Invest in Charter Schools, Get a Green Card
Wealthy investors from around te world are pouring millions of dollars into new charter school construction in the US. In return, they get a green card, thanks to a federal program known as EB-5.
Reuters investigative journalist Stephanie Simon has once again broken open a little known story. Here is a linkto some of her earlier stories.
An investor forum in China last spring, for instance, touted U.S. charter schools as a nearly fool-proof
Reuters investigative journalist Stephanie Simon has once again broken open a little known story. Here is a linkto some of her earlier stories.
An investor forum in China last spring, for instance, touted U.S. charter schools as a nearly fool-proof
How to Join the EduBusiness
A reader writes from Wisconsin:
After our Act 10 passed in Wisconsin, a few of my colleagues and I looked into what it would take to take our game to the private sector and start a voucher school in our town. What we learned was that it would be perfectly legal for us to rent an abandoned storefront in our town and lure students in with the promise of free technology that they could keep, even after they left the school. We could collect our voucher money from the state after the third Friday in September, when the state establishes your enrollment. To keep costs low and profits high, we could use Khan Academy as our curriculum and hire uncertified aides to monitor the students (we had a few recent HS graduates in mind who we thought would make good bouncers). The hastily sketched out business
After our Act 10 passed in Wisconsin, a few of my colleagues and I looked into what it would take to take our game to the private sector and start a voucher school in our town. What we learned was that it would be perfectly legal for us to rent an abandoned storefront in our town and lure students in with the promise of free technology that they could keep, even after they left the school. We could collect our voucher money from the state after the third Friday in September, when the state establishes your enrollment. To keep costs low and profits high, we could use Khan Academy as our curriculum and hire uncertified aides to monitor the students (we had a few recent HS graduates in mind who we thought would make good bouncers). The hastily sketched out business
What Matt Taibbi Said About Tom Friedman
Matt Taibbi really doesn’t like Tom Friedman. He has written several articles taking Friedman apart, both for his writing and his thinking.
What educators have learned about Friedman is that he has no first-hand knowledge about schools and teaching. Whatever he writes seems to be based on conversations with Bill Gates or Arne Duncan. It’s a shame that a journalist who is so out of touch does not take the time to meet with teachers and principals and students, or take a few days in public schools to learn about their challenges and their accomplishments. Until he does,
What educators have learned about Friedman is that he has no first-hand knowledge about schools and teaching. Whatever he writes seems to be based on conversations with Bill Gates or Arne Duncan. It’s a shame that a journalist who is so out of touch does not take the time to meet with teachers and principals and students, or take a few days in public schools to learn about their challenges and their accomplishments. Until he does,
Mitt Romney’s No-Excuses Schooling
Sometimes people complain that Mitt Romney can’t understand today’s schools because he went to an elite private school.
But don’t be too quick to judge.
EduShyster points out that his school had a lot in common with today’s “no-excuses” schools.
Just forget the part about small classes, ample athletic facilities, a gorgeous campus, lots of arts, no
But don’t be too quick to judge.
EduShyster points out that his school had a lot in common with today’s “no-excuses” schools.
Just forget the part about small classes, ample athletic facilities, a gorgeous campus, lots of arts, no
Diane in the Evening 10-27-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: From One Pro Basketball Player to Another: LINK FIXED! by dianerav Kevin Johnson, who was a basketball star but is now the Mayor of Sacramento (and the husband of Michelle Rhee), recently visited Bridgeport, Connecticut, to urge its citizens to support a mayoral takeover of the public schools. He asked them to end the practice of electing their local school board. This is a big goal of privatizers, as it will remove an obstacle to closing more public schools and turning them over to charter operators. John Bagley wrote an opinion piece answering Kevin Jo... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-27-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Do We All Love Teachers? by dianerav This is an excellent article, written by NYC charter school teacher Allison LaFave. It was prompted by Bob Schieffer’s off-hand remark during the last Presidential debate that “We all love teachers.” Do we all love teachers? Why don’t we trust them to manage their classrooms? Why must they be evaluated by Charter Closes, Kids Abandoned by dianerav A charter school in Sacramento abruptly closed its doors, locked out the students, and called it quits. The charter operator sa... more »
