Eric Cantor Rips de Blasio Over Charters, de Blasio Scoffs
Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor denounced Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announced plan to charge rent to charter schools using public space, if they can afford it. De Blasio responded sharply to Cantor’s criticism. “Our committees in the House will remain vigilant in their efforts to ensure no one from the government stands in the school house door between any child and a good education,” s
Private Firms=No Accountability
Morgan Smith of the Texas Tribune (published in thr New York Times) wrote about the secrecy that surrounds the finances of private corporations that manage schools and claim to be “public.” They are “public” when it is time to get the money but their finances are private when asked to account for taxpayer money. Basis, an Arizona charter chain, submitted an application to open a charter in San A
Why I Defend Randi
A reader who calls himself or herself “Democracy” left comments criticizing me for defending Randi Weingarten–or perhaps for not attacking her. Here is my response to Democracy: Democracy, you ask a good question, and I will answer as best I can.. As you know, I have criticized the Common Core in many posts. I have criticized the lack of transparency and the lack of educator participation in it
A Challenge to the Waltons in Arkansas
A new charter school is planned for Little Rock, Arkansas, to help poor black and minority kids stuck in failing schools. Unfortunately there are two obstacles. First, the school will open in a white neighborhood, far from the poor black kids stuck in failing schools. Second, the Texas operator of the charter has no transportation plans. Max Brantley, a local columnist, has a solution. “I have a
Blog Passes 9 Million Page Views! Thank You, Readers!
This morning, as I was flying home from Chicago, where I spoke to the Modern Language Association about Common Core, the blog registered more than 9 million page views. The blog started in late April 2012. Thank you for reading, thank you for tweeting, thank you for sharing with friends, thank you for commenting and joining the conversation. How to account for the interest in the blog? I attribu
What’s Behind the School Closure Epidemic?
Seth Sandronsky and Michelle Renee Mattison try to understand the logic behind school closures? Is it low academic performance? Under-enrollment? Right sizing? Why are the closures concentrated in neighborhoods populated by Frican Americans and Hispanics? What is their record? They write: “Will there be a time when the term “school to prison pipeline” becomes “the home to prison pipeline” or the
New Volume About Teacher Evaluation and High-Stakes Testing Now Available
A group of expert researchers have published a new collection of articles about teacher evaluation and high-stakes testing and their consequences. The collection appears online in the Teachers College Record. It is called “High-Stakes Teacher Evaluation: High Cost, Big Losses.” You will recognize the names of many of the contributors. (I wrote the foreword, the least significant part of the volu
Idaho Cancels Prison Privatization
Advocates of privatization of public schools, please take note: Governor Butch Otter of Idaho announced that the state was taking control of “the largest privately-run prison in the state after more than a decade of mismanagement and other problems at the facility.” “Nashville, Tenn.-based Corrections Corporation of America has contracted with the state to run the prison since it was built in 1997
Daniel Pink Explains Why Merit Pay Fails Every Time
Watch this great video. It explains in graphic language why merit pay always fails. If you won’t documentation, read Daniel Pink’s book, “Drive.” Where cognitive tasks are required, the larger the reward, the poorer the performance. What works to motivate people? Autonomy. Mastery. Purpose. Not profit.
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 1-11-14 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGLafayette Parish, Louisiana, Parents Organize to Support Public SchoolsBobby Jindal thought he could launch the nation’s most sweeping privatization program in Louisiana but he has run into unexpected obstacles. First, the Louisiana courts struck down the funding for Jindal’s voucher plan, then they struck down Jindal’s m