Putting a Stake in the Heart of the Vampire
On Sunday evening, after I spoke to the joint meeting of the Texas School Boards Association and the Texas Association of School Administrators, and after I spoke to parents and teachers at Eastside Memorial High School, I met Abby Rappaport, who writes for The American Prospect.
Abby knows Texas politics well. She asked me many good questions, and reprinted a slightly edited version of the interview. I boiled down everything I said to TSBA and TASA in the interview. I told her what I thought about
Abby knows Texas politics well. She asked me many good questions, and reprinted a slightly edited version of the interview. I boiled down everything I said to TSBA and TASA in the interview. I told her what I thought about
Michelle Rhee’s Plan to Destroy Public Education
Michelle Rhee is is a one-person PAC. She is raising hundreds of millions of dollars from rightwing billionaires and foundations and corporations to subsidize her program.
What is her program? Destroy teachers’ unions; eliminate tenure and seniority; privatize public education. Having failed to transform the public schools of the District of Columbia, she now wants to privatize public education everywhere.
When I was in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I learned from a Democratic state senator that Rhee had poured $105,000 into a race between a liberal Democrat and a conservative Democrat. The difference between them?
What is her program? Destroy teachers’ unions; eliminate tenure and seniority; privatize public education. Having failed to transform the public schools of the District of Columbia, she now wants to privatize public education everywhere.
When I was in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I learned from a Democratic state senator that Rhee had poured $105,000 into a race between a liberal Democrat and a conservative Democrat. The difference between them?
Testing and Accountability in the UK (part 2)
Robin Alexander, who directed the UK’s Cambridge Primary Review, has shared the findings of that major review of the primary grades. They are contained in this brief two-page statement, and I urge you to read them. Every one of them reflects our own discussions–from recognizing the influence of poverty on student performance in school to a proposal to abandon the misuse of testing and assessment.
I had planned to reproduce the two-page statement in its entirety, but every time I hit the “save” button, the whole
I had planned to reproduce the two-page statement in its entirety, but every time I hit the “save” button, the whole
A Visit to Austin, Texas
I just concluded an amazing visit to Austin.
I love going back to Texas. It’s my native state. I am a graduate of the Houston public schools. I like the sounds of Texas voices. I like the twang, the earthiness. These are the accents I grew up with.
I like meeting with racially integrated groups. I attended segregated schools in Houston. I’m proud that public education led the way in creating a racially diverse society, a society where people of all colors interact as equals.
I like the friendliness and openness, the lack of pretense and stuffiness that characterizes Texans. I have lived most of my life in New York City, but my heart belongs to this crazy state.
I love going back to Texas. It’s my native state. I am a graduate of the Houston public schools. I like the sounds of Texas voices. I like the twang, the earthiness. These are the accents I grew up with.
I like meeting with racially integrated groups. I attended segregated schools in Houston. I’m proud that public education led the way in creating a racially diverse society, a society where people of all colors interact as equals.
I like the friendliness and openness, the lack of pretense and stuffiness that characterizes Texans. I have lived most of my life in New York City, but my heart belongs to this crazy state.
Testing and Accountability in the UK
Robin Alexander of the U.K. is a reader of this blog. He is director of the Cambridge Primary Review, a major independent evaluation of primary education in the U.K. The Reviews has published 31 interim reports between 2007 and 2009. Its final report is Children, their World, their Education, which appeared in October 2009.
He has shared some of the Review’s conclusions with us. We will, I hope, hear more from him about the lessons learned from his thorough study of British education and its implications for those of us in the U.S.
Here are some extracts that he forwarded to me:
TESTING, INSPECTION, STANDARDS AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN ENGLISH PRIMARY EDUCATION
He has shared some of the Review’s conclusions with us. We will, I hope, hear more from him about the lessons learned from his thorough study of British education and its implications for those of us in the U.S.
Here are some extracts that he forwarded to me:
TESTING, INSPECTION, STANDARDS AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN ENGLISH PRIMARY EDUCATION
A Chicago Parent and a Hero of Public Education
Matthew Farmer is a parent in the Chicago public school system. He is an articulate lawyer who understands that the children of Chicago have been shortchanged by the city’s leadership.
He is fearless in defending the teachers, defending the children of Chicago, and standing up for better public schools.
You may recall his outstanding cross-examination of the billionaire member of the Chicago Board of education
He is fearless in defending the teachers, defending the children of Chicago, and standing up for better public schools.
You may recall his outstanding cross-examination of the billionaire member of the Chicago Board of education
A New Jersey Mom: Another Hero of Public Education
Darcie Cimarusti is a hero of public education. As a parent of young children in the fine public schools of New Jersey, she became alarmed when a charter planned to open in her community. She knew that the charter would divide the community and undercut the public schools.
This is her story. She joins the honor roll of heroes.
She became an active crusader to defend public education in New Jersey. She has her own blog “Mother
This is her story. She joins the honor roll of heroes.
She became an active crusader to defend public education in New Jersey. She has her own blog “Mother
US Dept of Ed: More Millions for Teacher Evaluation
The Gates Foundation has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into teacher evaluation programs.
The US Department of Education has used its billions in Race to the Top funding to push for teacher evaluation programs.
The spigot is still open!
The big winner of the latest grants is the District of Columbia, which presumably already has Michelle Rhee’s
The US Department of Education has used its billions in Race to the Top funding to push for teacher evaluation programs.
The spigot is still open!
The big winner of the latest grants is the District of Columbia, which presumably already has Michelle Rhee’s
Make the Best of It?
Carol Burris has valiantly rallied her fellow principals in New York to oppose the state’s test-based evaluation system created in response to Race to the Top.
Carol is principal of an exemplary high school in Rockville Center, New York.
Some readers responded to her latest post by saying, “look, it’s over. They won. Live with it. Make the best of it.”
Carol is principal of an exemplary high school in Rockville Center, New York.
Some readers responded to her latest post by saying, “look, it’s over. They won. Live with it. Make the best of it.”
Poor Boxoffice for Anti-Union Film
The film “Won’t Back Down,” which publicizes the idea that parents should seize control of their public school and turn it over to a charter operator, has been heavily promoted. The movie was shown at both national political conventions by Michelle Rhee; it had a glamorous opening in New York City and extensive publicity as part of NBC’s Education Nation, and full-page ads in major newspapers, as well as expensive ads on network television.