Should Select Schools Be Compared to Non-Select Schools?
A New Orleans research group says comparing select and non-select schools is wrong.
Yet boosters of select charters do it often.
Yet boosters of select charters do it often.
A Billionaire Obsessed by Union-Phobia
What do you say about a billionaire in Idaho who sees unions as the biggest threat to the American way of life?
As most people know, the number of people who belong to unions has declined dramatically in recent decades. As manufacturing jobs were outsourced to low-wage non-union countries, private sector unions shrank. Today, the majority of American workers are hourly workers with little or no job security and no pension.
And yet, here is a man who poured $1 million into a campaign to support Idaho’s so-called Luna laws (for rightwing state superintendent Tom Luna), which would have crushed the unions, which are already weak, initiated bonus pay, and made it easy to fire teachers at any time for any reason.
The good news is that voters across Idaho repealed the Luna laws, while voting Republican for state offices and
As most people know, the number of people who belong to unions has declined dramatically in recent decades. As manufacturing jobs were outsourced to low-wage non-union countries, private sector unions shrank. Today, the majority of American workers are hourly workers with little or no job security and no pension.
And yet, here is a man who poured $1 million into a campaign to support Idaho’s so-called Luna laws (for rightwing state superintendent Tom Luna), which would have crushed the unions, which are already weak, initiated bonus pay, and made it easy to fire teachers at any time for any reason.
The good news is that voters across Idaho repealed the Luna laws, while voting Republican for state offices and
More on Oregon Charter Scandal
An earlier post reported that officials in Oregon are trying to recover $20 million from two Oregon charter founders. A reader in Oregon added the following information:
In 2010, AllPrep academies, Oregon’s home-grown charter founded by educational entrepreneur Tim King (a former North Clackamas School District teacher) began having financial problems. A decade previously, King founded three charter schools in that district: New Urban High, Clackamas Middle College and Clackamas Web Academy. In 2008, he left to start the AllPrep and other charter schools in a half-dozen small districts across
In 2010, AllPrep academies, Oregon’s home-grown charter founded by educational entrepreneur Tim King (a former North Clackamas School District teacher) began having financial problems. A decade previously, King founded three charter schools in that district: New Urban High, Clackamas Middle College and Clackamas Web Academy. In 2008, he left to start the AllPrep and other charter schools in a half-dozen small districts across
Pennsylvania Rejects 8 New Cyber Charters
The Pennsylvania Secretary of Education rejected eight applications for new cyber charters.
The state already has 16 cyber charters, with 32,000 students, all drawing from the entire state. The 12 cyber charters that have been around long enough to be rated all failed to make adequate yearly progress.
The eight that were rejected hoped to enroll another 10,000 students, wgphich would have cost the state $350
The state already has 16 cyber charters, with 32,000 students, all drawing from the entire state. The 12 cyber charters that have been around long enough to be rated all failed to make adequate yearly progress.
The eight that were rejected hoped to enroll another 10,000 students, wgphich would have cost the state $350
Beware! Education Reformers Are Coming for Your School Board
Jonathan Pelto wrote this guest post. A former state legislator, he blogs about politics and education in Connecticut at “Wait, What?” –which can be found at jonathanpelto.com. I think the title of his blog refers to the fact that what is happening these days is often unbelievable.
During the 2012 election cycle, we saw the corporate “education reform” lobby begin to play their hand when it
During the 2012 election cycle, we saw the corporate “education reform” lobby begin to play their hand when it
How Testing in Virginia Harms Students with Disabilities–And Their Teachers
In response to a post about the New York State tests, a teacher in Virginia sent this comment:
As a VA public school teacher, let me assure you that the VA state tests are as bad as the NY State tests. I did my undergraduate degree in NY. It was very hard for my university to find me a second special education
As a VA public school teacher, let me assure you that the VA state tests are as bad as the NY State tests. I did my undergraduate degree in NY. It was very hard for my university to find me a second special education
Louisiana’s Unbelievable State Board of Education
The state board of education in Louisiana, the Board f Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) is beyond parody.
Just when you think they have hit bottom, they come up with another outrageous idea.
BESE Is now talking about abolishing certification for teachers. They want to go back to the good old days when
Just when you think they have hit bottom, they come up with another outrageous idea.
BESE Is now talking about abolishing certification for teachers. They want to go back to the good old days when
Mercedes Schneider: Who Is NCTQ? Part 4
Mercedes Schneider, a teacher in Louisiana who holds a Ph.D. in statistics and research methods, has been analyzing the board membership of the National Council of Teacher Quality. NCTQ is working with U.S. News & World Report to grade every teacher education program in the nation. Dr. Schneider wanted to see the
Diane in the Evening 2-1-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Why Schools Can’t Do It Alone by dianerav Paul Thomas is one of our most eloquent critics of the idea that schools alone can overcome poverty. In this essay, he explains why. The money quote comes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “In addition to the absence of coordination and sufficiency, the programs [addressing poverty] of the past all have another common failing — they are indirect. Each seeks to solve poverty by first solving something else. *“*I am now convinced that the simplest approach will prove to be the most effective — the solution to poverty ... more »