NCTQ Report: Time for a Class Action Lawsuit?
A reader in Wisconsin is outraged. I can’t blame her. Should anyone with a degree be allowed to teach? Is professional education worthless? Scott Walker thinks so. So will others who read the NCTQ report, which graded teacher education with an F without bothering to visit any of the institutions it graded so harshly.
This parent writes:
Dear Diane,
My suggestion is far beyond my ability to assess; here’s my thought.
This report on the quality of teacher education is a smear against those, like my daughter, who have just
This parent writes:
Dear Diane,
My suggestion is far beyond my ability to assess; here’s my thought.
This report on the quality of teacher education is a smear against those, like my daughter, who have just
Linda Darling-Hammond Responds to NCTQ
Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University wrote a critique of the National Council on Teacher Quality reporton teacher preparation, and the NCTQ responded to her critique.
Here Linda Darling-Hammond responds to NCTQ:
In my blog about the recent NCTQ teacher preparation report, I identified errors in their program reviews — a few examples of the many dozens I have heard about. NCTQ has responded with their rationale for the ratings, claiming that, in “fact,” they got it right. Below are the real facts about these errors.
I want to preface this reply, however, with two points on which I agree with NCTQ: First, while I have seen many strong teacher education programs, there are many others that are very weak and need major improvements.
Here Linda Darling-Hammond responds to NCTQ:
In my blog about the recent NCTQ teacher preparation report, I identified errors in their program reviews — a few examples of the many dozens I have heard about. NCTQ has responded with their rationale for the ratings, claiming that, in “fact,” they got it right. Below are the real facts about these errors.
I want to preface this reply, however, with two points on which I agree with NCTQ: First, while I have seen many strong teacher education programs, there are many others that are very weak and need major improvements.
How to Get Very, Very Rich While Providing Poor Services
This is a story about a private contractor who figured out how to make big money: open a center to diagnose and treat preschoolers with disabilities.
The state of New York pays for every thing, and no one pays much attention to the quality of the services. The state pays for your beautiful we building and even your Mercedes.
So what if you misdiagnose children? Who will know? Then you order yourself to provide very expensive services,
The state of New York pays for every thing, and no one pays much attention to the quality of the services. The state pays for your beautiful we building and even your Mercedes.
So what if you misdiagnose children? Who will know? Then you order yourself to provide very expensive services,
Teacher: How to Stop the Teacher-Bashing
A teacher responded to Tennessee Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman, who has proposed a new salary plan for teachers that reduces their pay.
“I propose a national Day without a Teacher.”
“I propose a national Day without a Teacher.”
Duncan Taps Charter Executive as His Chief of Staff
Arne Duncan has never disguised his preference for privately-managed charter schools over public schools. He especially favors “no excuses” schools.
So it is not surprising that–according to Joy Resmovits at the Huffington Post, he has invited Emma Vadehra, the chief of staff of Uncommon Schools, which is known for its rigid discipline and high suspension rates, to be his chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education.
As Resmovits notes:
“For Vadehra, the move would be a return to the Education Department, where she worked as deputy assistant
So it is not surprising that–according to Joy Resmovits at the Huffington Post, he has invited Emma Vadehra, the chief of staff of Uncommon Schools, which is known for its rigid discipline and high suspension rates, to be his chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education.
As Resmovits notes:
“For Vadehra, the move would be a return to the Education Department, where she worked as deputy assistant
L.A.: The Context for Steve Zimmer’s Defense of Class Size Reduction
Last night I blogged about the recent meeting of the LAUSD school board and pointed out Steve Zimmer’s eloquent defense of class size limits. The high point of his six-minute statement was when he compared the class sizes in L.A. public schools–40 or more–with the class sizes in local charter schools, which boast of 20 or so. He did it dramatically, reading out the names of each charter and their class sizes, then tossing the piece of paper over his shoulder.
A reader who attended the meeting added the context of Zimmer’s comments and the reaction of some fellow board members:
Zimmer’s real Al Pacino-esque moment—I’m thinking of Pacino in SCENT OF A WOMAN and AND JUSTICE
A reader who attended the meeting added the context of Zimmer’s comments and the reaction of some fellow board members:
Zimmer’s real Al Pacino-esque moment—I’m thinking of Pacino in SCENT OF A WOMAN and AND JUSTICE
L.A.: Why the School Board President Tried to Silence UTLA President
A reader who attended the recent Los Angeles school board meeting noticed the effort by a board member to prevent Warren Fletcher, president of the United Teachers of Los Angeles, from speaking. The sequence is fascinating and well worth reading (and watching).
If you really want to see, in action, Board Member Tamar Galatzan’s (and also Board Member Monica Garcia’s)
If you really want to see, in action, Board Member Tamar Galatzan’s (and also Board Member Monica Garcia’s)
Major Rally Today in Chicago to Protest Budget Cuts
There seems to be no end to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s war against the children and public schools of Chicago.
When: Friday, June 21, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Where: *James Thompson Center (State of Illinois Building), 100 W. Randolph
Why: When the mayor enacted a 7-hour school day, students and parents were promised a FULL day, filled with the foundational academics AND enrichment AND resources. Now, after shuttering 50 schools in order to “save money” and improve educational outcomes, CPS has released 2013-14 school budgets that are forcing other schools across the district to gut their staffs and programming. The result of the funding that has been put forth will be a day that is EMPTY!
Those in attendance are INSISTING that CPS, the City Council and Mayor Emanuel restore school-based devastating cuts in any way possible including:
1. Declaring a Surplus on unallocated TIF funds to help recoup some of the losses in funding to CPS.
2. Reallocating taxpayer money for unnecessary and unwarranted corporate and private venture TIF projects such as the DePaul University stadium, Vienna Beef relocation and Chicago Mercantile Exchange renovations to stop the bleeding at CPS and save public education in Chicago.
3. State-level revenue and pension reform.
Who: Hundreds of parents, students and education advocates representing some of Chicago’s best performing schools.
Photo Op: Masses of school children, parents and community members rallied together for a single cause. Rolls of toilet paper will be carried as a symbol of how deep the current cuts will be hitting our schools. Signage illustrating WHAT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL WILL BE LOSING – specific $s, # of teachers, specific programming, etc.
Spokespeople: Wendy Katten, Executive Director, Raise Your Hand
Contact: If you are interested in attending this event or if you would like to set up an interview, please contact Amy Smolensky at 312-485-0053 or amysmolensky@comcast.net.
-MEDIA EVENT: FRIDAY, JUNE 21st, 10:00 a.m.-
Parents, Students and Education Advocates Express Outrage Over School Funding
Raise Your Hand to Reveal School by School Breakdown totaling $74 million in cuts at 100 schools reported
What: The CPS school funding crisis has reached a crisis point and students face a disastrous reduction in the quality of their educations. This multi-school parent-driven protest will illustrate the devastating reality of next year’s school budgets. Hundreds of parents, students and other supporters of many Chicago Public Schools will bring their outrage and their voices for change, to those who need to hear it most. At issue for many schools may be:- Slashing of teacher and assistant principal positions
- Elimination of Magnet Cluster status funding
- Increases in class size to 30 and above
- Cuts in bi-lingual education
- Elimination or drastic reductions in music, art, physical education, foreign language, technology and other ESSENTIAL programming
When: Friday, June 21, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Where: *James Thompson Center (State of Illinois Building), 100 W. Randolph
Why: When the mayor enacted a 7-hour school day, students and parents were promised a FULL day, filled with the foundational academics AND enrichment AND resources. Now, after shuttering 50 schools in order to “save money” and improve educational outcomes, CPS has released 2013-14 school budgets that are forcing other schools across the district to gut their staffs and programming. The result of the funding that has been put forth will be a day that is EMPTY!
Those in attendance are INSISTING that CPS, the City Council and Mayor Emanuel restore school-based devastating cuts in any way possible including:
1. Declaring a Surplus on unallocated TIF funds to help recoup some of the losses in funding to CPS.
2. Reallocating taxpayer money for unnecessary and unwarranted corporate and private venture TIF projects such as the DePaul University stadium, Vienna Beef relocation and Chicago Mercantile Exchange renovations to stop the bleeding at CPS and save public education in Chicago.
3. State-level revenue and pension reform.
Who: Hundreds of parents, students and education advocates representing some of Chicago’s best performing schools.
Photo Op: Masses of school children, parents and community members rallied together for a single cause. Rolls of toilet paper will be carried as a symbol of how deep the current cuts will be hitting our schools. Signage illustrating WHAT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL WILL BE LOSING – specific $s, # of teachers, specific programming, etc.
Spokespeople: Wendy Katten, Executive Director, Raise Your Hand
Contact: If you are interested in attending this event or if you would like to set up an interview, please contact Amy Smolensky at 312-485-0053 or amysmolensky@comcast.net.
John Merrow: “Is Michelle Rhee a Fraud?”
John Merrow encountered a woman at an event at the Harvard Club who thanked him for exposing Michelle Rhee as a fraud and congratulated him for his “one-man crusade.” Merrow quickly demurred. It was no “one-man crusade,” he said. He pointed out that there was a sizable contingent of highly experienced and much-honored reporters who worked on the story with him.
He added:
He added:
Kevin Huffman: Cut Teachers’ Pay to Improve Profession
Kevin Huffman is one of those Teach for America alums who is changing the face of public education in America.
He is an advocate for privately managed charter and for vouchers, which will hasten the privation of public education.
And he wants to change the teaching profession, of course, so he proposes to cut teachers’ pay across the board, so he can reserve some money to attract the best and brightest.
The starting teachers’ salary in Tennessee is about $30,000. If a teacher or a principal has a doctorate, they
He is an advocate for privately managed charter and for vouchers, which will hasten the privation of public education.
And he wants to change the teaching profession, of course, so he proposes to cut teachers’ pay across the board, so he can reserve some money to attract the best and brightest.
The starting teachers’ salary in Tennessee is about $30,000. If a teacher or a principal has a doctorate, they
Diane in the Evening 6-20-13Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: L.A. Parents Score Big Victory Over pRev at Board Meeting by dianerav Los Angeles parent Karen Wolfe here recounts the hilarious showdown at the meeting of the LAUSD school board between real parents and the organizers from Parent Revolution. The subject at issue was whether the board would assure an open, transparent, public process when some outside group (ahem) seeks to gather signatures to seize control of the school. That is, when someone decides to pull the “parent trigger” and fire it at staff or the sc... more »