NY Test Score Collapse: What Now?
What should happen next in New York after the Common Core testing debacle? I won’t share my thoughts here, which are strong, but instead share the views of an experienced educator. Jere Hochman is superintendent of the Bedford Central school district in Westchester County. This is what he concludes: “Schools have always used standards, designed curriculum, taught kids, and assessed learning and ac
Reader: What We Learned from the New York Test Score Debacle
The first Common Core test produced a massive decline in test scores across the state. Charter schools fared even worse than public schools, with many dropping by 50 percentage points in their proficiency rates. This reader read the handwriting on the wall: “These test scores emphatically highlight the failure of vision that the corporate reformers bring to the table. What scares me is the treme
Why Is Pennsylvania Unable to Pay for Public Schools?
Pennsylvania has more cyber charters than any other state (16 at last count). It also has a large charter sector that performs no better than public schools. The Governor took $1 billion out of the public schools’ budget, and he is allowing the public schools of Philadelphia to die. Here is a good explanation: “We cannot afford four separate school systems “Pennsylvanians must decide if we want t
A Hero Principal Speaks Out Against Absurd State Tests
Anna Allanbrook, principal of PS 146 in Brooklyn, is not afraid. She is one of the remaining veteran principals in a city that has ruthlessly pushed out veterans and replaced them with teachers who have only a few years experience. Allanbrook is 58. She remembers what it was like to be an educator before the state and city leaders became obsessed with test scores. Her school is highly popular. Las
Chile: The Most Pro-Market School System in the World, Part 2
This is the second is a series of three articles written by Professor Mario Waissbluth of Chile for this blog. In this series, he describes the school system in Chile, which is based on testing and choice. Chile´s Education (II): The results of the most neoliberal system in the world Yesterday I described the Chilean economic and educational system. Now I shall explore its good and ugly results. U
The Bammy Awards: A Celebration of Educational Leadership
This is an event you should try to attend if you are in the DC area on September 23. It is the Bammy awards, and it celebrates the contributions of educators, not corporate reformers. Last year, Linda Darling-Hammond, John Merrow, and I received Bammies for “lifetime achievement.” None of us is finished. We continue to fight for better days in American education. Congratulations to Errol St. Cl
Diane in the Evening 8-12-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Will LA Mayor Choose Corporate Reformer to Advise Him?This Los Angeles parent explains why parents are alarmed by the prospect that the new mayor Eric Garcetti might choose Thelma Melendez, one of Arne Duncan’s deputies as his advisor. She writes: “In making this appointment, the Mayor should follow his creed to lead by listening a
