As the School Turns
The reviews are in: education reform in Massachusetts has jumped the shark
It’s time for yet another episode in our long-running—and fast moving—reality series: As the School Turns. In today’s episode we visit two Boston schools that have been turning, returning and turning again. And we meet the guest stars who will at last usher our schools out of the ratings basement where they’re currently mired and into the limelight of outstandingness for which they’re destined. Uncork your boxes, readers; the show is about to begin.
Same show, different cast
When we last tuned in, teachers at two Boston elementary schools, the Dever and the Holland, were turning in an all-too-familiar performance. In fact, only one thing could rescue these schools from their expectations-lowering, gap-widening, poor-performing ways: a serious infusion of fresh talent. Oh wait—that was a previous episode. It turns out that both of our schools have already been turning around for several seasons using the favorite turnaround story line of city and state education directors: staff turnover. Let’s consult our handy episode guide, courtesy of the Boston Globe:
When we last tuned in, teachers at two Boston elementary schools, the Dever and the Holland, were turning in an all-too-familiar performance. In fact, only one thing could rescue these schools from their expectations-lowering, gap-widening, poor-performing ways: a serious infusion of fresh talent. Oh wait—that was a previous episode. It turns out that both of our schools have already been turning around for several seasons using the favorite turnaround story line of city and state education directors: staff turnover. Let’s consult our handy episode guide, courtesy of the Boston Globe:
“But in most cases, the teachers at Dever and Holland should be of high quality. Principals of those schools were granted enormous flexibility to hand-pick their staffs under a 2010 state law that aims to rapidly overhaul failing schools. That hiring flexibility enables principals to get rid
Happy Birthday, Mercedes
In which I sit down with wonder-blogger Mercedes Schneider to talk about her life, her blog and a whole lot more… On a recent trip to Louisiana I got to spend some time with wonder-blogger Mercedes Schneider, whose blog on education reform turned one year old this week. (If you don’t know it, you should). In my interview with her, Mercedes opens up about her personal story, including the correct p