Ex-DC Principal Is Happy Baking Cupcakes
In case you wondered what Adell Cothorne, the star of the PBS Frontline special about Michelle Rhee’s cheating scandal, is doing now, she is very happy making gourmet cupcakes. Thanks to reader Linda of Connecticut for finding her on the web. I wish we lived close to Ellicott City, Maryland, so we could sample her cupcakes.
Adell is in business with Bill Kerlina, another ex-principal from D.C.
As you know from reading the posts on this blog, Adell filed a whistleblower complaint against the leadership of
Adell is in business with Bill Kerlina, another ex-principal from D.C.
As you know from reading the posts on this blog, Adell filed a whistleblower complaint against the leadership of
A Teacher Has a Question for Hari Sevugan
Hari Sevugan, the ex-Obama spokesman and ex-StudentsFirst spokesman, has twice commented on this blog in defense of charters and high-stakes testing. In his comments yesterday, he pointed to Florida as a model of excellence, while putting down Massachusetts as not all that it claims to be. In my response, I compared Florida’s NAEP scores to those of Massachusetts. Massachusetts is consistently #1, while Florida ranks about average among the 50 states. I assume that Hari was promoting Glorida because Michelle Rhee ranked it at the top of her personal report card. It is certainly way ahead of Massachusetts in authorizing charter schools, for-
Teachers of Garfield High School in Seattle Say No!
By unanimous vote, the entire faculty at Garfield High School in Seattle voted not to administer the MAP test of reading and mathematics.
This is the first time, to my knowledge, that the faculty of an entire school refused to give mandated tests.
The action of the Garfield High School faculty could have national ramifications because it shows other teachers
This is the first time, to my knowledge, that the faculty of an entire school refused to give mandated tests.
The action of the Garfield High School faculty could have national ramifications because it shows other teachers
Report: Heroic Teacher and Guidance Counselor Save Lives Today
There was a school shooting in a California high school. One student was shot by another student, who was wielding a shotgun.
A teacher and a guidance counselor persuaded the student with the shotgun to put down his firearm.
We don’t yet know their names.
They put themselves in harm’s way and saved the lives of their students.
A teacher and a guidance counselor persuaded the student with the shotgun to put down his firearm.
We don’t yet know their names.
They put themselves in harm’s way and saved the lives of their students.
How Bill Gates Wasted $50 Million
The final MET study supposedly show that value-added modeling really does work and that test scores really do show who the best teachers are.
But Bruce Baker says the study is full of holes and circular reasoning.
When Bill Gates and the top executives at Microsoft put their own children in schools that use test scores as
But Bruce Baker says the study is full of holes and circular reasoning.
When Bill Gates and the top executives at Microsoft put their own children in schools that use test scores as
N.C. State Board Caves to Online Lobbyists, with Restrictions
North Carolina is a plum market for the online for-profit charter industry.
Today, the state board of education agreed to allow them to open in the state but set some limits.
Here is a link to a report on the decision by North Carolina Policy Watch:
Today, the state board of education agreed to allow them to open in the state but set some limits.
Here is a link to a report on the decision by North Carolina Policy Watch:
“Virtual charter schools will face restrictions if they want to open up in North Carolina.
The N.C. State Board of Education voted today to adopt a policy that would require the online-based schools to adhere to a significantly lower funding formula ($3504 per student) than brick-and-mortar charter schools, maintain high graduation rates and low withdrawal rates of students. Schools will also need to keep a ratio of one teacher for every 50 students and keep graduation rates within 10 percent of the state average (80 percent), and
Paul Thomas: Et Tu, Liberal Media?
Paul Thomas recognizes that he big corporate media have bought into the corporate education spin and hype.
But he was baffled that PBS used most of an hour to recycle Rhee’s self-promotion.
By the way, our one consistent ally on national television is the great Jon Stewart. His mother was a teacher, and he knows how hard she worked. Having The Daily Show on our side is great stuff. Jon is more influential than all the others put together. When I appeared on his show, his booker told me I would never be invited on Stephen Colbert’s show because his booker is Jonathan Alter’s wife. Alter is one of the media cheerleaders for corporate reforms. He appeared in “Waiting for Superman” to say, “We know what works. Accountability works.” I am not sure who that “we” referred to.
But he was baffled that PBS used most of an hour to recycle Rhee’s self-promotion.
By the way, our one consistent ally on national television is the great Jon Stewart. His mother was a teacher, and he knows how hard she worked. Having The Daily Show on our side is great stuff. Jon is more influential than all the others put together. When I appeared on his show, his booker told me I would never be invited on Stephen Colbert’s show because his booker is Jonathan Alter’s wife. Alter is one of the media cheerleaders for corporate reforms. He appeared in “Waiting for Superman” to say, “We know what works. Accountability works.” I am not sure who that “we” referred to.
The Daily Howler On PBS On Rhee
The Daily Howler is a tough marker.
He reports on how the media reports on events.
He was not happy with the PBS show about Rhee.
He thought it was dated and failed to ask important questions.
By the way, if you haven’t seen The Daily Howler reports on how the media fumbled the latest international test scores, you should. See here. And here. And here.
There is a connection. Rhee loves to carry on about how horrible American schools are, how dreadful our teachers are, how far down we are in international tests. But if you read the links above, you will learn that our scores on international tests are not so bad. StudentsFirst will have to rewrite a lot of its documents, maybe
He reports on how the media reports on events.
He was not happy with the PBS show about Rhee.
He thought it was dated and failed to ask important questions.
By the way, if you haven’t seen The Daily Howler reports on how the media fumbled the latest international test scores, you should. See here. And here. And here.
There is a connection. Rhee loves to carry on about how horrible American schools are, how dreadful our teachers are, how far down we are in international tests. But if you read the links above, you will learn that our scores on international tests are not so bad. StudentsFirst will have to rewrite a lot of its documents, maybe
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The Ordeal of the D.C. Whistleblower by dianerav If you have followed the story of the D.C. Cheating scandal, you know that suspicious test scores were flagged at a large number of schools in the district during Michelle Rhee’s tenure. Rhee met with every single principal and got a commitment to raise test scores or be fired. This pressure was effective in perverse ways. Jay Mathews here explains what happened in stark and alarming detail. The epicenter of the cheating scandal was Noyes campus, where the gain... more »