Parents: It Is Time to Change the Stakes
Parents across the nation are taking a stand against the use of tests to measure, rate, and rank their children.
Local school boards are passing resolutions against high-stakes testing.
People are increasingly angry that tests are being used inappropriately in ways for which they were not
Local school boards are passing resolutions against high-stakes testing.
People are increasingly angry that tests are being used inappropriately in ways for which they were not
Here It Is: The ALEC Agenda
This is a point by point replication of the ALEC agenda to privatize public education and abolish the teaching profession.
Follow this template and your state will get the same performance as Louisiana and DC.
Follow this template and your state will get the same performance as Louisiana and DC.
A Letter to Hari Sevugan
The other dy we learned from an article on the Huffington Post that several top Democratic staff members quit Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst. One of them was Hari Sevugan, who had been a leading figure in the 2008 Obama campaign. Sevugan’s departure set off speculation about why he left: was it Rhee’s union-busting goals? Was it her advocacy for rightwing governors? Was it her support for privatization?
Sevugan dashed off a comment to this blog in which he insisted that he cares deeply about helping children,
Sevugan dashed off a comment to this blog in which he insisted that he cares deeply about helping children,
Jersey Jazzman Deconstructs Klein Record, Part 3
Jersey Jazzman decided to analyze Joel Klein’s claims of compelling progress in New York City during his tenure.
In this post, he takes a closer look at how New York City students fared on NAEP compared to other cities.
Some gains, but not as large as other, less heralded cities who took the same tests.
In this post, he takes a closer look at how New York City students fared on NAEP compared to other cities.
Some gains, but not as large as other, less heralded cities who took the same tests.
Prediction: Score Inflation in Louisiana
A reader forwarded this prediction and analysis of the forthcoming manipulation of school grades in Louisiana.
We will hear that scores are going up and that the achievement gap is closing.
Don’t believe it.
It is what as known as gaming the system.
This analysis was picked up and amplified by a blogger in Louisiana who knows the inside of the state Department of Education. This blogger describes the game as “John White’s White Lies”
We will hear that scores are going up and that the achievement gap is closing.
Don’t believe it.
It is what as known as gaming the system.
This analysis was picked up and amplified by a blogger in Louisiana who knows the inside of the state Department of Education. This blogger describes the game as “John White’s White Lies”
Michelle Rhee: The Mask Is Off
Michelle Rhee issued her report card for American education and now we know what she stands for: privatization of American public education.
States that endorse charter schools, for-profit schools, the parent trigger, school closings, vouchers and online for-profit charters get high marks from Rhee.
States that bust unions, take away teacher tenure, and use standardized tests to evaluate teachers get high
States that endorse charter schools, for-profit schools, the parent trigger, school closings, vouchers and online for-profit charters get high marks from Rhee.
States that bust unions, take away teacher tenure, and use standardized tests to evaluate teachers get high
Start Your Own Business: Make Easy Money
This reader learned the secret of charter success. Make money by doing what the local public school did until the budget was cut. Ofer that service but without any of the overhead or services:
“After a couple of years in retirement, I decided to take an assistant’s job at a charter school in order to continue to be involved in the education of young people. I started working at the Audeo Charter School which is a part of a larger organization Altus which in turn is chartered through the San Diego, CA school district. The Audeo site I work at is set up in a bare bones large room in the office complex adjoining a shopping center. Audeo seeks students from the surrounding district, Moreno Valley, who have fallen seriously behind in credits and thus are
“After a couple of years in retirement, I decided to take an assistant’s job at a charter school in order to continue to be involved in the education of young people. I started working at the Audeo Charter School which is a part of a larger organization Altus which in turn is chartered through the San Diego, CA school district. The Audeo site I work at is set up in a bare bones large room in the office complex adjoining a shopping center. Audeo seeks students from the surrounding district, Moreno Valley, who have fallen seriously behind in credits and thus are
Randi Asks Mayor Bloomberg to Apologize for Comparing Union to NRA
In a gracious and polite letter, AFT President Randi Weingarten asked Mayor Bloomberg to apologize for likening the New York City United Federation of Teachers to the National Rifle Association:
January 6, 2013
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY
Dear Mr. Mayor:
There are times when we say things in the heat of the moment that we regret. I hope that is the case with the comments you made on Friday during your radio show comparing the NRA with the UFT. They were offensive and way over the line. I strongly urge you to apologize to the thousands of UFT members and their leaders for making such incendiary and insensitive remarks—especially coming on the heels of the tragedy in Newtown.
You know full well that UFT members and other school employees do everything they can to make their schools safe and secure places so that children can learn and thrive. As educators, they take a solemn vow to keep their
January 6, 2013
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY
Dear Mr. Mayor:
There are times when we say things in the heat of the moment that we regret. I hope that is the case with the comments you made on Friday during your radio show comparing the NRA with the UFT. They were offensive and way over the line. I strongly urge you to apologize to the thousands of UFT members and their leaders for making such incendiary and insensitive remarks—especially coming on the heels of the tragedy in Newtown.
You know full well that UFT members and other school employees do everything they can to make their schools safe and secure places so that children can learn and thrive. As educators, they take a solemn vow to keep their
How to Reform Milwaukee’s Schools
Alan Borsuk is a knowledgeable journalist who has covered education in Milwaukee for many years. He is now professing at Marquette, but still keeps a close watch on what is happening to education in Milwaukee.
In this article, Borsuk says that a new vision is needed to get beyond the stale and failed answers of the past. He is right.
Milwaukee has had vouchers since 1990. longer than any school district in the nation. The students in the voucher schools perform no better than those in the public schools.
Milwaukee has had charter schools for about 20 years. The students in the charter schools do no better than
In this article, Borsuk says that a new vision is needed to get beyond the stale and failed answers of the past. He is right.
Milwaukee has had vouchers since 1990. longer than any school district in the nation. The students in the voucher schools perform no better than those in the public schools.
Milwaukee has had charter schools for about 20 years. The students in the charter schools do no better than
Diane in the Evening 1-6-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Is This the School-to-Prison Train? by dianerav A reader offers this comment, responding to the Washington Post article about the incredibly high expulsion rate from DC charter schools: Bad kids need education too. The Good kids still in Public Non-Charter schools need education too. I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that it seems highly unlikely that you have a dog in either fight. I don’t either as I am here in Detroit area where they are doing the opposite, setting up a shadow state wide system to warehouse the “Worst and the Dumbest” as a sepa... more »