Education Opportunity Network
Is Right-Wing School Reform (Texas) Toast?
by Jeff Bryant
What happened this weekend in the Texas capital of Austin revealed a groundswell of resistance, from multiple political factions, against what has been heretofore defined as “education reform.” A rally brought thousands of people into the streets to hear education historian Diane Ravitch declare Texas, the place where reform “madness” started, would be where “the vampire gets … a stake in its heart.”
What happened this weekend in the Texas capital of Austin revealed a groundswell of resistance, from multiple political factions, against what has been heretofore defined as “education reform.” A rally brought thousands of people into the streets to hear education historian Diane Ravitch declare Texas, the place where reform “madness” started, would be where “the vampire gets … a stake in its heart.”
Sequestration Cuts To Education Programs Threaten To Widen Education Gap Between Rich And Poor (Think Progress)
“The achievement gap between school districts in high-income neighborhoods and those in low-income ones is already more canyon than crack, and if $1.7 trillion in automatic sequestration cuts are allowed to go into effect on March 1, that gap could grow even wider … Dozens of education programs would face reduced funding … to low-income students.”
Teacher Survey Shows Record Low Job Satisfaction In 2012 (Huffington Post)
“Teachers’ job satisfaction plummeted in 2012, reaching an all-time low, according to a survey … The least satisfied teachers are those who work in schools that have slashed budgets, and who have less time for collaboration with peers and professional development … The survey comes as states are implementing education reform policies favored by the Obama administration.”
Conservatives Declare War On College (Salon)
“Bobby Jindal doesn’t want the GOP to be the ‘stupid party,’ but fellow governors are plotting to wreck higher ed … Florida’s Rick Scott, Texas’ Rick Perry and Wisconsin’s Scott Walker all see themselves as education reformers, and they are all seeking ways to lower the cost of college education while at the same time cutting state funding support.”
It Takes a B.A. to Find a Job as a File Clerk (New York Times)
” The college degree is becoming the new high school diploma: the new minimum requirement, albeit an expensive one, for getting even the lowest-level job … Jobs that didn’t used to require a diploma — positions like dental hygienists, cargo agents, clerks and claims adjusters — are increasingly requiring one … This up-credentialing is pushing the less educated even further down the food chain.”
Florida Needs No Advice From Jeb Bush On Education Policy (Palm Beach Post)
“Former Gov. Jeb Bush has an undeserved reputation as an education reformer. Florida’s recent education progress has come not from implementing Mr. Bush’s policies but from cleaning up after them … Gov. Rick Scott’s frantic reversals in preparation for a reelection run – he has called for teacher raises not linked to the [standardized tests] – show how unpopular Mr. Bush’s education legacy is.”