The NY Times Tires of Testing
For the past dozen years, there has been no louder cheerleader for No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, and their demand for test-based accountability than the Néw York Times’ editorial board. Despite the fact that greater test score gains were recorded before the implementation of NCLB than since; despite the finding of the National Research Council that test-based accountability was ineffectua
The Selling of the Common Core
This post by Peter Smagorinsky is spot on. He is a professor at the University of Georgia, and he is amazed at the shrewd marketing of the Common Core. Think of it. Schools and teachers are overwhelmed by budget cuts, still reeling from the economic crisis of 2008, and are now trying to absorb new and flawed systems of teacher evaluation. In many states, teachers have lost all job security. At the
The commenter who calls himself or herself “Democracy” says the following about the Reauthorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (currently known as NCLB): “Bill Mathis correctly points out that education legislation pending in the Congress “would still ‘disaggregate’ test results by ethnic affiliation and income levels so as ‘to shine a light’ on the disparities and inequ
TFA Dissenters Organize Conference for Reform of TFA
It was bound to happen. Teach for America recruits thousands of very smart young men and women and trains them to think like members of TFA, believing that high expectations and high energy will suffice to close the achievement gap. With so many well-educated TFA corps members, there was bound to be a movement to think differently about TFA’s methods, its claims, and its ambitions. On July 14, dis
Jeff Bryant: “No Excuses” for Abandoning Kids and Public Schools
Jeff Bryant of the Education Opportunity Network congratulates Arne Duncan for saying that there was “no excuse” for states that fail to fund their schools. Jeff was quick to point out that the “no excuse” mantra is customarily used by Duncan and other corporate reformers to blame teachers for low test scores. It is refreshing to hear the same rhetoric directed at governors and legislatures that
TFA Dissenters Organize Conference for Reform of TFA
It was bound to happen. Teach for America recruits thousands of very smart young men and women and trains them to think like members of TFA, believing that high expectations and high energy will suffice to close the achievement gap. With so many well-educated TFA corps members, there was bound to be a movement to think differently about TFA’s methods, its claims, and its ambitions. On July 14, dis
Jeff Bryant: “No Excuses” for Abandoning Kids and Public Schools
Jeff Bryant of the Education Opportunity Network congratulates Arne Duncan for saying that there was “no excuse” for states that fail to fund their schools. Jeff was quick to point out that the “no excuse” mantra is customarily used by Duncan and other corporate reformers to blame teachers for low test scores. It is refreshing to hear the same rhetoric directed at governors and legislatures that
David Sirota: IPads Cannot Replace Teachers
The holy grail for corporate reformers is cost-cutting that produces profits. Their hope is that if schools replace teachers with technology, the districts save money, and the tech companies strike it rich. As David Sirota writes, districts (especially those with Broad-trained superintendents) are pouring millions into iPads, tablets, etc., in hope that students will learn online and be tested onl
NYC Parent: Let the Hunger Games Begin
New York City parent activist Natalie Green Giles saw an uncanny resemblance between the Hunger Games and the city’s education policies. She writes: The Hunger Games in the NYC Public Schools June 2013 By Natalie Green Giles We have just finished the annual rite of our Hunger Games here in our New York City public schools. Our games go on for six days, not counting the weeks (in some cases months
Reform as Crony Capitalism
Responding to another reader, Robert Shepherd challenges the claim that reformers want a free market in schooling: “We are NOT seeing the emergence of free market alternatives to public schools. We are seeing is crony capitalist alternatives dependent upon federal and state regulation and the public dole that could not possibly survive in truly free markets. It doesn’t matter whether it originate
Does John White Care About Voucher Fraud?
Robert Mann, a professor of communications at Louisiana State University, tries to imagine how Bobby Jindal and John White would react if they heard that Headstart centers kept sloppy records and couldn’t pass an audit. He writes: “Imagine if almost every one of those schools could not produce any records to prove that their expenditures did not constitute “gross irresponsibility or gross indivi
Mercedes Schneider Grades John White’s Letter to the Editor: F
John White wrote a letter to the editor to defend his record and praise the sweeping, bold, innovative reforms that he has led. Mercedes Schneider subjected White’s letter to a severe fact check and found it deficient, especially in relation to basic accuracy. She cuffs him about the head and says: “Reformers like White thrive on promoting the false dichotomy that “disagreeing with me” equals “a
Diane in the Evening 7-12-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: An Eloquent and Incredibly Brave Child Speaks at the UNMalala Yousafzai, the teenager who was shot in the head by Taliban thugs who don’t want girls to be educated, spoke at the United Nations and was amazingly eloquent in calling for free, compulsory education for every child. What an incredible and heroic young woman. Some heard
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 7-13-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGTODAYDoes John White Care About Voucher Fraud?Robert Mann, a professor of communications at Louisiana State University, tries to imagine how Bobby Jindal and John White would react if they heard that Headstart centers kept sloppy records and couldn’t pass an audit. He writes: “Imagine if almost every one of those schools