Good News! Excellent Results on NAEP Economics Test
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) just released the results of its Economics test for high school seniors.
Only 18% of students ranked “below basic,” which surely included high numbers of students who are English language learners and have serious disabilities.
82% are basic or above.
A remarkable 43% of students ranked “proficient” or above.
Proficient is excellent performance. Having served on the NAEP Board for seven years, I believe that a student
Only 18% of students ranked “below basic,” which surely included high numbers of students who are English language learners and have serious disabilities.
82% are basic or above.
A remarkable 43% of students ranked “proficient” or above.
Proficient is excellent performance. Having served on the NAEP Board for seven years, I believe that a student
What Are Foundations For?
The Boston Review has a special issue devoted to the question of what foundations are for.
The lead review describes the role that foundations are supposed to play: to encourage innovation, to prod government to change its priorities, to demonstrate the validity of a different path, etc.
Various commentators, including me, were invited to respond. I tried briefly to explain how the role of foundations in the K-12 sector have changed in significant ways. The three biggest foundations now act in concert with the
The lead review describes the role that foundations are supposed to play: to encourage innovation, to prod government to change its priorities, to demonstrate the validity of a different path, etc.
Various commentators, including me, were invited to respond. I tried briefly to explain how the role of foundations in the K-12 sector have changed in significant ways. The three biggest foundations now act in concert with the
How Arbitrary is NCLB?
Matt DiCarlo here describes a paper that shows how utterly arbitrary NCLB is.
Some states look good.
Some states look very bad.
But the states that look bad may actually be outperforming the states that look good..
When will our policymakers acknowledge that NCLB is a harmful, destructive law that has wreaked havoc on
Some states look good.
Some states look very bad.
But the states that look bad may actually be outperforming the states that look good..
When will our policymakers acknowledge that NCLB is a harmful, destructive law that has wreaked havoc on
How to Eliminate Public Education: Michigan Edition
Suppose you were governor of Michigan and you really truly hated public education. Suppose you thought of public schools not as a beloved community institution, but as a government monopoly that must be smashed. Suppose you believe that the free market always knows best.
Suppose further that your earnest desire to get rid of public education was blocked by the state constitution.
Why, you would do exactly what Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is doing. You would have some of your top
Suppose further that your earnest desire to get rid of public education was blocked by the state constitution.
Why, you would do exactly what Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is doing. You would have some of your top
KrazyTA: the Meaning of Leadership
KrazyTA, a regular commenter on the blog, offered his definition of leadership in dialogue with other readers. It got a great response.
Here goes:
“I once had a job where I was a clerk typist in an academic library. I had three supervisors: from the bottom up they were a librarian-in-training, a professional librarian, and the librarian who ran the entire department I worked in. **Not bragging: I was a good enough typist that I secured several jobs largely because of my typing skills.** Not just in my evaluations [I did very well indeed] but in my day-to-day work, I never resented any one of them evaluating me or offering me suggestions or guidance. It took me a while to figure out why I enjoyed working
Here goes:
“I once had a job where I was a clerk typist in an academic library. I had three supervisors: from the bottom up they were a librarian-in-training, a professional librarian, and the librarian who ran the entire department I worked in. **Not bragging: I was a good enough typist that I secured several jobs largely because of my typing skills.** Not just in my evaluations [I did very well indeed] but in my day-to-day work, I never resented any one of them evaluating me or offering me suggestions or guidance. It took me a while to figure out why I enjoyed working
What Do Students and Teachers Say about the Pearson Common Core Exams in New York?
Two websites have been created to allow students, teachers, principals, and parents to register their comments about the Common Core assessments created by Pearson for students in New York.
One was created to discuss the English language arts exam. If you open the link, you will see numerous
One was created to discuss the English language arts exam. If you open the link, you will see numerous
The Charter Waiting List: A Marketing Tool
EduShyster here dissects the charter waiting list brouhaha.
Charter advocates wave big numbers around to prove to legislators that the state or district needs more charters.
But they also spend big money to generate demand so they can conduct a lottery, wgphich is a marketing tool.
When a neighborhood school closes, children must apply to enter the charter and may
Charter advocates wave big numbers around to prove to legislators that the state or district needs more charters.
But they also spend big money to generate demand so they can conduct a lottery, wgphich is a marketing tool.
When a neighborhood school closes, children must apply to enter the charter and may
The Attack on Tenure Is “Orwellian Reform”
Robert D. Shepherd comments on the story this morning about the teacher in Missouri who was suspended after writing an article on the Huffington Post about the abuses heaped on teachers:
“Teaching is a unique profession. Teachers are responsible for cultural transmission–for passing on to a new generation the best of what the culture has created–and it’s extremely important–it goes to the very heart of what it is to be a pluralistic democracy–that students be exposed to a variety of viewpoints presented by teachers who are opinionated scholars. In the past, we didn’t give tenure to teachers right away because we recognized that people had to earn the right, but we also recognized the importance of that right–of intellectual freedom. If
“Teaching is a unique profession. Teachers are responsible for cultural transmission–for passing on to a new generation the best of what the culture has created–and it’s extremely important–it goes to the very heart of what it is to be a pluralistic democracy–that students be exposed to a variety of viewpoints presented by teachers who are opinionated scholars. In the past, we didn’t give tenure to teachers right away because we recognized that people had to earn the right, but we also recognized the importance of that right–of intellectual freedom. If
Time to Turnaround the Florida Department of Education
Test scores are low at an elementary school in Tampa.
The state ordered that every one of its teachers be fired.
Even first-year teachers will go.
The school has been plagued by high staff turnover in the past.
The state ordered that every one of its teachers be fired.
Even first-year teachers will go.
The school has been plagued by high staff turnover in the past.
Warning: Don’t Become a Teacher
[WARNING: after the following essay was published in Huffington Post, the writer was suspended from his teaching position. The next post will give details.]
This teacher in Missouri loves teaching but he doesn’t love what the legislature is doing to restrict, evaluate, and control him.
After two decades as a journalist, he became a teacher. He has taught for 14 years.
Today, he would urge young people not to enter teaching because the conditions and lack of respect are so wearing. “Classroom teachers, especially those who are just out of college and entering the profession, are more
This teacher in Missouri loves teaching but he doesn’t love what the legislature is doing to restrict, evaluate, and control him.
After two decades as a journalist, he became a teacher. He has taught for 14 years.
Today, he would urge young people not to enter teaching because the conditions and lack of respect are so wearing. “Classroom teachers, especially those who are just out of college and entering the profession, are more
Outrage! Missouri Teacher Suspended For Speaking Out
This post explains why teachers need tenure. Tenure is not a job for life. Tenure protects freedom of speech. Tenure protects academic freedom.
The previous post linked to an article by a teacher in Missouri who warned his students not to become a teacher because of the outrageous attacks on teachers. He was suspended. He does not have tenure. He does not have academic freedom. He was suspended for speaking his mind about the destruction of his profession in a public forum.
Here is the story, sent by a fellow Missouri teacher who must (of course) remain anonymous or he will also lose
The previous post linked to an article by a teacher in Missouri who warned his students not to become a teacher because of the outrageous attacks on teachers. He was suspended. He does not have tenure. He does not have academic freedom. He was suspended for speaking his mind about the destruction of his profession in a public forum.
Here is the story, sent by a fellow Missouri teacher who must (of course) remain anonymous or he will also lose
Why Market Reforms Failed in DC, NYC, and Chicago
The market-based reforms of the past dozen years have failed. Now they are the status quo, imposed on the nation by NCLB and Race to the Top, will hurt our nation’s children and undermine public education for all children.
The Bush-Obama policies are bad for children, ad for teachers, bad for principals, bad for schools, bad for the quality of education, and threaten the future of public education in the United States.
WARNING TO OTHER NATIONS: DO NOT COPY US.
The question is: Will the zealous reformers listen? Or will they continue their
The Bush-Obama policies are bad for children, ad for teachers, bad for principals, bad for schools, bad for the quality of education, and threaten the future of public education in the United States.
WARNING TO OTHER NATIONS: DO NOT COPY US.
The question is: Will the zealous reformers listen? Or will they continue their
Diane in the Evening 4-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Mayor Bloomberg Tries Again to Buy the Los Angeles School Board by dianerav NYC Mayor Bloomberg just dropped $350,000 into the campaign to beat Monica Ratliff in a runoff for the LA school board. A few weeks ago, Bloomberg gave $1million to the coalition of billionaires, who assembled a $4 million war chest, mostly to defeat Steve Zimmer. Bloomberg’s million was enhanced by fat gifts from Rupert Murdoch, Michelle Rhee, Eli Broad, and the John Thompson: Who Will the Billionaires Kick Down Next? by dianerav Vetera... more »