Huffman Punishes Nashville for Defying His Order
Tennessee Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman is withholding $3.4 million from the Nashville public schools as punishment for the defiance of the school board. The board voted four times to deny a charter to an Arizona company called Great Hearts, even though Huffman ordered the board to approve the application.
Clearly, Huffman does not believe in local control.
This seems to be an attitude of today’s reformers. Arne Duncan decided to rewrite NCLB to meet his own
Clearly, Huffman does not believe in local control.
This seems to be an attitude of today’s reformers. Arne Duncan decided to rewrite NCLB to meet his own
These Ed School Professors Spoke Up
This reader is grateful to the 88 education scholars who protested the misuse of test scores in Chopicago. They told Mayor Rahm Emanuel he was wrong. That takes guts. And it matters. It’s important for teachers to know they are not alone. And they are not wrong.
The reader writes:
Let’s not forget the CReATE group of 88 professors who sent a letter “to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and the Board of Education signed by 88 faculty members from 15 local universities warning that
The Foundation of Current Reforms Is Weak and Beyond Repair
The reader writes:
Let’s not forget the CReATE group of 88 professors who sent a letter “to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and the Board of Education signed by 88 faculty members from 15 local universities warning that
The Foundation of Current Reforms Is Weak and Beyond Repair
An earlier post predicted that the faux reforms of the day will collapse like a house of cards when the public realizes the damage done to children and the quality of education. This reader says that the tests that are the foundation for all of the current education reforms–like merit pay and evaluation by scores–are fundamentally and irreparably flawed.
Queue the Kafka indeed! I’ve worked in the educational publishing industry for years, and I have had occasion to read hundreds of state tests. Almost every test that I have read has been RIDDLED with errors–was so full of errors that it looked like some sort of rough draft. Often, the errors on the state tests are such that the officially
Queue the Kafka indeed! I’ve worked in the educational publishing industry for years, and I have had occasion to read hundreds of state tests. Almost every test that I have read has been RIDDLED with errors–was so full of errors that it looked like some sort of rough draft. Often, the errors on the state tests are such that the officially
Where Are the Ed School Professors?
A reader responds to a post about decimating the education profession:
So where are the voices of legions of education professors who are willing to support the profession of teaching? I see some here on this blog but never see anything written by them in my local paper…..and these folks know the ropes. Colleges of Education will just quietly go away unless the people who work there start advocating for their programs and public schools.
So where are the voices of legions of education professors who are willing to support the profession of teaching? I see some here on this blog but never see anything written by them in my local paper…..and these folks know the ropes. Colleges of Education will just quietly go away unless the people who work there start advocating for their programs and public schools.
Spread the word: Stop School Closings!
A note from a friend:
Attached you will see our media advisory that we are just about to get out. We are part of a national alliance of youth, parent and community groups who have joined to fight against school closures. We believe they have displaced our communities, in some places like Chicago increased the violence and are a violation of our civil rights.
Cities like Detroit, Chicago, NOLA, Boston, Philly just to name a few will ride to D.C. on what we are labeling our “Journey for Justice”. 500 youth and parents will converge on D.C. on the 20th of September and send a
Attached you will see our media advisory that we are just about to get out. We are part of a national alliance of youth, parent and community groups who have joined to fight against school closures. We believe they have displaced our communities, in some places like Chicago increased the violence and are a violation of our civil rights.
Cities like Detroit, Chicago, NOLA, Boston, Philly just to name a few will ride to D.C. on what we are labeling our “Journey for Justice”. 500 youth and parents will converge on D.C. on the 20th of September and send a
This Video Shows Up Bunk VAM
Researchers at Arizona State University produced a 14-minute video to demonstrate how value-added-assessment actually works and how inaccurate it is.
It is easy to watch and presents a clear explanation of this flawed measurement system that reduces teachers and students to data.
It is easy to watch and presents a clear explanation of this flawed measurement system that reduces teachers and students to data.
Devotees of education reform—which champions broader school choice, increased accountability through testing, charter schools and voucher programs—will likely be challenged Tuesday night, as Diane Ravitch kicks off the fifth annual George T. Hunter Lecture Series with an address on challenges facing the nation's public school systems.
Ravitch, 72, is nationally renowned not only for her experience at the top levels of education administration, but also for the depth of her knowledge of the history of education in America. Currently on staff as a research professor at New York University, Ravitch served as assistant U.S. secretary of education to current Tennessee senator and former education secretary Lamar Alexander, as a part of the administration of former President George H. W. Bush.
Most recently, she is known as the author of the best-selling book "The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education" and has one of the most influential
Devotees of education reform—which champions broader school choice, increased accountability through testing, charter schools and voucher programs—will likely be challenged Tuesday night, as Diane Ravitch kicks off the fifth annual George T. Hunter Lecture Series with an address on challenges facing the nation's public school systems.
Ravitch, 72, is nationally renowned not only for her experience at the top levels of education administration, but also for the depth of her knowledge of the history of education in America. Currently on staff as a research professor at New York University, Ravitch served as assistant U.S. secretary of education to current Tennessee senator and former education secretary Lamar Alexander, as a part of the administration of former President George H. W. Bush.
Most recently, she is known as the author of the best-selling book "The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education" and has one of the most influential
Are We Decimating the Teaching Profession?
An earlier post described research showing that experienced teachers are leaving the profession in droves. In 1988, the modal number of years of teacher experience was 15 (meaning there were more teachers with 15 years experience than any other cohort). By 2008, the modal years of teacher experience was ONE. There were more first-year teachers than any other group. This can’t be good for children or for the quality of education as every study I have ever seen says that first year teachers are the weakest of all because they are brand-new and just learning the ropes (sorry, TFA). There are anecdotal reports that enrollment in teacher education programs is plummeting. Here is more:
This was in my local paper on September 11, 2012: “The number of teaching credentials issued from 2004-2010
This was in my local paper on September 11, 2012: “The number of teaching credentials issued from 2004-2010
Texas Workforce Commissioner Says NCLB Fails
Tom Pauken is not only the Texas Workforce Commissioner, he is a prominent member of the Texas Republican party.
Read what he says about NCLB.
He says that labeling schools by test scores based on formulas written in Washington, D.C., and Austin is a
Read what he says about NCLB.
He says that labeling schools by test scores based on formulas written in Washington, D.C., and Austin is a