Self-described “radical” Michelle Rhee and her PR machine roll into New York City
Michelle Rhee will be speaking at New York City’s Cornell Club, to promote her new book “Radical”, on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 at 6 PM. (6 East 44th St (between 5th and Madison, map here.) ,
New Yorkers for Great Public Schools, Class Size Matters and other pro-public education parents and advocates will be there to protest Rhee’s destructive policies and proposals, including her push to eliminate ANY caps on class size. More on how Rhee wants to undermine and privatize our public schools, see the parent Rhee-port card here.
For more information about the rally by pro-education advocates, email info@classsizematters.org .
New Yorkers for Great Public Schools, Class Size Matters and other pro-public education parents and advocates will be there to protest Rhee’s destructive policies and proposals, including her push to eliminate ANY caps on class size. More on how Rhee wants to undermine and privatize our public schools, see the parent Rhee-port card here.
For more information about the rally by pro-education advocates, email info@classsizematters.org .
What Great Things Happen in Your School?
Every year the sixth-grade students at Albert T. Lawson Intermediate School in Essex Junction, Vermont, build an igloo. It is part of a multidisciplinary study of polar regions in Mr. Gustafson’s class, a tradition for 30 years. Last year, there was so little snow that the students missed out on this beloved tradition. But, this year, the snows came, and here is the igloo. Students will remember this forever!
What does your school do to create joy and great memories for your students?
What does your school do to create joy and great memories for your students?
Is This What Bill Gates Means by Good Education?
Last week, Bill Gates wrote an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal in which he explained how to solve the world’s biggest problems.
The article was titled, modestly, “My Plan to Fix the World’s Biggest Problems.”
The answer is simple: Measurement.
To prove his point in education, he pointed to the Eagle Valley High School, near Vail, Colorado. He said that the school adopted his recommendations about measuring teacher quality, and test scores went up.
He wrote:
Drawing input from 3,000 classroom teachers, the project highlighted several measures that schools should use
The article was titled, modestly, “My Plan to Fix the World’s Biggest Problems.”
The answer is simple: Measurement.
To prove his point in education, he pointed to the Eagle Valley High School, near Vail, Colorado. He said that the school adopted his recommendations about measuring teacher quality, and test scores went up.
He wrote:
Drawing input from 3,000 classroom teachers, the project highlighted several measures that schools should use
Good News: Maine Democrats Slow Down GOP Push for Cyber Charter
Maine Democrats insist on a more careful review of the evidence about the track record of cyber charters before allowing K12 to open one in their state.
Governor Paul LePage is furious! He wants a K12 cyber charter to draw students and funding away from public schools and he sees no point in reviewing the evidence.
Meanwhile, Maine legislators are aware that K12 has gotten dismal results in other states. And they probably
Governor Paul LePage is furious! He wants a K12 cyber charter to draw students and funding away from public schools and he sees no point in reviewing the evidence.
Meanwhile, Maine legislators are aware that K12 has gotten dismal results in other states. And they probably
How Dumb and Destructive Are NCLB’s Metrics?
Did you think that NCLB identifies only “failing schools” as failing schools?
Guess again.
Matt Di Carlo demonstrates that a school can get excellent gains year after year and yet still be a “failing school.”
When will Congress wake up?
Guess again.
Matt Di Carlo demonstrates that a school can get excellent gains year after year and yet still be a “failing school.”
When will Congress wake up?
The inconvenient truth of education ‘reform’
The Washington Post’s Valerie Strauss picked up an important piece by Jeff Bryant.
Jeff’s piece first appeared on the Campaign for America’s Future website.
By Jeff BryantEvents this week revealed how market-driven education policies, deceivingly labeled as “reform,” are revealing their truly destructive effects on the streets and in the corridors of government.
From the streets, we heard from civil rights and social justice activists from urban communities that school
Everything You Wanted to Know about VAM But Were Afraid to Ask
The Education Policy Analysis Archives is releasing a series of articles about VAM that you should read.
Here are links to the first three. Forgive the formatting. I am copying the email I received. There are more on the way, including a dissection of the much over-hyped Raj Chetty, et al, analysis that made the front-page of theNew York Times and was cited by President Obama in his State of the Union address last year.
Education Policy Analysis Archives has just published the introduction and two articles of EPAA/AAPE¹s
Here are links to the first three. Forgive the formatting. I am copying the email I received. There are more on the way, including a dissection of the much over-hyped Raj Chetty, et al, analysis that made the front-page of theNew York Times and was cited by President Obama in his State of the Union address last year.
Education Policy Analysis Archives has just published the introduction and two articles of EPAA/AAPE¹s
Great News: NC Rallies Against Privatization
New North Carolina Champions Investment in Public Education
Raleigh, NC—February 4, 2013—Public Schools First NC, a new statewide, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy group committed to high-quality public schools for North Carolina, has formed out of deep concern about the growing threat to privatize and weaken North Carolina’s public schools. Despite the fact that most North Carolinians regard public education as the foundation of North Carolina’s economic future and our best investment, public school funding has declined year after year and our children are bearing the brunt.
“We believe that North Carolina’s families deserve a public education system that is inclusive, innovative, responsive, and flexible—a system that operates within a framework of fairness, sound planning and local public accountability for tax dollars,” said Nick Rhodes, Public Schools First NC Board of Directors. “Adequate and
Raleigh, NC—February 4, 2013—Public Schools First NC, a new statewide, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy group committed to high-quality public schools for North Carolina, has formed out of deep concern about the growing threat to privatize and weaken North Carolina’s public schools. Despite the fact that most North Carolinians regard public education as the foundation of North Carolina’s economic future and our best investment, public school funding has declined year after year and our children are bearing the brunt.
“We believe that North Carolina’s families deserve a public education system that is inclusive, innovative, responsive, and flexible—a system that operates within a framework of fairness, sound planning and local public accountability for tax dollars,” said Nick Rhodes, Public Schools First NC Board of Directors. “Adequate and
Mercedes Schneider Continues Series on NCTQ: Part 6
Mercedes Schneider, Louisiana teacher and Ph.D. in statistics and research methods, has been analyzing the board of the National Council on Teacher Quality. This is the sixth in the series.
From a Market Economy to a Market Society?
I received the following fascinating email from Ed Johnson, who advocates for quality education in Atlanta, Georgia.
“We have drifted [the past three decades] from having a market economy to being a market society.”
–Michal Sandel, the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government at Harvard University
In his talk at the 2012 Aspen Ideas Festival, Michael Sandel offers insight useful for seeing how market-driven “Choice,” vouchers, charter schools and organizations such as Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst contribute to our
“We have drifted [the past three decades] from having a market economy to being a market society.”
–Michal Sandel, the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government at Harvard University
In his talk at the 2012 Aspen Ideas Festival, Michael Sandel offers insight useful for seeing how market-driven “Choice,” vouchers, charter schools and organizations such as Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst contribute to our
Jersey Jazzman Offers Good Advice to Pundits
Readers of this blog know Jersey Jazzman as one of the sharpest bloggers on the web. I invited him to write something specially for the readers of this blog, and here it is:
Is Detroit Shrinking by Plan or by Happenstance?
The following comment was written in response to an earlier post about the decision by Roy Roberts, the emergency manager of Detroit’s schools, to close many more more schools.
I would like to hear what readers think of this issue.
My own take is that Governor Rick Snyder is antagonistic towards public schools, that he gets his policy ideas from rightwing think tanks that are antagonistic towards the public sector in general, and that he would–if he could–privatize public education in every jurisdiction. I think one need look only at Muskegon Heights and Highland Park to see districts where the governor sent in a viceroy to oversee the privatization of the public
I would like to hear what readers think of this issue.
My own take is that Governor Rick Snyder is antagonistic towards public schools, that he gets his policy ideas from rightwing think tanks that are antagonistic towards the public sector in general, and that he would–if he could–privatize public education in every jurisdiction. I think one need look only at Muskegon Heights and Highland Park to see districts where the governor sent in a viceroy to oversee the privatization of the public
What Happens When the Bills Come Due?
We have had at least ten years–in the case of Milwaukee, 22 years– of listening to boasting about how choice and competition will change everything. Charters and vouchers will close the achievement gap. They will prepare students who are college-ready. The bottom five percent of schools will be in the top twenty percent of schools. The graduation rate will rise to 90 percent in X years. On and on.
All too often, gullible policymakers choose hope over experience.
At some point, the bills come due.
EduShyster asks a simple question: how are the graduates of “no excuses” schools doing in college? Did those
All too often, gullible policymakers choose hope over experience.
At some point, the bills come due.
EduShyster asks a simple question: how are the graduates of “no excuses” schools doing in college? Did those
Diane in the Evening 2-3-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: The Case of the Disappearing Teachers by dianerav EduShyster has discovered a brilliant program for highly effective teachers who don’t plan to hang around for very long. Read it and get a good laugh, as you always do when you read EduShyster. Here is the sales pitch: *Do you dream of CRUSHING the achievement gap but aren’t sure that a 14 hour work day is right for you? Are you MAD passionate about training the next generation of test takers but worry that you lack the hand gestures to keep a large class of minority students on task? Reader: I’ve got exc... more »