Diane Ravitch's blog
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DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG
Time to Laugh Out Loud with EduShyster on Spring Break
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 8 hours ago
On spring break, EduShyster went to Florida, the state with the most choice in the nation, and she had a grand time. Among other things, she giggled over Tom Friedman’s latest effort to display his vast knowledge of education. She traveled with her sister, a teacher, who regaled her with stories of the latest Common [...]
Tampa Bay Times: Parent Revolution Produced Mystery Video
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 8 hours ago
The Tampa Bay Times reports that California-based Parent Revolution produced the slick video endorsing the parent trigger bill. The bill will be voted on Monday by the Florida Senate. This is a sleazy trick. Typical deceptive tactic by a group that fronts for the most reactionary elements in our society. Parent Revolution is funded primarily [...]
Miami Herald: “Parent Trigger” Supporters Create Fake Video, Fake Petition
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 8 hours ago
The so-called parent trigger bill will likely come to a vote in the Florida Senate on Monday. It has already passed the House. The bill would allow parents to turn their community school over to a charter operator. Florida has more than 500 charter schools, many run by for-profit chains that contribute to legislators’ campaign [...]
DFER Defended by Head of the Discovery Institute
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 15 hours ago
This is indeed an odd turn of events. Bruce Chapman, the head of the Discovery Institute, a Reagan Republican, warns Democrats that they should take care not to offend Democrats for Education Reform because they might become Republicans. The reason for his warning was that the California Democratic Party recently passed a resolution denouncing corporate [...]
Alan Singer: Pearson Fails the Test Again and Again
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 17 hours ago
From Alan Singer: Pearson is reading the columns. Please spread the word to your lists and encourage people to reply online. Keep the pressure on! Enough is Enough — Pearson Education Fails the Test Again and Again http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-singer/enough-is-enough-pearson-_b_3146434.html Attention: Charles Goldsmith, Head of Corporate Communications at Pearson Plc Emailed Sunday, April 21, 2013, noon, New [...]
The “Bloomberg Legacy” Article Is No Longer Behind Paywall
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 17 hours ago
Leonie Haimson and I wrote an article for The Nation reviewing the Bloomberg legacy in education. It is no longer behind a paywall. It is online and free.
Pearson Makes Massive Errors and Big Profits
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 17 hours ago
Valerie Strauss catalogued the long history of Pearson’s testing errors. These are only the errors that were discovered and went public. What about the errors that went undiscovered? What about the students who never graduated because Pearson made a mistake? What about those who failed because Pearson was wrong? What about Pearson winning a contract [...]
The Legacy of Michael Bloomberg
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 19 hours ago
Leonie Haimson and I have written an article in the current issue of The Nation about Mayor Bloomberg’s 12-year control of the public schools. The article unfortunately is behind a pay wall. If you can find a copy at your newsstand or library, I hope you read it. You will find a perspective quite different [...]
Louisiana and Reverse Parent Trigger
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 20 hours ago
Louisiana educators have joined in unison to endorse a bill to permit parents in failing charter schools to return their school to public control. Two-thirds or more of the Recovery School District charters are graded D or F. This is a bold recognition that charter schools are not a silver bullet. They are most successful [...]
Why We Will Win This Battle for Our Future
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 20 hours ago
A reader comments: We shall win this. Of that I am certain. And we shall do so because the failures of this insanely misguided test-and-evaluate mania become clearer and clearer with each passing day. This terrible idea is self-defeating. The question is, how long will it take? How much damage will be done before [...]
NC: Vouchers Are Opportunity for Fraud, Not Better Education
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 22 hours ago
Legislators in North Carolina are on track to create a voucher program that would divert $90 million from the state’s underfunded public schools. NC Policy Watch says beware. Deregulation in other voucher programs has left at trail of fraud, corruption, and abuse of taxpayer dollars, with no benefit to the students. Despite the claims of [...]
Breaking News! Illinois Stops $$$ to UNO Charters
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 22 hours ago
The state of Illinois has cut off funding to the politically powerful UNO charter chain because of conflicts of interest, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The head of UNO, Juan Rangel, was co-chair of Rahm Emanuel’s mayoral campaign in 2011. According to the story, millions of dollars of a $98 million construction grant went to [...]
Girl Scouts Offer Common Core Badges
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 23 hours ago
It looks like no part of American life will be left untouched by the Common Core. The Girl Scouts are now offering badges for Common Core. What marketing firm dreamed this up? Will we one day look back and ask who will be held accountable?
Billionaires Try (Again) to Buy Key L.A. School Board Race
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
The billionaires and moguls and titans are at it again. They desperately want to buy the last seat on the Los Angeles school board, which will be decided in a run-off on May 21. The contenders are Monica Ratliff, a teacher, and Antonio Sanchez, who used to work on the staff of L.A. Mayor Antonio [...]
John Thompson: “The Party’s Over” for Corporate Reform
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
John Thompson confidently predicts that corporate reform has passed the high-water mark. The collapse of the Rhee story is the tip of a melting iceberg. The “reformers” are facing a genuine popular revolt. Nothing they advocate works. All their alleged reforms are a sham. Who will be the first to bail out? Will the hedge [...]
We Are Winning! The Coming Revolution in American Public Education!
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
Dear Friends, Never despair! We are winning. John Tierney just published an article about “The Coming Revolution in Public Education.” Tierney sees what we see. The insane obsession with bubble-guessing is out of control. The profiteers have over-reached. The Billionaire Boys Club do not own us nor can they buy our schools. They are losing. [...]
Randy Turner Explains His Suspension
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
Randy Turner was suspended not for his Huffington Post article but for his book. This is why teachers need tenure: Academic freedom. He sent this comment: “Thanks for the kind words from everyone. My suspension coming at almost exactly the same time as my Huffington Post blog was a coincidence. Basically, it happened because I [...]
Did Louisiana Drop Out of inBloom, or Not?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
Mercedes Schneider provides an update on the evolving drama in Louisiana: Did John White pull Louisiana data out of the Gates-funded, Murdoch-created project called inBloom? Did the state board of education approve the agreement? How many other data-sharing agreements did John White enter into? Did the state board know where he was sending the children’s [...]
Is Jindal Losing Control?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
Bobby Jindal’s most anti-teacher legislation was struck down as unconstitutional last fall on procedural grounds. It included too many subjects. Jindal assumed he could ram through his proposals again but this year was different. The House shelved his bills. Is the destructive Jindal machine losing steam? Has reactionary reform run its course in Louisiana?
What Are Foundations For?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
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. [...]
Good News! Excellent Results on NAEP Economics Test
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
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 [...]
How to Eliminate Public Education: Michigan Edition
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
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 [...]
How Arbitrary is NCLB?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
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 American [...]
KrazyTA: the Meaning of Leadership
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
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 [...]
Time to Turnaround the Florida Department of Education
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
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’s answer to the problem of churn is simple: Make it 100%. State officials are unable [...]
The Attack on Tenure Is “Orwellian Reform”
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
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 [...]
The Charter Waiting List: A Marketing Tool
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
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, which is a marketing tool. When a neighborhood school closes, children must apply to [...]
What Do Students and Teachers Say about the Pearson Common Core Exams in New York?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 day ago
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 comments about the ELA exams. The comments [...]
Why Market Reforms Failed in DC, NYC, and Chicago
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
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, [...]
Outrage! Missouri Teacher Suspended For Speaking Out
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
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 [...]
Warning: Don’t Become a Teacher
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
[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. [...]
You Have Only a Few Hours to Read This Shocking Exposé
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
When Yasha Levine wrote his extraordinary article about the parent trigger in Adelanto, he was struck by the failure of the media to do any investigative reporting. It seemed that everyone was cheering for the charter promoters. He wrote this as a follow-up. Its title: “Et Tu, NPR?” His thesis: the Billionaires Boys Club has [...]
NYC Mayoral Forum, May 2
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
Come to PS 29 in NYC to hear the mayoral candidates: Want to know where the Democratic primary candidates stand on education? Ask! A forum on the future of public education in NYC with Democratic primary mayoral candidates Moderated by Diane Ravitch Thursday May 2nd 5:30-7:00 pm PS 29 (425 Henry Street, Brooklyn) What do [...]
Mayor Bloomberg Tries Again to Buy the Los Angeles School Board
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
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, [...]
John Thompson: Who Will the Billionaires Kick Down Next?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
Veteran teacher John Thompson says that it is time for the billionaires to step back and recognize the damage that they are doing to American education. They assume that because they are so successful, they know it all. Shocked to discover that poverty actually exists, they decided that the best way to save poor kids [...]
Hilarious! Cursive Writing: Follow the Money
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
This is crazy, or is it? We learned the other day that Texas Instruments is a big promoter of Algebra 2 as a graduation requirement in Texas. Why? Civic spirit, love of education, or the fact that TI supplies most of the graphing calculators needed for Algebra 2? Now we learn from this report that [...]
NCLB: The Creation of a Mad Dr. Frankenstein?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
If you want to know how No Child Left Behind has injured our society’s most vulnerable children, read this heart-breaking story about the sanctions imposed on the Rhode Island School for the Deaf. Written by a recently retired teacher at the school, it describes how the standardized testing regime struck the children and the school [...]
Shameless StudentsFirst Tries to Buy Iowa
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
Even though Michelle Rhee suffered multiple embarrassments in the past few weeks–with John Merrow reporting her refusal to investigate the cheating scandal that occurred on her watch and the Broader Bolder Approach reporting the failure of her “reforms”—her organization continues to push her failed “reforms” on states across the nation. StudentsFirst pumped over $317,000 into [...]
Common Core: Are Schools Ready?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
Paul E. Barton, an experienced education researcher and author of the book National Standards: Getting Beneath the Surface, is concerned that the implementation of the Common Core standards is happening too quickly. He wrote this post for this blog: A Critical Stage for the Common Core The much-anticipated Common Core Standards have been rolled out—and [...]
Testing Madness Goes Totally Nuts
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, DC, warned students that anyone who did not take the DC tests would not be allowed to play in any athletic activities next year. In addition, the school posted a table of prizes and raffle tickets that students could win every day they took the tests. Says the school: [...]
Paul Barton on Common Core Implementation
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
Paul Barton, an experienced analyst of trends in American education, has written this piece to emphasize the importance of appropriate implementation of the Common Core standards. He warns that testing should not begin until teachers are prepared, a curriculum is in place and has been taught, and teachers have the materials they need. A Critical [...]
Jersey Jazzman Says John Merrow “Created” Michelle Rhee
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
Jersey Jazzman deconstructs John Merrow’s post “Who Created Michelle Rhee?” If you recall, Merrow spread the blame for her undeserved celebrity among four suspects: 1. Rhee herself, by inflating her resume 2. The media, including himself, for featuring her 12 times on PBS 3. Rightwing funders 4. The unions because of their intransigence. JJ pins [...]
Did John White Pull Out of inBloom or Not?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 days ago
Mercedes Schneider tries to figure out what John White did or did not do in relation to Louisiana’s agreement to share confidential student data with the Gates-Murdoch inBloom project. It appears that the state board of education never knew about this arrangement and that it was a secret deal made by John White. Is there [...]
David Berliner on “A Nation at Risk”: Three Decades of Lies
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
Three Decades of Lies We have endured 30 years of lies, half-truths, and myths. Bruce Biddle and I debunked many of these untruths in our book, The Manufactured Crisis, in 1995. But more falsehoods continue to surface all the time. The most recent nonsense was “U. S. Education Reform and National Security,” a report presented [...]
This Blog: One Year Old, 4 Million + Hits
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
One year ago today, I started this blog. This week, on April 21, the blog reached 4 million page views. I had no idea when I started a year ago that the blog would turn into a platform for parents, students, teachers, principals, superintendents, school board members, and everyone else who is dissatisfied with the [...]
Anti-Privatization Conference in Rhode Island
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
A movement depends on public awareness. Here is another important effort to inform the public: ************** Update: The meeting location has been moved to Gaige Hall, room 100. SAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION The Privatization of Public Education High Stakes Testing, Charter Schools and more A Public Forum Saturday, April 27, 10am-2pm Rhode Island College Gaige Hall, [...]
Be Wary of This Website
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
About once a week, I receive emails from an organization I do not know. It contains beautiful graphics claiming to rate different aspects of education. Usually I delete without opening, but this one caught my eye because it said it was rating the states. The email says: “Hi Diane, “Ever wonder how your state working [...]
What Is Bill Gates’ Next Great Idea to Transform Us?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
EduShyster opines that Bill Gates has 3.7 truly transformational ideas every day. She is certain that the next one will be the biggest and best of all. Read here to find out what is on the way.
EdTrust Gives Advice to Michigan Policymakers
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
Education Trust, a Washington public policy group, recently prepared a report about education reform in Michigan. A reader asked me to review it, and I turned to William Mathis of the National Education Policy Center to write an analysis. Now, given that Governor Rick Snyder is working with an external group to defund public education, [...]
Rally for Public Schools in Olympia, Washington, April 27
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
This just in: Could you help to encourage educators, parents and community members to attend the rally for Public Education in Olympia, WA. On April 27 at 9:30 a.m., WEA Representative Assembly delegates will stand on the capitol steps in the final hours of the legislative session to make one last stand for our students, [...]
Doe$ Everyone Need Algebra 2?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
Jason Stanford wonders why Texas Instruments wants every student to pass Algebra 2 as a graduation requirement. That is the current requirement. And why Texas Instruments feels so keenly about it that it hired high-powered lobbyist Sandy Kress to work the Legislature. Stanford explains why TI is so passionate about this particular subject. Kress was [...]
The Logo for Common Core?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
A reader offers this observation: “Before teaching, I worked in software development. If our company released a major product revision with no quality assurance testing and no trial beta release, we would be out of business in a week as well as the laughing stock of the industry. “Common Core is a corporate initiative written [...]
Major Rally in Louisiana Today at 3 PM
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
Educators in Louisiana will rally today against Bobby Jindal’s radical privatization “reforms.” ****************************** Media writers, reporters, editors, webmasters, bloggers: TODAY at the Capitol — Unified Education Organizations to Address Jindal Agenda WHO: Major State Education Organizations representing Louisiana public schools WHAT: Press conference to announce unified opposition to re-enacting elements of Acts 1 and 2 [...]
A Great News Source for The Struggle to Save Public Education
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
The Network for Public Education has developed an excellent news source of stories from across the nation. Follow it to stay informed. And please consider joining the Network. It is only $20 for membership. Join with your friends and allies as we push back against those who are imposing failed ideas on our children and [...]
Louisianans to Jindal: Enough Is Enough
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
Many people in Louisiana are fed up with a Bobby Jindal’s war on the public sector. A rally is planned for April 30. For Immediate Release For more information contact: Mike Stagg, Forward Louisiana Phone: 337-962-1680 eMail: mstagg@forwardla.org Enough Is Enough! Louisianans to Rally For the Common Good on April 30th BATON ROUGE — Thousands [...]
Billionaires vs. Unions: Who Is David? Who Is Goliath?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 3 days ago
Leo Casey, a long-time union activist, here reviews a recent report by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute decrying the immense power of teachers’ unions. Michael Petrilli of TBF described the unions as “Goliaths” battling the weak, underfunded “Davids” of the corporate reform movement. Casey challenges the report and the characterization, pointing out that corporate reformers [...]
Children: Get High Scores or Your Teacher Will Be Fired: LINK FIXED
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 4 days ago
This is such a powerful post that I hope you will read it in full. It was written by a parent in California. The testing mania is spinning out of control. It is turning into child abuse. It demoralizes teachers. It offers the fodder to kill schools. It must be reined in. What kind of [...]
Cody: Teachers Had No Role in Writing the Common Core Standards
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 4 days ago
While David Coleman insists that the Common Core standards were written by primarily by teachers, Anthony Cody wrote in 2009 that the standards were drafted by “the secret 60,” only one of whom was a classroom teacher. The drafting process was done in secret sessions, said Cody, with no input by teachers.
David Coleman: Teachers Wrote the Common Core Standards
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 4 days ago
This is a very interesting story on NPR that pits one education expert against another. On one side, David Coleman, the acknowledged architect of the Common Core standards. He thinks the standards will make all students ready for college or careers. On the other, Karl Krawitz, the principal of Shawnee Mission East High School in [...]
Will Florida Pass Parent Tricker Bill?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 4 days ago
Last year, Florida State Senators failed to pass a parent trigger bill because not a single parent group in the state supported the bill. Parents came from across the state to testify against the legislation. They accurately saw the bill as a transparent effort to trick parents into handing their public school over to a [...]
What Michelle Rhee Told the LA Times About Teacher Evaluation
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 4 days ago
Michelle Rhee was recently invited to meet with the Los Angeles Times editorial board. The interview occurred after John Merrow published his bombshell post about the mysterious memo, the one showing that Rhee was informed about the likelihood of widespread cheating and did nothing about it. Rhee forgot about the cheating memo or didn’t think [...]
Nine of the Ten Richest in US Are Attacking Unions
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 4 days ago
Leo Casey explains here that there really is “class warfare” in the U.S. today. It is not the 1% that is attacking unions and working Americans. It is the 1% of the 1%. Nine of the ten richest Americans–all billionaires–are united in opposition to rights for working people. They don’t want working people to have [...]
New York: Tests Will Remain Secret
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 4 days ago
Parents in New York want to see the contents of the Pearson tests that are aligned with the Common Core but officials are adamantly opposed to releasing the tests. Parents want to review the tests to see if the questions and answers are reasonable. That is not going to happen. Teachers have been warned that [...]
For Shame, Commissioner John King!
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
Peter DeWitt, an elementary school principal in upstate New York, tells a shocking story here. New York requires students with disabilities to take grade level tests that are far beyond their ability. Some children who literally cannot read are expected to take the same tests as other students of their age. What purpose does it [...]
The Attack on Unions: Which Side Are You On?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
The attack on unions flared into public view in 2011, when Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin attacked public sector unions, and thousands of people surrounded the State Capitol in protest. Since so many radical Republicans took office in 2010, the effort to destroy public sector unions–especially the teachers’ unions–has accelerated. Leo Casey explores the context [...]
The Failure of Market-Based Reforms
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
What is presently called “reform” consists of market-based policies such as school choice, high-stakes testing, evaluating teachers by test scores, and closing schools. The Broader Bolder Approach to Education just released a report on what they call “market-oriented reforms.” The report analyzes performance data in three “market-oriented” cities–Washington, D.C., Chicago, and New York City–and concludes [...]
Shocker: The PTA and McDonald’s?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
A report from Melissa Westbrook, parent activist in Washington State: “Here in Washington State, our state PTA is joining with…McDonald’s. We are supposed to believe that because McDonald’s now has apple slices that all their food is good for kids. They are even allowing the McDonald’s Director of Nutrition to speak at the state convention. [...]
Chicago Youth Organize to Fight Back
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
This just in: My name is Emma Tai (@emmachungming) and I’m the Coordinator for Voices of Youth in Chicago Education, an organizing collaborative for education justice led by students of color from across Chicago (www.facebook.com/voyceproject). Yesterday, some of our students went public with stories of being demoted from junior to sophomore status in March, a [...]
Suggested Reading for Bill Gates
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
A superintendent in New York, read the interview with Bill Gates. He has a suggested reading for Bill: “Perhaps if Mr. Gates started with students instead of trying to fix teachers and shrink high schools he’d find answers. He should start by reading Jane Healy’s Endangered Minds. First line here is most powerful sentence he [...]
Jeb Bush Salutes David Coleman and Common Core
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
The Republican Party is divided about the Common Core standards. The Republican National Committee has come out in opposition to the Common Core, calling it “an inappropriate overreach to standardize and control” education. Senator Charles Grassley wants to defund the Common Core. But Jeb Bush is one the loudest cheerleaders for the Common Core. When [...]
What Data-Sharing Means for YOUR Child
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
The intersection of Common Core, inBloom, and the deregulation of federal privacy law is no accident. Pay attention.
More Embarrassment for Pearson Tests
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
An article by journalist Yoav Gonen in the New York Post reveals that the Pearson Common Core tests given last week in New York include at least half a dozen plugs for brand name products. In the film industry, corporations pay to have their brand mentioned or shown. In the world of standardized testing, it [...]
Join The Fight to Save Public Education in North Carolina
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5 days ago
If you live in North Carolina, join with parents, teachers, and other citizens, join the fight to save public schools. Join Public Schools First North Carolina. And please attend this meeting: To educate or not to educate in NC Apr 12, 2013 | Written by Patsy Keever OPINION Our rulers in Raleigh are answering that [...]
Is This Why National PTA Showed “Superman” at Its National Convention?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
A reader sends this information: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/parenting&id=7147532 SEATTLE (AP) – December 1, 2009 (WPVI) — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is giving the National PTA $1 million to teach parents about education reform. [Common Core] http://www.missourieducationwatchdog.com/2013/02/pta-receives-more-money-to-push-common.html ALEXANDRIA, VA, Feb 15, 2013 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — National PTA announced today that it received a one-year $240,000 [...]
Can You Answer a Question about Boston Consulting Group?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
This reader has a question. I am aware that BCG recommended mass school closings in Philadelphia and handover of students to private organizations. Can you help? “Which cities has the BCG done this work in so far: Memphis, New Orleans, Cleveland, Philadelphia… what about chicago/DC/Detroit??? Was that BCG work too? The BCG never released their [...]
Indiana: How Tony Bennett Conned The Public and Helped Corporations
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
Readers may recall that outgoing Indiana State Superintendent Tony Bennett left behind a videoconferencing system that cost $1.7 million and was utterly useless because it was incompatible with the department’s existing technology. The expensive technology was purchased from Cisco Systems, which by happy coincidence employs Bennett’s former chief of staff Todd Huston. Karen Francisco of [...]
Being a Reformer Means Excuses Are OK for You, Not Students
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
Here is teacher Arthur Goldstein, at his sardonic best, explaining why reformers never make mistakes and if they do, it is not their fault.
Clueless Bill Gates, Redux
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
In the year that I have had this blog, I have never posted the same article twice. I posted this one yesterday, and I am posting it again, to draw attention to some curious statements made by Bill Gates in the course of an interview. I am not picking on Bill, but drawing attention to [...]
Another Pearson Foul-Up
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
Pearson made scoring errors on tests for gifted programs in Néw York City. 13% of the students who qualified were wrongly rejected. New York City is the only school district that uses a single exam to determine admissions to gifted programs. Because of differences in opportunity to learn, the children with the most advantages in [...]
Sorry, Great Hearts Academy!
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
The Tennessee legislature failed to pass the bill to gut local control. Greats Academy will not be able to open in the most affluent section of Nashville. Not this year. ALEC legislation failed. Charters unhappy. Angry moms prevail. An informed public will not sell or give away public education.
The Master Plan for Obama Education Reforms
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
Here it is in one neat package: the Obama reform program, drafted by the Broad Foundation and published in April 2009. Please review the names of those who participated in drafting the plan. Many will be familiar to you. Here you will find the agenda for Race to the Top, which was revealed to the [...]
ALEC and Cato: Frat Brothers on the Far Right
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
Mercedes Schneider checks out the linkages between ALEC and Cato, the think tanks that are doing their best to advance freedom from government, I.e. deregulation and privatization of everything in the public sector. One common link: the billionaire Koch brothers.
Breaking News! Corporate Reform Setback in Tennessee!
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
A reliable source in Tennessee sent this news to me. Angry Moms of Tennessee scored a big victory! Here is the report: “No state charter authorizer. No vouchers. No charter trigger law expansion. No for-profit charter schools. “BAM! “Cost to StudentsFirst, etc. this election cycle- $2M. Cost of Angry Mamas- nothing. “Wanted to make sure [...]
Is Corporate Education Reform Coming to North Dakota?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
A comment from a reader in North Dakota. Guess who BG is and why he is coming to Fargo? Is he a modern evangelist, selling salvation by technology? Any suggestions for our friends in North Dakota? I suggest they join the Network for Public Education, organize parent-teacher groups, and prepare to defend public education, doors [...]
Why So Many Hours for Testing?
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 6 days ago
This writer, a parent in New York, wonders why so much time is set aside for testing. The hours spent testing should be devoted to the arts, reading, play, a million other things. Our top officials think it doesn’t matter because in many or most cases, it doesn’t affect their children.
John White Pulls Louisiana Student Data Out of Gates Warehouse
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 week ago
John White, Louisiana State Superintendent, announced that he was recalling all confidential student data from inBloom, the massive data warehouse funded by the Gates Foundation with $100 million. Is this for real? Time will tell. Parents in the state loudly protested the release of their children’s identifying information to the data warehouse, which was developed [...]
A Fawning Interview with Bill Gates
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 week ago
Read this and prepare to gag unless you are the president of your regional Bill Gates Fan Club. Did you know that Bill is warm and cuddly when he talks about how he plans to make US education the very best in the world without spending more? Don’t doubt for a minute that he knows [...]
Who Created Rhee? Don’t Blame the Unions.
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 week ago
Earlier today, John Merrow posted a blog in which he asked, “Who Created Michelle Rhee?” From the context, I assume he means who was responsible for making her the face of the corporate reform movement? Why was she praised by both Barack Obama and John McCain in their 2008 debate only a year after she [...]
Handwriting Expert to NC and SC: Don’t Mandate Cursive Writing
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 week ago
In their eagerness to drag the schools and children of their states back to the early 20th century, legislators in North Carolina and South Carolina want to mandate the teaching of cursive writing. (North Carolina Los wants to pass a law mandating that all children memorize the multiplication tables.) these legislators usually spend their time [...]
Secret Group in Michigan Plans Voucher-Style “Reform”
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 week ago
A secret group commissioned by reactionary elements in Michigan crafted a plan to voucherize education funding. The plan will be submitted to Governor Snyder. Note that the purpose of the plan is not to provide better education, but to cut costs. The article describes the plan as “reform,” but as usual, the real intent of [...]
DC City Council Will Hire Law Firm to Reform Schools
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 week ago
Every once in a while, I read an article that convinces me that education policymaking in this country is insane. This is one of those articles. The head of the DC City Council education committee has found the answer to fixing the city’s still troubled school system: He will hire a law firm to find [...]
Michigan Debates Common Core
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 week ago
Michigan is debating the Common Core, which it already agreed to adopt. The curious thing in the debate and in the article is the repeated claim by “experts” that the Common Core will fix all the disparities and problems in American education. It will close the gap between low-perming and high-performing students and lift the [...]
How Ordinary People Get Good Results
dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 1 week ago
David Kirp recently led a discussion of his new book “Improbable Scholars” at the Center for American Progress in Washington. One of his findings is that schools can be improved by collaboration and sound ideas. No charters. No school closings. No TFA. Here Esther Quintero of the Shanker Institute explores the social science that supports [...]