Beware of Self-promotion When Your Stats Are Bad
Julian Vasquez Heilig is one of the bloggers I enjoy enormously because he has the statistical smarts and energy to vet dubious claims. Follow his blog. He always has smart insights, with the data to back them up. It is called cloakinginequity.com.
The other day I put up a post about an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal that asserted that Texas needs many, many, many standardized tests because students don’t know the classics. Presumably, the more
The other day I put up a post about an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal that asserted that Texas needs many, many, many standardized tests because students don’t know the classics. Presumably, the more
Is Michelle Rhee a “Public School Parent?”
The Los Angeles Times is trying to figure out why Michelle Rhee is so evasive about being “a public school parent.”
Rhee lives in Sacramento. Her daughters live in Nashville, where her ex-husband is State Commissioner of Education (having been communication director for TFA). He is a major proponent of charters and vouchers.
In Tennessee, she told the Nashville reporters that she is “a public school parent.”
For some reason, she prefers not to admit that one of her daughters attends an elite private school in Nashville that has small classes, lovely facilities, a rich curriculum, and experienced teachers; better yet, the students do not take standardized tests. (Rhee herself graduated from an elite private school in Toledo, Ohio, with similar
Rhee lives in Sacramento. Her daughters live in Nashville, where her ex-husband is State Commissioner of Education (having been communication director for TFA). He is a major proponent of charters and vouchers.
In Tennessee, she told the Nashville reporters that she is “a public school parent.”
For some reason, she prefers not to admit that one of her daughters attends an elite private school in Nashville that has small classes, lovely facilities, a rich curriculum, and experienced teachers; better yet, the students do not take standardized tests. (Rhee herself graduated from an elite private school in Toledo, Ohio, with similar
Naison: Why I Won’t Let TFA Recruit My Students
Mark NAISON is a professor of African-American Studies at Fordham University.
In this article, he explains why he will not permit TFA to recruit in his classes.
First, he became angry when he discovered that the organization gave preference to Ivy League graduates over his own students, who had grown up in many of the communities where TFA was placing its recruits.
But this is what his rejection came down to:
“Until Teach For America becomes committed to training lifetime educators and raises the length of service to
In this article, he explains why he will not permit TFA to recruit in his classes.
First, he became angry when he discovered that the organization gave preference to Ivy League graduates over his own students, who had grown up in many of the communities where TFA was placing its recruits.
But this is what his rejection came down to:
“Until Teach For America becomes committed to training lifetime educators and raises the length of service to
My Non-Debate with Marc Tucker: My Response
Marc Tucker has published what he says will be the final round in his debate with me.
He noticed that I have never actually responded to his first two posts. I printed the views of others.
I have not debated him because I don’t see how it is possible to debate a hypothetical.
OK, we can debate whether the moon is made of green cheese, but I am too busy to debate that.
Or we could debate whether test scores will go up or fall if we give every student access to medical care.
He noticed that I have never actually responded to his first two posts. I printed the views of others.
I have not debated him because I don’t see how it is possible to debate a hypothetical.
OK, we can debate whether the moon is made of green cheese, but I am too busy to debate that.
Or we could debate whether test scores will go up or fall if we give every student access to medical care.
Vouchers Don’t Work: Evidence from Milwaukee
Now that 17 states have authorized vouchers to “save kids from failing schools,” it is time to review the evidence from Milwaukee, which has had vouchers for 22 years.
The “independent evaluator” of the Milwaukee and D.C. voucher programs is Patrick J. Wolf of the University of Arkansas. As we learned during school choice week earlier this year, Wolf is a strong supporter of school choice and he even wrote an editorial saying that his home state of Minnesota needs more school choice because it was in danger of falling behind Arkansas in doing so. How much more independent can an evaluator be? It is perhaps also noteworthy that the University of Arkansas is generously funded by Arkansas’s biggest philanthropy, the Walton Foundation, which pours millions every year into charters and vouchers and anything that has the possibility of undermining public schools.
Not even Wolf’s evaluations have shown any test score advantage for students who get vouchers, whether in DC
The “independent evaluator” of the Milwaukee and D.C. voucher programs is Patrick J. Wolf of the University of Arkansas. As we learned during school choice week earlier this year, Wolf is a strong supporter of school choice and he even wrote an editorial saying that his home state of Minnesota needs more school choice because it was in danger of falling behind Arkansas in doing so. How much more independent can an evaluator be? It is perhaps also noteworthy that the University of Arkansas is generously funded by Arkansas’s biggest philanthropy, the Walton Foundation, which pours millions every year into charters and vouchers and anything that has the possibility of undermining public schools.
Not even Wolf’s evaluations have shown any test score advantage for students who get vouchers, whether in DC
Why I Admire Rod Rock
Last year, I placed Rod Rock of the Clarkston school district in Michigan on the honor roll. A member of his staff sent me his latest letter to his colleagues, and I realized I not only respect Rod Rock, I admire him. He represents the highest values of American education.
He reminds us how adults are supposed to care for young people. He is not subservient to fads or gurus or politicians. He is not intimidated by Arne Duncan or Rick Snyder.
He is an educator. Don’t you wish there were more like him?
Here is the letter he sent to his staff:
From: Rod Rock
Date: Sun, Feb 24, 2013 at 10:26 PM
Subject: Thoughts
To: All CCS Staff
Colleagues:
I know that I write often to you and I hope that you will tolerate one more rambling (at least until the next one).
He reminds us how adults are supposed to care for young people. He is not subservient to fads or gurus or politicians. He is not intimidated by Arne Duncan or Rick Snyder.
He is an educator. Don’t you wish there were more like him?
Here is the letter he sent to his staff:
From: Rod Rock
Date: Sun, Feb 24, 2013 at 10:26 PM
Subject: Thoughts
To: All CCS Staff
Colleagues:
I know that I write often to you and I hope that you will tolerate one more rambling (at least until the next one).
Deshotels: Oprah Inadvertently Reveals Charter Secrets
Mike Deshotels is one of Louisiana’s tireless bloggers who demand old-fashioned things like honesty and integrity.
In this post, Mike says that the Oprah show on Steve Barr’s takeover of a New Orleans high school inadvertently reveals charter secrets of success.
Barr no longer runs Green Dot. He had some
In this post, Mike says that the Oprah show on Steve Barr’s takeover of a New Orleans high school inadvertently reveals charter secrets of success.
Barr no longer runs Green Dot. He had some
How the Gates Foundation Undermines Teachers’ Rights
I often re-read this amazing article in the New York Times to remind me of the agenda of the Gates Foundation.
It has a double agenda, like all the corporate reform groups it supports. It publicly speaks of support and collaboration with teachers, but it funds organizations that actively campaign against any job protections for teachers.
Gates himself has said that class size is unimportant and that he would rather see larger classes with higher-quality teachers (but not, we can be certain, for his own children). The same sentiment is often echoed by
It has a double agenda, like all the corporate reform groups it supports. It publicly speaks of support and collaboration with teachers, but it funds organizations that actively campaign against any job protections for teachers.
Gates himself has said that class size is unimportant and that he would rather see larger classes with higher-quality teachers (but not, we can be certain, for his own children). The same sentiment is often echoed by
UPDATE: NOTES FROM DIANE + A Report from Chicago | The Network For Public Education
A Report from Chicago | The Network For Public Education: NOTES FROM DIANE – MARCH 29, 2013 by admin [image: Diane Ravitch President]Diane Ravitch President Dear Friends and Allies, The major issue of the day is the rapid increase in school closings in cities across the nation. The latest and most outrageous example is the decision of the Chicago Public Schools to close 54 public schools and displace some 30,000 students. This is unprecedented in American history. This is the bitter fruit of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. As alarming as the Chicago action is, what is eve... more »
Diane in the Evening 3-28-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: NOTES FROM DIANE – MARCH 29, 2013 by admin Diane Ravitch President Dear Friends and Allies, [image: Diane Ravitch President]The major issue of the day is the rapid increase in school closings in cities across the nation. The latest and most outrageous example is the decision of the Chicago Public Schools to close 54 public schools and displace some 30,000 students. This is unprecedented in American history. This is the bitter fruit of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. As alarming as the Chicago action i... more »
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