A Draft of a Parent’s Letter to President Obama
A parent in California drafted a letter to President Obama. This could serve as a template for other parents.
Some parents worry about the negative effects of high-stakes testing on their children. Others are upset that their community is being torn apart by battles with charter operators. Others are upset by class size or budget cuts.
Please send us your email by October 17.
Here are the instructions.
Write your views and join our campaign to collect the maximum number of emails and letters in the next 10 days. Anthony Cody will collect them, will combine them with emails to my blog, and submit them to the White House on October 18.
Some parents worry about the negative effects of high-stakes testing on their children. Others are upset that their community is being torn apart by battles with charter operators. Others are upset by class size or budget cuts.
Please send us your email by October 17.
Here are the instructions.
Write your views and join our campaign to collect the maximum number of emails and letters in the next 10 days. Anthony Cody will collect them, will combine them with emails to my blog, and submit them to the White House on October 18.
Pennsylvania Official Altered Test Rules to Inflate Charter Scores
The Pennsylvania Secretary of Education changed the state testing rules, without federal approval, to boost the scores of charters. The change involved treating charter schools as if they are districts, not schools. This reduced the number of charters that failed to make adequate yearly progress.
The chief legal counsel for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association said “the change might give the Legislature the false impression that charter schools outperform traditional public schools as they consider bills
The chief legal counsel for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association said “the change might give the Legislature the false impression that charter schools outperform traditional public schools as they consider bills
Marie Corfield Needs Your Help!
This morning, I made a contribution to Marie Corfield’s campaign. She is a teacher running for the New Jersey legislature. She will be a thorn in Governor Chris Christie’s side as he slams teachers and their union and tries to cut their pensions and destroy public education.
Jersey Jazzman reminds us here that you can help without sending any money. You can help by asking the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee to help her. Just click on the link. I did that too.
Folks, Marie needs help NOW – it won’t cost you a cent and it will take literally one minute! Read about it here:
http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2012/10/marie-corfield-for-nj-assembly.html
Just tell the DLCC to support Marie’s race – that’s it! Again, it will take one minute, it won’t cost you a thing, and it will annoy the heck outta Chris Christie!
All my fellow teachers, I’m asking you to step up on this one. We need to let this great teacher and great candidate know that we take care of our own. Please do this by Tuesday, when the DLCC nominations end.
Thanks!
Jersey Jazzman reminds us here that you can help without sending any money. You can help by asking the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee to help her. Just click on the link. I did that too.
Folks, Marie needs help NOW – it won’t cost you a cent and it will take literally one minute! Read about it here:
http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2012/10/marie-corfield-for-nj-assembly.html
Just tell the DLCC to support Marie’s race – that’s it! Again, it will take one minute, it won’t cost you a thing, and it will annoy the heck outta Chris Christie!
All my fellow teachers, I’m asking you to step up on this one. We need to let this great teacher and great candidate know that we take care of our own. Please do this by Tuesday, when the DLCC nominations end.
Thanks!
Wish I Had a Newspaper Like This in My Hometown
The Mercury of Pottsdown, Pennsylvania, has an editorial describing the devastating effects of budget cuts and tax caps on Pennsylvania’s public schools.
The cuts threaten the future, says the editorial. Class sizes are growing. Thousands of teachers have bee laid off. On the chopping block and already cut are music and art, sports, kindergarten, early childhood education, after-school activities.
State budget cuts, combined with the transfer of public funds to charter schools and voucher schools, are eroding public education for the vast majority of the state’s children. The great many are suffering because of privatization.
What is at risk?
“Public education is the foundation of our democracy,” said William LaCoff, Owen J. Roberts School Board
The cuts threaten the future, says the editorial. Class sizes are growing. Thousands of teachers have bee laid off. On the chopping block and already cut are music and art, sports, kindergarten, early childhood education, after-school activities.
State budget cuts, combined with the transfer of public funds to charter schools and voucher schools, are eroding public education for the vast majority of the state’s children. The great many are suffering because of privatization.
What is at risk?
“Public education is the foundation of our democracy,” said William LaCoff, Owen J. Roberts School Board
Game On in Oklahoma
The reform/privatization strategy is now in full operation is states across the nation.
This is the way it works:
First, set an impossible goal, say, 100% proficiency for all students.
Second, say that there can be “no excuses,” no reference to social conditions in which children live.
Third, insist on accountability for schools, teachers, and principals. If they can’t meet the impossible goals, fire
This is the way it works:
First, set an impossible goal, say, 100% proficiency for all students.
Second, say that there can be “no excuses,” no reference to social conditions in which children live.
Third, insist on accountability for schools, teachers, and principals. If they can’t meet the impossible goals, fire
Creativity Declines as Testing Increases
An article in Psychology Today says that studies of creativity show it is on the decline.
The decline of creativity is concurrent with the rise of testing and accountability in American schools.
This is particularly disturbing because America’s trump card has always been creativity, ingenuity, wit, and innovation.
In our reckless pursuit to “race to the top” of test scores, we are sacrificing what matters most to our nation’s future economic success.
The decline of creativity is concurrent with the rise of testing and accountability in American schools.
This is particularly disturbing because America’s trump card has always been creativity, ingenuity, wit, and innovation.
In our reckless pursuit to “race to the top” of test scores, we are sacrificing what matters most to our nation’s future economic success.
Education Nation Ignored Students
Nikhil Goyal was invited to participate in Education Nation.
He is a high school senior in New York who recently published a book (!) about education reform.
But read what he writes about how Education Nation treated students.
He is a high school senior in New York who recently published a book (!) about education reform.
But read what he writes about how Education Nation treated students.