Why Steve Barr Did Not Get Venice High School
I received an urgent message from a parent of a student at Venice High school in Los Angeles. She was desperate because had just learned that the privatization-friendly LA school board was about to vote on whether to give half of Venice High School to Steve Barr, eduentrepreneur (founder of Green Dot charters but now running a new charter chain). He wanted to start a “pilot school,” and this parent was outraged because, she said, Venice is a good school and didn’t need another school to take half its space away.
She wrote later to tell me that Venice High had narrowly escaped.
This reader offers his perspective:
“At the Tuesday LAUSD Board Meeting Deasy’s and Steve Barr’s sneak attack on Venice High School was
She wrote later to tell me that Venice High had narrowly escaped.
This reader offers his perspective:
“At the Tuesday LAUSD Board Meeting Deasy’s and Steve Barr’s sneak attack on Venice High School was
Rhee Buddies Still Run DC Schools
Most observers of the DC political scene think that Adrian Fenty lost to Vincent Gray because of the unpopularity and divisiveness of Michelle Rhee. A month after Gray wi, Rhee resigned and went on to create StudentsFirst, which has collected millions of dollars, mostly spent to elect Republicans in state legislatures.
Rhee may be out of DC, but her hand-picked team still runs the district. Gray may have won, but he dared not offend the city’s power structure by bringing in his own team.
Rhee’s deputy Kaya Henderson replaced her. Now Mayor Gray has chosen another Rhee clone to be his Deputy
Rhee may be out of DC, but her hand-picked team still runs the district. Gray may have won, but he dared not offend the city’s power structure by bringing in his own team.
Rhee’s deputy Kaya Henderson replaced her. Now Mayor Gray has chosen another Rhee clone to be his Deputy
Lansing Cuts Teachers of Arts, Music, Physical Ed on Elementary Schools
The school board in Lansing, Michigan, reached a deal with its teachers union to slash the budget. The district will eliminate teachers of the arts, music, and physical education in elementary schools. That is a cut of 87 teachers in a staff of 915. The teachers also accepted a pay freeze.
What kind of state and nation can’t afford arts and physical education for its young children?
What kind of state and nation can’t afford arts and physical education for its young children?
What Matters Most: Neighborhoods or Schools?
I have to take my hat off to Jersey Jazzman. He has endless patience to read the tendentious “studies” produced by corporate reformers with the intent of proving that poverty doesn’t matter.
Here he takes on another one, asserting that “quality” teachers trump everything.
There is a simple way to prove the proposition. Why not take the entire staff of New Jersey’s highest performing
Here he takes on another one, asserting that “quality” teachers trump everything.
There is a simple way to prove the proposition. Why not take the entire staff of New Jersey’s highest performing
A Long Hot Summer in 2013?
Philadelphia journalist Will Bunch connects lots of dots: school closings in Philadelphia, the senseless killing of a black teen in Brooklyn, obscene income inequality, a new high in the stock market.
When people are disrespected and unheard, they explode.
When people are disrespected and unheard, they explode.
Common Core and Child Development
Whatever the strengths of the Common Core standards for the upper grades, they have received very negative reviews from educators experienced with very young children.
This teacher explains why the Common Core standards are startlingly indifferent to basic principles of child development.
This teacher explains why the Common Core standards are startlingly indifferent to basic principles of child development.
Kris Neilsen: First, Do No Harm
Kris Neilsen wrote the most amazing post I have ever posted.
It was called “N.C. Teacher: I Quit.”
It went viral.
On one day, it was opened
It was called “N.C. Teacher: I Quit.”
It went viral.
On one day, it was opened
Will Cutting Recess Increase Test Scores?
Iowa officials are very proud of a school that increased test scores of low-income kids. One reason, officials say, was that the school eliminated morning recess.
This teacher says the tradeoff is a bad deal. Was it to make time for more instruction or more test prep?
Chris Liebig engaged in a Twitter debate with State Commissioner Jason Glass.
Chris writes:
“You can be the judge of whether the discussion is going anywhere. But it seems clear that Glass must have a
This teacher says the tradeoff is a bad deal. Was it to make time for more instruction or more test prep?
Chris Liebig engaged in a Twitter debate with State Commissioner Jason Glass.
Chris writes:
“You can be the judge of whether the discussion is going anywhere. But it seems clear that Glass must have a
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-22-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Chris Cerf Is Certain….and Wrong by dianerav New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education Chris Cerf has the good fortune to be leader of a state with some of the best schools and school districts in the nation. New Jersey also has some districts with high concentrations of poverty and racial segregation, where test scores are very low. But New Jersey–inspired by the example of Arne Duncan’s Race to the Top–will attempt to raise test scores by imposing a teacher evalu... more »