Mother Crusader Takes on the Center for Education Reform
Mother Crusader noticed that the New Jersey office of charter schools has a list of important partners.
One of them is the Center for Education Reform.
Mother Crusader does her customary research and finds that Jeanne Allen, who founded CER, claimed credit for writing the ALEC proposal for the parent trigger.
She should not have been surprised. CER is one of the leading voices on the right that supports charters and
One of them is the Center for Education Reform.
Mother Crusader does her customary research and finds that Jeanne Allen, who founded CER, claimed credit for writing the ALEC proposal for the parent trigger.
She should not have been surprised. CER is one of the leading voices on the right that supports charters and
AIR: VAM Not Ready for Prime Time
We have been saying it for months, no, since 2009, when Race to the Top started.
Value-added assessment or value-added-modeling is not ready for prime time.
Now we have a technical paper by American Institutes for Research that says it:
VAM is not ready fo
Value-added assessment or value-added-modeling is not ready for prime time.
Now we have a technical paper by American Institutes for Research that says it:
VAM is not ready fo
Schools for Other People’s Children
One of our most perceptive essayists Rachel Levy watched John Merrow’s program about Rocketship charters and recoiled with alarm.
She said if she put her children in front of a screen two hours a day, she would be called a bad parent, but the charter does it and it is called innovative.
She was distressed that he school treats test scores as the only goal of school, so stuff like art and music don’t get time. That’s what kids do on their own time, if they choose, after school.
And what is it that parents do, other than chant with their children?
What’s clear to Levy is that Rocketship is a school for “them,” for other people’s children, not for “ours.” It is all
She said if she put her children in front of a screen two hours a day, she would be called a bad parent, but the charter does it and it is called innovative.
She was distressed that he school treats test scores as the only goal of school, so stuff like art and music don’t get time. That’s what kids do on their own time, if they choose, after school.
And what is it that parents do, other than chant with their children?
What’s clear to Levy is that Rocketship is a school for “them,” for other people’s children, not for “ours.” It is all
Can Rhee Still Pretend to Be Bipartisan?
Jersey Jazzman read Hari Sevugan’s comment on the blog last night and wondered if anyone still believes that StudentsFirst is bipartisan. JJ doesn’t think that any Democrat could sign on to Rhee’s anti-teacher, anti-union agenda.
Would a bipartisan group pump money into Republican campaigns? Would a bipartisan group pump $500,000 into the anti-union campaign in Michigan?
Not likely.
Would a bipartisan group pump money into Republican campaigns? Would a bipartisan group pump $500,000 into the anti-union campaign in Michigan?
Not likely.
Washington Post: DC Charters Expel Students at High Rate
The Washington Post reports what many people suspected: the charters in the District expel many more students than the public schools. The higher expulsion rate allows the charters to get rid of behavior problems and students with low test scores. This makes charters appear more successful than they are. The expelled students, of course, return to the public schools.
“D.C. charter schools expelled 676 students in the past three years, while the city’s traditional public schools expelled 24, according to a Washington Post review of school data. During the 2011-12 school year, when charters enrolled 41 percent of the city’s students, they removed 227 children for discipline violations and had an
“D.C. charter schools expelled 676 students in the past three years, while the city’s traditional public schools expelled 24, according to a Washington Post review of school data. During the 2011-12 school year, when charters enrolled 41 percent of the city’s students, they removed 227 children for discipline violations and had an
Will Spain Go the GERM route?
This request was posted. Please feel welcome to post your comments and help our friends in Spain.
Dear Mrs. Ravitch,
My name is Amadeu Sanz and I am the publishing coordinator of STEPV, a union of teachers in Valencia (Spain).
In Spain, just as in the US, there’s a heated debate on the results of public schools in international assessment tests such as PISA, and our Minister of Education (José Ignacio Wert) wants to impose a reform of the educational system that advocates the de-regulation of the system to favor complete freedom of school choice
Dear Mrs. Ravitch,
My name is Amadeu Sanz and I am the publishing coordinator of STEPV, a union of teachers in Valencia (Spain).
In Spain, just as in the US, there’s a heated debate on the results of public schools in international assessment tests such as PISA, and our Minister of Education (José Ignacio Wert) wants to impose a reform of the educational system that advocates the de-regulation of the system to favor complete freedom of school choice
Students Are Not Gadgets. Teachers Are Not Robots.
Pasi Sahlberg of Finland (author of Finnish Lessons) refers to the obsession with testing, accountability and choice as the Global Educational Reform Movement or GERM. Finland has thus far managed to avoid catching the GERM and places its bets on teacher professionalism, a strong safety net for children, and child-centered education.
Eduardo Andere of Mexico has studied world systems of education. He here describes how Mexico has fallen for GERM:
Here in Mexico we are going frantic into this frenetic world testing. A new National Constitutional amendment is
Eduardo Andere of Mexico has studied world systems of education. He here describes how Mexico has fallen for GERM:
Here in Mexico we are going frantic into this frenetic world testing. A new National Constitutional amendment is
Diane in the EVENING 1-5-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Mayor Bloomberg Compares NYC Teachers Union to NRA by dianerav Mayor Bloomberg is frustrated that the New York City United Federation of Teachers does not agree with his plan to evaluate them by test scores. He has been berating the union, as have the city’s tabloids, for weeks. But now he hit a new low. He compared the teachers’ union to the National Rifle Association. Coming only weeks after the Newtown massacre, this is especially gross. This is reminiscent of the time many years ago when U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige referred to the NEA as “a te... more »