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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

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When Is a Zero Percent Dropout Rate Not a Zero Percent Dropout Rate?

Jonathan Pelto takes a closer look at the media hype surrounding Dr. Steve Perry’s fabled Capitol Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut. Dr. Perry has claimed that the school has a zero percent dropout rate. This claim has repeated again and again by others.
But is it true? Read on.


What Did Rhee’s Report Card Actually Measure?

G.F. Brandenburg, retired math teacher, has done a close analysis of Michelle Rhee’s. state report card.
He calls it a “Brave New World-type Orwellian fantasy,” in which words mean the opposite of what they say.
Her ranking does not measure whether states have high test scores or high graduation rates. it does not measure whether states have laws and policies that have encouraged better teaching and successful schools. It des not measure anything that matters.
Read the full story on his blog to see how and why Rhee gave out her abysmal grades, in which almost every

Chicago Facing Mass School Closings

Will Rahm Emanuel go down in Chicago history as the mayor who destroyed public education? Will he take his vengeance on the Chicago Teachers Union by closing 100-140 public schools while opening charters? How will history judge him?
A reader sends this comment:
We are feeling the pain DC is facing in Chicago as well.
In Chicago, the Chicago Public Schools board is seeking to close up to 140 schools. The educators, clinicians, 

Michelle Rhee’s Upside Down Agenda

Michelle Rhee issued a report card yesterday that graded states by whether they satisfied her.
What she wants is privatization of public education (charters and vouchers); high-stakes testing by which to judge teacher quality; an end to teacher tenure; and the weakening if not outright elimination of teacher unions.
Here is what we can say about her agenda:
THERE IS ZERO EVIDENCE THAT HER POLICY PREFERENCES PRODUCE HIGHER TEST SCORES OR BETTER SCHOOLS.
To the contrary, the states that follow her advice tend to have the lowest test scores!
The public schools of Massachusetts are unquestionably the most successful in the United States. On the 

New Tennessee Parent Group Stands Up for Public Schools

A group of parents in Tennessee has formed to support public education and local control. Most of them are public school moms. Their group is “Standing Together for Strong Community Schools.” They oppose vouchers, and they oppose the governor’s plan to create a commission to impose charters on local communities, whether the locals want them or not.
Their inspiration is Amy Frogge, a Nashville parent who was elected to the Metro Nashville school board despite being outspent 5-1. Amy Frogge is a member of our honor roll because she has started a parent movement to defend public education against privatization and profiteers. Amy took a strong stand against the Great Hearts Academy of Arizona, which wants to open a charter school in a mostly white and affluent neighborhood of Nashville. Remember how charters were supposed to “save minority children from failing schools” and “close the 

Diane in the Evening 1-7-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Ironic Twist in Rhee’s Report by dianerav Mercedes Schneider, who has been writing up terrific statistical analyses of Louisiana’s fudging of school data, read the New York Times account of Rhee’s report card on education reforms and makes a great observation: “The ratings, which focused purely on state laws and policies, did not take into account student test scores.” Waltons Will Spend More to Privatize Public Education by dianerav The Walton Foundation likes vouchers and charters. It does not like public schools. Last year, it spend $159 million to pro... more »