Hari Sevugan Defends StudentsFirst Agenda
I earlier reported the story on Huffington Post that said a number of top staffers had resigned, including Democrats. Hari Sevugan was a key figure in the article. He here explains his continued loyalty to Michelle Rhee’s mission. I hope he will write again to explain why he thinks that Rhee’s support for for-profit charters, for vouchers, and for the agenda of rightwing governors helps our society’s most vulnerable children.
Diane – I’ve never posted a comment on your blog, but as one of the subjects mentioned in the article you have
Diane – I’ve never posted a comment on your blog, but as one of the subjects mentioned in the article you have
Jersey Jazzman on the Democratic Defections from Rhee Camp
It seems that Jersey Jazzman and I read Joy Resmovit’s article at the same moment and posted in tandem.
Readers might want to know what he thought about the changing of he guard at StudentsFirst.
Readers might want to know what he thought about the changing of he guard at StudentsFirst.
Rhee Loses Top Democratic Staffers
Joy Resmovits at Huffington Post has a revealing story about how top staff at Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst have abandoned the ship.
No one went on the record to explain the exodus but it is hard to see how any Democrat could be part of a campaign to curtail collective bargaining rights and to diminish the rights and status of teachers. Unions and
No one went on the record to explain the exodus but it is hard to see how any Democrat could be part of a campaign to curtail collective bargaining rights and to diminish the rights and status of teachers. Unions and
The VAM Mess in Pennsylvania
Value-added assessment is all the rage since te introduction of Race to the Top.
Before then, everyone understood that teachers, families, school resources and the student herself (or himself) were the determining factors in student test scores.
But RTTT set off a movement to use scores to evaluate teachers, hoping to identify laggards and fire them.
The only problem: VAM is junk science. The low ratings tend to go to teachers of ELL, special education, and
Before then, everyone understood that teachers, families, school resources and the student herself (or himself) were the determining factors in student test scores.
But RTTT set off a movement to use scores to evaluate teachers, hoping to identify laggards and fire them.
The only problem: VAM is junk science. The low ratings tend to go to teachers of ELL, special education, and
How to Live with an Outrage
Chancellor Kaya Henderson is closing 20 public schools in DC, displacing 3,000 children. She has abdicated her responsibilty to improve the schools and is instead following the corporate reform script: close public schools while opening more privately managed charters.
The Washington Post has an article advising parents and students how to accept the destruction of their
The Washington Post has an article advising parents and students how to accept the destruction of their
Jersey Jazzman Deconstructs Klein Record: Part 2
Jersey Jazzman has decided to analyze Joel Klein’s record, since he is now one of the leading spokesmen for the corporate reform record. In this post, he looks at evidence of how New York City students fared on the NAEP compared to other cities that also take the same assessments.
Courts and NLRB: Charters Are Not Public Schools
Courts have repeatedly ruled that charter schools are not public schools. These rulings have been sought not by charter critics, but by the charters themselves, to enable them to avoid complying with state laws.
Julian Vasquez Heilig of the University of Texas warns African American students and their families that charters are not considered public schools by the courts when it comes to discipline policies. Student rights are protected in public schools, but with few exceptions, not in charter schools. On matters of student discipline, the courts have decided that charters are not public schools.
The same is true for state labor laws.
Just a few days ago, the National Labor Relations Board ruled that charter schools are “private entities,” not
Julian Vasquez Heilig of the University of Texas warns African American students and their families that charters are not considered public schools by the courts when it comes to discipline policies. Student rights are protected in public schools, but with few exceptions, not in charter schools. On matters of student discipline, the courts have decided that charters are not public schools.
The same is true for state labor laws.
Just a few days ago, the National Labor Relations Board ruled that charter schools are “private entities,” not
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-4-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] As Detroit Public Schools Shrink, Proportion of Special Ed Kids Soar by dianerav http://www.freep.com/article/20121224/NEWS01/312240091/As-Detroit-Public-Schools-rolls-fall-proportion-of-special-needs-students-on-rise?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage School Board Showdown in Los Angeles by dianerav Steve Zimmer is an alumnus of Teach for America. He is not your typical TFA-er. He was elected to the Los Angeles Unified school board in 2009, after seventeen years as a public school teacher. He will be ... more »