of this approach.
The no-excuses teachers agree that test scores are the most important outcome of schooling and the best preparation for college readiness.
He examined the education backgrounds of the teachers in several very successful charter schools in Boston.
83% were graduates of very selective colleges.
These teachers typically work 9-10 hours daily and are on call at any time
The no-excuses teachers agree that test scores are the most important outcome of schooling and the best preparation for college readiness.
He examined the education backgrounds of the teachers in several very successful charter schools in Boston.
83% were graduates of very selective colleges.
These teachers typically work 9-10 hours daily and are on call at any time
Was Jersey Jazzman Pulling a Fast One re KIPP?
Recently I issued the KIPP Challenge.
I proposed that KIPP put an end to suspicion that they were skimming students and excluding low-performing students by taking over an entire district. A district with ELLs, special ed, the whole gamut of students. If they did that, they could show their stuff to the world and silence the skeptics.
Then Jersey Jazzman offered Camden, NJ (though he is in no position to offer it). It is distressed. It is not very
I proposed that KIPP put an end to suspicion that they were skimming students and excluding low-performing students by taking over an entire district. A district with ELLs, special ed, the whole gamut of students. If they did that, they could show their stuff to the world and silence the skeptics.
Then Jersey Jazzman offered Camden, NJ (though he is in no position to offer it). It is distressed. It is not very
Florida Teacher Offers Good Advice
This teacher has advice for Governor Rick Scott about the importance of quality time with his family:
I am a 27 year veteran teacher from Miami Dade County, Florida, and I can finally say that Florida has done something right by invalidating a ridiculously arbitrary evaluation system that came without a valid rationale or explanation. I was also very pleased that our commissioner of education decided to resign to spend more time
What Is Happening in Detroit?
This Made My Day!
I am a 27 year veteran teacher from Miami Dade County, Florida, and I can finally say that Florida has done something right by invalidating a ridiculously arbitrary evaluation system that came without a valid rationale or explanation. I was also very pleased that our commissioner of education decided to resign to spend more time
What Is Happening in Detroit?
I received the following comment with links from a reader. Does anyone reading this blog have knowledge of what is happening in Detroit and what is happening now that the “emergency manager” law is under court review?
The following two links show what is happening in Detroit right now. I find it interesting that the first link (which is
Could This Happen in the U.S. Today?
The following two links show what is happening in Detroit right now. I find it interesting that the first link (which is
Could This Happen in the U.S. Today?
This post shows that our society is placing an unfair buden on children and their teachers. When was the last time you heard of a kindergarten with 43 students? Could this be the United States in 2012?
A teacher comments:
I had a class of 43 kindergarten students last week. What do you really think I can do with that many little ones? I often go into a class expecting a certain number only to have 8 to 12 more students. How can I be prepared to
A teacher comments:
I had a class of 43 kindergarten students last week. What do you really think I can do with that many little ones? I often go into a class expecting a certain number only to have 8 to 12 more students. How can I be prepared to
This Made My Day!
A reader commented:
There have been many times in history when the evidence and discoveries by researchers and scientists (such as Galileo and Darwin) was suppressed by those in power. This is one of those times.
The peer-reviewed unbiased research in biology, neuroscience, education, and social science corroborates a humanistic, child-centered, constructive approach to how we raise and educate our children. It’s amazing how the biological research into the workings of the brain supports
There have been many times in history when the evidence and discoveries by researchers and scientists (such as Galileo and Darwin) was suppressed by those in power. This is one of those times.
The peer-reviewed unbiased research in biology, neuroscience, education, and social science corroborates a humanistic, child-centered, constructive approach to how we raise and educate our children. It’s amazing how the biological research into the workings of the brain supports