Photo of the Day from Philadelphia Parents
Here it is. A carefree governor paddling away while the children of Philadelphia lose arts, sports, computers, guidance counselors, librarians, books, etc.
Our Kids Are OK, the Tests Are Not
Stephen Dyer in Ohio can’t believe that 2/3 of the children in New York failed the state tests. He says if he or his wife wrote an exam that 69% of students failed, the shame would be on them or the tests, not the students. The Néw York scores lack face validity. Dyer says: “Does anyone really, I mean really, believe that more than 2 out of every 3 children in New York State are failing? Or that o
A Gift for You This Sunday
This is a favorite of mine. I think you will enjoy it, and the singer is gorgeous. Would someone please tell the mayors and governors and legislators to stop laying off teachers of music and the other arts?
Wikipedia Page on Vouchers Revised to Favor Vouchers
A sharp-eyed reader noticed that the Wikipedia description of vouchers has been revised to put vouchers in a favorable light. The entry somehow slides past the fact that voters have turned down vouchers whenever they were put on the ballot. Every voucher program in the U.S. was enacted by a state legislature–or in the case of D.C.–by Congress. Not one of them was adopted or approved by voters. Th
Breaking News: Common Core Tests Widen Achievement Gaps
According to an exclusive report in the New York Daily News, the Common Core testing widened the achievement gaps between high-needs students and their advantaged peers. The Daily News had access to a study by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform. “According to the Annenberg report, schools with the highest concentration of special-education students saw a 64% decrease in reading scores and 7
Losing the Heart of the Community
What happens when privately managed charter schools replace public schools? when experienced teachers are replaced by TFA temporary teachers? A reader comments: “From what I can tell, Arizona’s TFA teachers are thought of as rock stars in education. Knights in shining armor to save the school day. It’s the new baby and everyone loves it. Charters are popping up all over the place. The buildings ar
Who Was Your Favorite Teacher?
This is a terrific website. Readers answer the question, “who was your favorite teacher and why?” It is fun to read the responses. People write about teachers who were strict and demanding; they write about teachers who were passionate about their subject; they write about teachers who were inspiring; they write about teachers who were fun and pulled pranks; they write about their physics teacher,
New Group Forms in New York State to Fight Common Core
A parent in New York contacted me to tell me of a new group that she and other parents created to fight the Common Core in New York. She writes: My name is Yvonne Gasperino. My husband and I have started a grassroots effort named Stop Common Core in New York State on April 3, 2013. Here is the link to the website: www.stopccssinnys.com or www.stopcommoncoreinnewyork.com, we also have a FB group p
As Philadelphia Schools Die, Governor Corbett Goes Kayaking
This just in from a retired Pennsylvania school superintendent: “Beyond Belief! “On the August 9 front page of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Superintendent of Schools makes a desperate last minute plea for adequate funding to give his city’s school children some semblance of equal educational opportunity. “And the state and city leadership response is similar to the legend of Nero f
Jersey Jazzman Explains NY’s Triple Lindy Testing Mess
Remember when teachers wrote the tests for their students to determine way they knew and what they needed to study again? Remember when testing was feedback intended to inform instruction? It’s all over! Jersey Jazzman explains the crazy way that Néw York state decided to grade the tests. Only a mad psychometricians would come up with a process so convoluted. It’s a triple Lindy. Maybe a quadrup
Why Wall Street Loves Charters
This is not satire. It is real. In a guest post for EduShyster, a hedge fund manager explains why Wall Street loves charters. To them, the way to manage schools is to treat them like a stock portfolio. Keep the winners, dump the losers. Report the success of the winners, forget about the losers. It is a great formula. The CREDO study has been cited as evidence that charters are getting better but
Diane in the Evening 8-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: REIGN OF ERROR COMING SOON (CLICK here)Demolition Derby in Michigan for School DistrictsUnder a recently passed state law in Michigan, two school districts will be dissolved. Inkster and Buena Vista school districts no longer exist. Their students and teachers have scattered. The students are looking for schools, the teachers are l
