How Rhee Demonstrates Her Love for Teachers
Michelle Rhee, through her organization StudentsFirst, dropped $500,000 into a ballot initiative in Michigan, where there is an effort to establish the right to collective bargaining in the state constitution. Rhee thinks this is a terrible idea, because she loves teachers, but only “effective” teachers, the kind that get high test scores very year. If teachers join unions, the teachers won’t be effective any more or they might protect teachers who don’t get high scores every year.
Does Value-Added Assessment Ever Work?
The Los Angeles Times (!) has an outstanding article by reporter Teresa Watanabe about the new teacher evaluation system. It is based on growth in test scores and on computer modeling. The focus is on one teacher who seems to do all the right things: last year, he got a good rating but not this year. What changed? Nothing.
The United Teachers of Los Angeles has been fighting the LAUSD’s efforts to impose this flawed system on all teachers.
Eventually, after we have spent billions of dollars on these mechanical systems, the policymakers will figure out
The United Teachers of Los Angeles has been fighting the LAUSD’s efforts to impose this flawed system on all teachers.
Eventually, after we have spent billions of dollars on these mechanical systems, the policymakers will figure out
Romney Says Disaster Relief Is Immoral
A year ago, Mitt Romney said that the federal government should not provide en
Emergency relief to victims of tornadoes and floods. He recommended that FEMA be privatized. Remember that when he talks about his concern for victims of the hurricane,
Emergency relief to victims of tornadoes and floods. He recommended that FEMA be privatized. Remember that when he talks about his concern for victims of the hurricane,
Charter Sponsor Is Very Successful
Vavan Gureghian runs a successful charter school called the Chester Community Charter School. The school is nonprofit, but Mr. Gureghian supplies its good and services through his for-profit company and collects millions of dollars as a management fee. Meanwhile the local Chester Upland public schools–whose funds pay for the students in the charter school–is in bankruptcy and under the control of a Governor-appointed “chief recovery officer.” Poor Chester Upland has been controlled by the state for most of the past decade, yet gets blamed for the fiscal insolvency that the state has deepened and may now use as an excuse to eliminate its public schools.
The following is copied from the newsletter of the Keystone State Education Coalition, which sends out a daily newsletter with news from Pennsylvania:
“Vahan Gureghian was Governor Corbett’s largest individual campaign donor at $384,000. His Charter
The following is copied from the newsletter of the Keystone State Education Coalition, which sends out a daily newsletter with news from Pennsylvania:
“Vahan Gureghian was Governor Corbett’s largest individual campaign donor at $384,000. His Charter
Are Georgia Public Schools for Sale?
Billionaires are dumping campaign cash into Georgia referendum on charters.
Georgia already has nearly 200 charters, but the governor of Georgia wants to enact an ALEC law that gives him the power to override local control and open charters wherever he (and his hand-picked commission) choose.
Nearly 80% of the funding for the ballot initiative has come from out of state sources.
Alice Walton of Arkansas has dropped $600,000 to increase the number of charters in Georgia.
Georgia already has nearly 200 charters, but the governor of Georgia wants to enact an ALEC law that gives him the power to override local control and open charters wherever he (and his hand-picked commission) choose.
Nearly 80% of the funding for the ballot initiative has come from out of state sources.
Alice Walton of Arkansas has dropped $600,000 to increase the number of charters in Georgia.
Ann Romney’s Shocking, Extremist View of American Education
In a recent interview, Ann Romney was asked which issue she cared most about. This was her answer.
“AR: I’ve been a First Lady of the State. I have seen what happens to people’s lives if they don’t get a proper education. And we know the answers to that. The charter schools have provided the answers. The teachers’ unions are preventing those things from happening, from bringing real change to our educational system. We need to throw out the system.”
We may safely assume that Mrs. Romney is expressing the views of her husband, the candidate.
This is the line of thought:
1. Charter schools–privately managed, deregulated schools–are the answer to the problems of American
“AR: I’ve been a First Lady of the State. I have seen what happens to people’s lives if they don’t get a proper education. And we know the answers to that. The charter schools have provided the answers. The teachers’ unions are preventing those things from happening, from bringing real change to our educational system. We need to throw out the system.”
We may safely assume that Mrs. Romney is expressing the views of her husband, the candidate.
This is the line of thought:
1. Charter schools–privately managed, deregulated schools–are the answer to the problems of American
Waiting for the Hurricane
I live in New York City, which is now on almost complete lockdown waiting for the hurricane to arrive.
All traffic has come to a halt. The only people on the street are those walking their dogs.
The mayor and governor halted all mass transit Sunday night at 7 pm. Most stores and restaurants closed by 5 or 6 pm to allow their employees time to get home. Most people don’t work near their place of residence. Last night, supermarkets had been swept clean of water, milk and all essentials. There won’t be any more deliveries
All traffic has come to a halt. The only people on the street are those walking their dogs.
The mayor and governor halted all mass transit Sunday night at 7 pm. Most stores and restaurants closed by 5 or 6 pm to allow their employees time to get home. Most people don’t work near their place of residence. Last night, supermarkets had been swept clean of water, milk and all essentials. There won’t be any more deliveries
How to Make Kindergarten a Terrible Experience
Here is a good way to ruin the lives of very small children.
Give them lots of tests. Start when they are very young, say, five, in kindergarten.
Instead of letting them play or giving them age -appropriate instruction, test them.
In Chicago, the little ones will be tested again and again. By the reckoning in this article, as much as one-third of
Give them lots of tests. Start when they are very young, say, five, in kindergarten.
Instead of letting them play or giving them age -appropriate instruction, test them.
In Chicago, the little ones will be tested again and again. By the reckoning in this article, as much as one-third of
Stop Disclosing Confidential Student Data
Please consider signing this petition.
Several states plan to share confidential student data with a corporation funded by the Gates Foundation. This information may be shared with other entities, for purposes that are not clear.
As parents, grandparents and educators, we must protect our children’s rights to privacy.
We expect schools to understand the needs of children. We do not expect them to share this information with
Several states plan to share confidential student data with a corporation funded by the Gates Foundation. This information may be shared with other entities, for purposes that are not clear.
As parents, grandparents and educators, we must protect our children’s rights to privacy.
We expect schools to understand the needs of children. We do not expect them to share this information with
Stand for Children Failed in Chicago
Jersey Jazzman points out in an illuminating post that Jonah Edelman was hired by the plutocrats to make sure teachers would never be able to strike again.
So Jonah Edelman and his deceptively-named group Stand for Children drafted legislation, bought up most of the high-priced lobbyists, and pushed through a bill to make the hedge fund managers happy. Now, said Jonah, the teachers will never be able to get enough member votes to strike again. This is what it means today to bear the
So Jonah Edelman and his deceptively-named group Stand for Children drafted legislation, bought up most of the high-priced lobbyists, and pushed through a bill to make the hedge fund managers happy. Now, said Jonah, the teachers will never be able to get enough member votes to strike again. This is what it means today to bear the