Colorado Virtual Academy Severs Association with K12 Inc.
The Colorado Virtual Academy, one of K12 Inc.’s biggest schools, has severed its association with the publicly traded corporation. They may continue to use its curriculum but not its management services, starting in 2014.
“The Colorado school has been criticized for its low graduation rates (22 percent in 2011-12, according to state education statistics) and a discovery by state auditors that the school had overcharged $800,000 for 120
“The Colorado school has been criticized for its low graduation rates (22 percent in 2011-12, according to state education statistics) and a discovery by state auditors that the school had overcharged $800,000 for 120
New Charter Study Shows Improvement, Raises Questions
CREDO, the organization at Stanford University that analyzes charter performance, released the results of its latest national study.
Its earlier report (2009) showed disappointing results for charter schools, with only 17% outperforming traditional public schools. This was especially disappointing for the Walton Family Foundation, one of the main backers of CREDO.
The new study shows that charters are doing better than in 2009. They typically get about the same results as public schools, with some performing better, others performing worse.
I will do my own analysis later but meanwhile this is the best review I have seen, by Stephanie Simon of Reuters.
Its earlier report (2009) showed disappointing results for charter schools, with only 17% outperforming traditional public schools. This was especially disappointing for the Walton Family Foundation, one of the main backers of CREDO.
The new study shows that charters are doing better than in 2009. They typically get about the same results as public schools, with some performing better, others performing worse.
I will do my own analysis later but meanwhile this is the best review I have seen, by Stephanie Simon of Reuters.
Warning to New Teachers in Houston: You Are Disposable
Want to know how well “reform” is working in Houston? Read this. I wish Superintendent Terry Grier would read it too. I would love to get a comment from him in response to this letter.
This letter is about a teacher awakening to the grim political reality of what is deceptively called “education
This letter is about a teacher awakening to the grim political reality of what is deceptively called “education
Bruce Baker: Why So Much Ignorance about School Funding?
Bruce Baker has a fabulous new post in which he roasts the vapid comments by pundits and others who are utterly ignorant about school funding.
It starts like this and gets better and better:
“On a daily basis, I continue to be befuddled by the ignorant bluster, intellectual laziness and mathematical and financial ineptitude of those who most loudly opine on how to fix America’s supposed dreadful public education system. Common examples that irk me include taking numbers out context to make them seem shocking, like
It starts like this and gets better and better:
“On a daily basis, I continue to be befuddled by the ignorant bluster, intellectual laziness and mathematical and financial ineptitude of those who most loudly opine on how to fix America’s supposed dreadful public education system. Common examples that irk me include taking numbers out context to make them seem shocking, like
Anthony Cody: Bill Gates and the Invasion of the Profiteers
Anthony Cody draws a contrast between Lakeside Academy, where Bill Gates and his children were (and are) students, and the current model of education “reform,” which is driven by entrepreneurs and profit-seekers.
Lakeside Academy values the relationships between teachers and children. Greatschools like Lakeside, Cody writes, “emphasize experiential learning, empathy, and above all, relationships between teachers and students. And of course, class sizes are kept below twenty to make all this possible.”
Cody writes:
“The model offered by Lakeside is decidedly not efficient — at least when efficiency is defined as spending the
Lakeside Academy values the relationships between teachers and children. Greatschools like Lakeside, Cody writes, “emphasize experiential learning, empathy, and above all, relationships between teachers and students. And of course, class sizes are kept below twenty to make all this possible.”
Cody writes:
“The model offered by Lakeside is decidedly not efficient — at least when efficiency is defined as spending the
A Child’s Letter about Rahm’s School Closings
Veronica Vasquez found a letter that her 12-year-old daughter Paula wrote.
Paula is a student in a Chicago public school that Mayor Rahm Emanuel is closing.
““I have one question to ask,” it begins, in Paula’s girlish printing.
“Do you have any idea what your doing to us … our school … even to me? We all have tried and tried everything
Paula is a student in a Chicago public school that Mayor Rahm Emanuel is closing.
““I have one question to ask,” it begins, in Paula’s girlish printing.
“Do you have any idea what your doing to us … our school … even to me? We all have tried and tried everything
Conservative Groups Launch New Campaign to Cripple Teachers Unions
Conservative groups are hoping to cripple teachers’ unions by urging members to “opt out.”
According to the Wall Street Journal blog, “A coalition of 60 groups in 35 states has begun a national campaign to tell workers they have the right to opt out of a labor union, and are providing instructions on how and when to do it.
“The campaign, which launched Sunday, is the brainchild of the Nevada Policy Research Institute, libertarian think tank. The group last year ran a local campaign informing teachers in the Las Vegas area how and when to opt out of the Clark County Education Association, a union affiliate of the larger National Education Association
According to the Wall Street Journal blog, “A coalition of 60 groups in 35 states has begun a national campaign to tell workers they have the right to opt out of a labor union, and are providing instructions on how and when to do it.
“The campaign, which launched Sunday, is the brainchild of the Nevada Policy Research Institute, libertarian think tank. The group last year ran a local campaign informing teachers in the Las Vegas area how and when to opt out of the Clark County Education Association, a union affiliate of the larger National Education Association
Diane in the Evening 6-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Rudy Crew Leaving Oregon, Returning to NYC by dianerav This is a surprise. Rudy Crew, former chancellor of the New York City public schools, former superintendent of the Miami Dade schools, currently chief education officer of the state of Oregon, will return to New York City to assume the presidency of Medger Evers College in Brooklyn, which is part of the City University of New York system. Scottish Schools Go Their Own Way, Away from Testing dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 24 minutes ago The public schools... more »