Getting Ready for the Common Core Testing
A friend of a friend of a friend passed this along, hoping I might be able to answer the question about the appropriateness of this test question in second grade.
What do you think?
“Please read a question on a quiz that my 7 year old son in the 2nd grade got wrong and tell me if I’m crazy for
What do you think?
“Please read a question on a quiz that my 7 year old son in the 2nd grade got wrong and tell me if I’m crazy for
Nevada Set to Replace Career Teachers with TFA
This is a disturbing interview with Nevada’s State Superintendent of Instruction James Guthrie.
Nevada is 18th in the nation in teachers’ salaries but Guthrie seems to think they are overpaid.
He is certain there are large numbers of bad teachers in the state.
He has the governor’s ear. In his State of the State address, Governor Sandoval made clear that he wants more of those TFA to come to Nevada and raise scores and close the achievement gap.
In his State of the State, the governor said,
“”One of the most successful programs in the country today is Teach for
America – a unique corps of brilliant young leaders from America’s top
Nevada is 18th in the nation in teachers’ salaries but Guthrie seems to think they are overpaid.
He is certain there are large numbers of bad teachers in the state.
He has the governor’s ear. In his State of the State address, Governor Sandoval made clear that he wants more of those TFA to come to Nevada and raise scores and close the achievement gap.
In his State of the State, the governor said,
“”One of the most successful programs in the country today is Teach for
America – a unique corps of brilliant young leaders from America’s top
Nearly 200 Chicago Schools May Close
The Chicago Board of Education and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who controls the board, have a plan. They want to close down many public schools and open many charter schools. As many as 193 elementary schools may close. One advantage of the plan from the mayor’s perspective, is that the closing schools are unionized but the charters are not.
One of the schools on the potential closing list is the elementary school attended by Michelle Obama.
One of the schools on the potential closing list is the elementary school attended by Michelle Obama.
Jersey Jazzman to NY Taxpayers: Thank You!
Jersey Jazzman wrote to thank the taxpayers of New York, whose dollars subsidize his blog via advertising by Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy network (formerly known as Harlem Success Academy).
JJ notes that this charter chain spends millions of dollars each year on recruitment, advertising, public relations, and marketing. This is a necessary business expense to drum up thousands of applications for a small number
JJ notes that this charter chain spends millions of dollars each year on recruitment, advertising, public relations, and marketing. This is a necessary business expense to drum up thousands of applications for a small number
When Students Awaken, Everything Will Change
It is beginning. Teachers, superintendents, local school boards, parent groups, and now students: all are saying the same things. Stop destroying education with high-stakes testing. Stop the chaos and disruption of school closings. Support and encourage, don’t humiliate and destroy.
Are you listening, Secretary Duncan?
Here is a new student group in New Orleans demanding quality education and equity.
Dear Friends,
United Students of New Orleans (USNO) is a coalition of students organizing
and advocating for fairness and justice in public schools across New Orleans. Starting with students from four
Are you listening, Secretary Duncan?
Here is a new student group in New Orleans demanding quality education and equity.
Dear Friends,
United Students of New Orleans (USNO) is a coalition of students organizing
and advocating for fairness and justice in public schools across New Orleans. Starting with students from four
Eli Broad Will Introduce Rhee in L.A.
A friend in Los Angeles sent the following notice of Michelle Rhee’s coming appearance before the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.
I hope someone will ask her about the cheating scandal that was described on PBS’ Frontline recently.
Ask if she thinks a 30-point jump in proficiency rates in a single year is suspicious.
Ask if she still believes that “dozens and dozens” of schools improved.
Ask why D.C. has the largest black-white and Hispanic-white test score gap of any city in the nation, which did
I hope someone will ask her about the cheating scandal that was described on PBS’ Frontline recently.
Ask if she thinks a 30-point jump in proficiency rates in a single year is suspicious.
Ask if she still believes that “dozens and dozens” of schools improved.
Ask why D.C. has the largest black-white and Hispanic-white test score gap of any city in the nation, which did
The Secret Strategy of Corporate School Reform?
I want to test out a theory. I invite you to tell me what you think. It’s a thought experiment but very close to reality.
Suppose you wanted to destroy public education.
Suppose you wanted to make it so unpleasant to be a teacher or a student in a public school that everyone began to long for a way out. What would you do?
Let’s see. You would subject kids to tests repeatedly to the point that their parents complained bitterly. You would take away art and music, maybe physical education too, to make more time for testing. You would open a few charters, which would scoop up the best students, the strivers, and exclude the troublemakers. You would
Suppose you wanted to destroy public education.
Suppose you wanted to make it so unpleasant to be a teacher or a student in a public school that everyone began to long for a way out. What would you do?
Let’s see. You would subject kids to tests repeatedly to the point that their parents complained bitterly. You would take away art and music, maybe physical education too, to make more time for testing. You would open a few charters, which would scoop up the best students, the strivers, and exclude the troublemakers. You would
Hilarious! Louisiana’s New Website
Crazy Crawfish is a blogger who worked in the Louisiana Department of Education. He cares a lot about accurate data. He noticed, as did other researchers in Louisiana, that all the historical data for the past ten years disappeared overnight and have been replaced by press releases about the glorious success of Governor Jindal’s marketing slogan, which the Jindal team call “Louisiana Believes.”
Don’t miss this one. It is called “Louisiana Believes Anything.”
Don’t miss this one. It is called “Louisiana Believes Anything.”
Good News: Major Re-Analysis of International Tests
Richard Rothstein and Martin Carnoy, both highly accomplished scholars, have reanalyzed the international test score data and arrived at some startling and important findings.
Their study is titled “International Tests Show Achievement Gaps in All Countries, with Big Gains for U.S. Disadvantaged Students.” It includes not only their major analysis of international test scores, but critiques by the leaders of OECD and PISA, and their response to the critiques.
This important study should change the way international tests are reported by the media, if they take the time
Their study is titled “International Tests Show Achievement Gaps in All Countries, with Big Gains for U.S. Disadvantaged Students.” It includes not only their major analysis of international test scores, but critiques by the leaders of OECD and PISA, and their response to the critiques.
This important study should change the way international tests are reported by the media, if they take the time
Diane in the Evening 1-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: You Are Invited to a Webinar on High Stakes Testing by dianerav Parents Across America is hosting a Webinar on high stakes testing. Think about joining and meeting some of the leading figures in the opt-out movement. Let’s Talk: A Webinar on High Stakes Testing and Opting Out On January 27 at 1:00 PM PST, 3:00 PM Central and 4:00 PM EST, Parents Across America will be hosting an online seminar on high stakes testing and opting out of these tests. Our guests will be: Jesse Hagopian, teacher at Garfield High School and part of the MAP test boycott Shaun Johnso... more »