Who Was Behind the Jeb Bush Twitter Kerfuffle?
Yesterday I opened my Twitter account to discover that Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education claimed that I likened school choice to the Nazi invasion of Poland.
This was absurd, so I wrote a post about it.
I find that the best way to respond to outrageous attacks is to put them into the sunlight, the mighty disinfectant.
Happily, Jersey Jazzman figured out who wrote the post for Jeb Bush’s Foundation and explained the long and interesting back story.
Read it here.
This was absurd, so I wrote a post about it.
I find that the best way to respond to outrageous attacks is to put them into the sunlight, the mighty disinfectant.
Happily, Jersey Jazzman figured out who wrote the post for Jeb Bush’s Foundation and explained the long and interesting back story.
Read it here.
Battle Creek Editorial: High-Stakes Testing Is Killing Our Schools
This editorial in the Battle Creek Enquirer is exactly right. High-stakes testing is ruining education.
Testing kids more and blaming their teachers doesn’t improve education.
The editorial rightly points out that Michelle Rhee–the advocate for high-stakes testing and every punitive measure she can dream up–is no model for Michigan.
Her teacher evaluation system in DC has produced
Testing kids more and blaming their teachers doesn’t improve education.
The editorial rightly points out that Michelle Rhee–the advocate for high-stakes testing and every punitive measure she can dream up–is no model for Michigan.
Her teacher evaluation system in DC has produced
York County, Pa., Wants to Copy New Orleans
A report by the York County Community Foundation proposes that the answer to the county’s educational needs is an all-charter school system. York county schools have below average performance and many students are impoverished.
The study group cited the inflated claims of New Orleans charter boosters and decided that York county could achieve great things by copying the New Orleans model.
Had they done a bit more research, they would have learned that the New Orkeans Recovery School District is the lowest ranked district in the state of Louisiana, and that two-thirds of its charter schools received a grade of D or F for academic performance.
Eliminating public education does not solve the problems of poverty.
The study group cited the inflated claims of New Orleans charter boosters and decided that York county could achieve great things by copying the New Orleans model.
Had they done a bit more research, they would have learned that the New Orkeans Recovery School District is the lowest ranked district in the state of Louisiana, and that two-thirds of its charter schools received a grade of D or F for academic performance.
Eliminating public education does not solve the problems of poverty.
Be a Hero: Speak Up for Garfield High Teachers
Tomorrow February 22 is the day the superintendent of the Seattle schools will decide whether to punish the teachers at Garfield High who refused to administer the MAP test. They are conscientious objectors. They are defending their students against malpractice. They have bravely defied orders to do what they know is wrong.
Today is a day to send emails to the superintendent. Urge him to stand with his teachers. Encourage him to do the right thing. He too can be a national hero. Seattle can join Selma, Seneca Falls, and Stonewall as a symbol of resistance to unjust authority. Also, like them, it starts with an S.
Today is a day to send emails to the superintendent. Urge him to stand with his teachers. Encourage him to do the right thing. He too can be a national hero. Seattle can join Selma, Seneca Falls, and Stonewall as a symbol of resistance to unjust authority. Also, like them, it starts with an S.
Federal Commission on Equity Dismisses Bush-Obama Reforms
In a stunning surprise, the federal Commission on Equity and Excellence dismissed the reforms of the Bush-Obama era and called for a fresh approach. What is remarkable about the commission report is that the members were appointed by Secretary Duncan. Its members include a solid bloc of corporate reformers, but clearly they did not prevail.
Quite frankly, I was expecting a reprise of the corporate reformer mantra: more charter schools, more vouchers, more competition, more inexperienced teachers, more testing, and more online learning will end the deeply
Quite frankly, I was expecting a reprise of the corporate reformer mantra: more charter schools, more vouchers, more competition, more inexperienced teachers, more testing, and more online learning will end the deeply
A Florida High School Student Speaks Truth to Power
What lessons do we teach young people about government when they see the lies told about their schools and their teachers by public officials? Are we teaching them that elected officials can say anything at all, with no regard for truth or reality?
This is a letter from a high school student in Florida. Please read it. She makes more sense than the deciders in
This is a letter from a high school student in Florida. Please read it. She makes more sense than the deciders in
Is This What Democracy Looks Like?
In Los Angeles, Robert Skeels is running against Monica Garcia, the school board president.
Garcia and two other candidates (including Kate Anderson, who is opposing Steve Zimmer), have received $1 million from NYC mayor Bloomberg, $1.5 million from Eli Broad and friends, and $250,000 from Michelle Rhee’s group.
Here is what Skeels says, responding to another reader, as he watches the massive campaign fund grow:
“…the ratio of plutocrat to union spending in this race is in orders of magnitude. All bidders indeed. My campaign has raised $17,245.22 with just contributions from working class families and community members of $25—$50.
Garcia and two other candidates (including Kate Anderson, who is opposing Steve Zimmer), have received $1 million from NYC mayor Bloomberg, $1.5 million from Eli Broad and friends, and $250,000 from Michelle Rhee’s group.
Here is what Skeels says, responding to another reader, as he watches the massive campaign fund grow:
“…the ratio of plutocrat to union spending in this race is in orders of magnitude. All bidders indeed. My campaign has raised $17,245.22 with just contributions from working class families and community members of $25—$50.
Schneider: Evaluating the Evaluators
This is the 17th in Mercedes Schneider’s reviews of the board of the National Council on Tracher Quality. In this post, Schneider posts grades for all the board members. She includes links to the earlier posts.
She has undertaken this mission because the NCTQ has assumed the role as the arbiter of the quality of teacher education programs in the U.S. Like any other sector, there are undoubtedly good ones and bad ones,
She has undertaken this mission because the NCTQ has assumed the role as the arbiter of the quality of teacher education programs in the U.S. Like any other sector, there are undoubtedly good ones and bad ones,
Conservative Think Tank: Why Standardized Tests Are Great
Kathleen Porter-Magee of the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute explains here why the anti-testing movement I wrong. She describes what she calls four “myths.”
Myth #1: teachers should be allowed to teach what they want, or “let teachers teach.” This is a very bad idea, she says, because teachers will have low expectations if you don’t tell them what to do.
Myth #2: emphasizing testing causes “drill and kill” instruction. Nothing could be farther from the truth, she says,
Myth #1: teachers should be allowed to teach what they want, or “let teachers teach.” This is a very bad idea, she says, because teachers will have low expectations if you don’t tell them what to do.
Myth #2: emphasizing testing causes “drill and kill” instruction. Nothing could be farther from the truth, she says,
If You Believe in Tinkerbell, Clap Your Hands
Steve Strieker, a veteran teacher in Janesville, Wisconsin, has written a fable about the Free Market Fairy.
The Free Market Fairy solves all education problems.
When the Free Market Fairy sprinkles its magic across the community, the problems of poverty and segregation
The Free Market Fairy solves all education problems.
When the Free Market Fairy sprinkles its magic across the community, the problems of poverty and segregation
Privatizers Now Targeting Pittsburgh Public Schools
Yinzercation, one of the best blogs in Pennsylvania, has an alarming post.
The Pittsburgh Public Schools have given a $2.4 million contract to two consulting companies to deal with the district’s equity and financial issues.
Some of this was underwritten by the Gates Foundation, as well as local foundations (Gates gave Pittsburgh a
The Pittsburgh Public Schools have given a $2.4 million contract to two consulting companies to deal with the district’s equity and financial issues.
Some of this was underwritten by the Gates Foundation, as well as local foundations (Gates gave Pittsburgh a
NY Times: Online Colleges Are a Sham
The New York Times’ lead editorial on February 19 was a slashing critique of online colleges.
The editorial ripped apart the hype and spin about these colleges.
Their attrition rates are 90%. And, “courses delivered solely online may be fine for highly skilled, highly motivated people, but they are inappropriate for struggling students who make up a significant portion of college enrollment and who need close contact with instructors to succeed.”
The editorial ripped apart the hype and spin about these colleges.
Their attrition rates are 90%. And, “courses delivered solely online may be fine for highly skilled, highly motivated people, but they are inappropriate for struggling students who make up a significant portion of college enrollment and who need close contact with instructors to succeed.”
Diane in the Evening 2-20-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Breaking News: Rhee’s StudentsFirst Dumps $250,000 into Los Angeles School Board Race by dianerav Three candidates who support Superintendent John Deasy received a gift of $250,000 from M. Rhee today. This is added to the $1 million supplied by Mayor Bloomberg, and the $1.5 million raised by Eli Broad and his friends (including Joel Klein). Clearly there is an all-out effort to make sure that corporate reform policies favored by the Gates Foundation win Good News: Indiana Senate Panel Scraps School Grading System by dianerav The Republican controlled Se... more »