Latest News and Comment from Education

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Diane in the Evening 12-9-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:






Texas State Board Member: Too Much Testing!

Thomas Ratliff was elected to the Texas State Board of Education in 2010. A Republican, he has emerged as one of the most eloquent and powerful voices for public education in the state. In this article, explains; Testing in Texas is out of control.
But wait: here is Sandy Kress, architect of the reviled NCLB, insisting that every child in Texas has the right to be tested with super frequency. Testing is the very foundation, it seems, of the state’s economy. without it, where would Texas be? Kress is now a lobbyist for Pearson, which won a five-year contract for almost $500 


NPR: School District Owes $1 Billion on $100 Million Loan

Something is terribly wrong when banks and other financial institutions make obscene profits by making loans to build schools.
Can’t government figure out a way to pay to build schools without enriching investors and bankrupting school districts? How do other nations do it?



When Sabrina Stevens Crashed the ALEC Meeting

Sabrina Stevens wanted to tell the ALEC education task force what she thought of their plans to privatize American education and destroy unions. At first, she planned to protest. Instead, she walked right in, sat quietly, fumed, and then spoke out.








LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-9-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Letting the Cat Out of the Bag by dianerav With each new expansion of charters, the public is assured that “charters are public schools,” and “competition will be good for everyone,” and “everyone should have choice.” But as this article explains, there is another agenda at work. The author, a former executive director of the Georgia Republican Party, explains the agenda. The current public school system will turn into the equivalent of “public welfare” schools, akin to public housing or public transit, the ... more »