Do You Believe in Academic Freedom?
Barbara Madeloni, a teacher at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst protested the field-testing of the Stanford-Pearson evaluation of her students. The New York Times wrote about her courage. She was fired (“given a letter of non-renewal”).
Please consider adding your name to the petition demanding her reinstatement.
Please consider adding your name to the petition demanding her reinstatement.
Rick Roach in Florida is a Hero
Rick Roach is a school board member in Orange County, Florida. He took the state test, the FCAT, and concluded that it is a very poor measure of student learning and is consuming far too much instructional time.
Rick Roach joins the honor roll of champions of public education. The honor roll consists of people who fight for good education for all children; who oppose privatization and high-stakes testing; and who break ranks and take risks to speak out. They may be state board members, local school board members, superintendents,
Rick Roach joins the honor roll of champions of public education. The honor roll consists of people who fight for good education for all children; who oppose privatization and high-stakes testing; and who break ranks and take risks to speak out. They may be state board members, local school board members, superintendents,
What Is Peer Assistance and Review?
A reader in Maryland wrote to second the nomination of Joshua Starr as an outstanding superintendent who supports students, teachers, principals, and schools and resists harmful federal policy.
One of the outstanding features of the Montgomery County schools is the PAR approach to teacher evaluation. It is about 1,000 times better than VAM or VAA or any of the other test-based methods now dominating federal and state methods.
It’s an honor to serve under Josh Starr in Montgomery County, MD. He is a very approachable Superintendent
One of the outstanding features of the Montgomery County schools is the PAR approach to teacher evaluation. It is about 1,000 times better than VAM or VAA or any of the other test-based methods now dominating federal and state methods.
It’s an honor to serve under Josh Starr in Montgomery County, MD. He is a very approachable Superintendent
A Guide to Identifying Phony Reform Groups
I discovered a new blogger who is spot-on: EduShyster
He or she seems to be writing from Massachusetts and has a wicked sense of humor.
This post is called “The Scratch n’ Sniff Guide to Phony Education Reform Groups.”
There are certain tell-tale signs. For example, no one in a leadership role ever went to a public school. Its “experienced” teachers had two years in TFA. Its policy agenda is exactly the same as
Killing Unions Hurts the Middle Class
He or she seems to be writing from Massachusetts and has a wicked sense of humor.
This post is called “The Scratch n’ Sniff Guide to Phony Education Reform Groups.”
There are certain tell-tale signs. For example, no one in a leadership role ever went to a public school. Its “experienced” teachers had two years in TFA. Its policy agenda is exactly the same as
Killing Unions Hurts the Middle Class
I link two different articles here, each of them explaining the dilemma in which we find out society today.
On the one hand, there is the potential strike of the Chicago Teachers Union. This situation pits a Democratic mayor against the city’s public school teachers, who stand united (98% voted to authorize a strike). They should have been his allies. President Obama will need their votes in two months.
On the other, there is a growing realization that the new jobs created since the recession of 2008 are low-wage jobs. The middle class is losing ground. Many new college graduates find themselves working at a fast-food chain or in retail sales, not making enough to pay off their student loans. The jobs they expected to get have
On the one hand, there is the potential strike of the Chicago Teachers Union. This situation pits a Democratic mayor against the city’s public school teachers, who stand united (98% voted to authorize a strike). They should have been his allies. President Obama will need their votes in two months.
On the other, there is a growing realization that the new jobs created since the recession of 2008 are low-wage jobs. The middle class is losing ground. Many new college graduates find themselves working at a fast-food chain or in retail sales, not making enough to pay off their student loans. The jobs they expected to get have
Another Charter Study: Same Results, No Difference
Yet another charter school study finds no difference between performance of charter schools and public schools.
Why do reformers continue to push charters as the “answer” in cities across the nation, like Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Detroit, etc.? Do reformers read research?
This one was conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and the charter-friendly Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington.
Here is the summary from the U.S. Department
Why do reformers continue to push charters as the “answer” in cities across the nation, like Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Detroit, etc.? Do reformers read research?
This one was conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and the charter-friendly Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington.
Here is the summary from the U.S. Department
The Best Democratic Platform for Education: Written Abroad
Democrats living abroad have drafted their own platform for the Presidential campaign. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is the section on education.
How wonderful it would be if this statement of principles about education was embedded in the main Democratic platform!
The Democrats Abroad platform unequivocally supports the strengthening of public education and the education profession. It opposes privatization of public education. It opposes charter schools and vouchers. It supports the
NBC Sponsors Parent Trigger Movie
How wonderful it would be if this statement of principles about education was embedded in the main Democratic platform!
The Democrats Abroad platform unequivocally supports the strengthening of public education and the education profession. It opposes privatization of public education. It opposes charter schools and vouchers. It supports the
NBC Sponsors Parent Trigger Movie
Last year I was invited to participate in NBC’s Education Nation. I had a head-to-head discussion with Geoffrey Canada. This year, I received an invitation to sit in the audience.
Now as a perk, I have been invited to a special screening of the parent trigger movie and its world premiere. Imagine all those private school parents and Wall Street titans sitting about and feeling sorry for the children trapped in those dreadful public schools.
So, I was doing this thought experiment, now that the elites are so excited by the idea that parents should be
Now as a perk, I have been invited to a special screening of the parent trigger movie and its world premiere. Imagine all those private school parents and Wall Street titans sitting about and feeling sorry for the children trapped in those dreadful public schools.
So, I was doing this thought experiment, now that the elites are so excited by the idea that parents should be
