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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-26-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:

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Why Does TFA Need Nearly $1 Billion?

To be exact, why does TFA need $907 million?
That is the amount that TFA raised from 2006-2010.
EduShyster has


TFA and Other People’s Children

Mark Naison, professor of African-American Studies at Fordham University, asks whether Teach for America leaders are the Robert McNamaras of this generation?

Parents: How to Support Your Public Schools

The best group now organizing and mobilizing to strengthen public education is Parents Across America.
You don’t have to be a public school parent to join. PAA welcomes educators and everyone who supports public schools.
If you care about improving your public schools and fighting off corporate control and privatization, join Parents Across America.
PAA has chapters in many cities. If there is no PAA chapter in your city or town, start one.
Check out the website to learn about their activities and their mission.
In brief, it is to stop privatization

Reform Churn Hurts Students Most

In response to an earlier post about the escalating cost of teacher evaluation programs, a reader submitted this comment. I wish that our elected officials in Washington and in the state legislatures and departments of education would read it.
This voyage is beginning in Connecticut. Every hour that teachers and administrators focus on the new Teacher Evaluation system, and every dollar they spend on training, materials and systems to keep it working means less for students. Now throw in NEW standards, and new books to match the standards, and more training for teachers, and then a new online test in a year, and the corresponding technology requirements again mean less 

Good News from North Carolina!

Wonderful news from Charlotte-Mecklenbug, North Carolina!
The superintendent of schools has spoken out forcefully against the flood of testing.
Because of this great news, I happily add Heath Morrison to the honor roll as a champion of American public education.
Morrison is superintendent of schools in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina. He is also highly respected among his peers nationally. He was elected president of the American Association of School Administrators for 

Diane in the Evening 12-25-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 minutes ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: ‘Twas the Night Before Testing by dianerav Fred Smith worked for many years for the New York City Board of Education as a testing expert. Now he is a watchdog to guard against the misuse of tests. He writes opinion pieces and advises parent groups about the excesses of the testing industry. For non-New York City folk, Tisch is Merryl Tisch, the head of the New York State Board of Regents, which never sees the harm in adding more tests. The Tweed Courthouse is the building Reading a Christmas Carol for Our Own Times by dianerav Ken Previti has written ... more »