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Mercedes Schneider is keeping track of the debates about the Common Core standards in the states. So much is happening that she is breaking it into three posts. This post covers the controversy surrounding Common Core in 12 states: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
This article was sent to me by the author, Travis Manning, who teaches high school English in Idaho. We have reached a testing crisis in Idaho and Common Core hasn’t helped. As a current high school English teacher, I know. We are over-testing children, including the new 8-hour Common Core test: the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). In high school alone we give students the PSAT, S
Two Los Angeles teachers critical of the decision by Los Angeles school leaders to use construction funds to buy iPads have created a Facebook page that has gone viral. The teachers wanted the public to see that their schools are in dire need of repair. “The photos are unmistakable: a rat dropping on a school desk, an ant-filled water fountain, overflowing trash cans and a cockroach in a classroom
The National Governors Association has a corporate fellows program. Mercedes Schneider takes a close look at which corporations are supporting NGA and where their money so spent. Some of their leading corporate sponsors are deeply involved in education: “Here is NGA’s complete corporate listing. However, allow me to list a sampling of corporate names that hold particular meaning in the current co
James Meredith: Time for an American Child’s Bill of Rights
Civil rights hero James Meredith is worried about the future of American public schools. He fought so hard to integrate them, but now he sees new forces seeking to take control of them, and not for good reasons. He wrote recently, as reported in Valerie Strauss’s “Answer Sheet”: ““We are losing millions of our children to inferior schools and catastrophically misguided and ineffective so-called ed
Eclectablog: A Teacher Speaks Out, not Anonymously
Eclectablog has been posting a series of interviews with teachers in Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s Education Achievement Authority. This is a statewide district intended to “save” the state’s lowest performing schools. In this account, a teacher tells how he was suddenly fired without notice and describes what happens in the EAA. It is dangerous for a teacher to spill the beans. He or she will
Reader Asks: Is Pearson Taking Control of AP?
An AP teacher sent me the following letter. I don’t know the answer. Can anyone answer her question? Maybe not, maybe we are all in the dark. It does not seem beyond belief that Pearson and the College Board are closely collaborating. Is there more afoot than collaboration? Shouldn’t they be competitors? Here is the communication I received: “Hi Diane, Just wanted to bring this to your attention.
YESTERDAY
Andrew Cuomo Names Panel to Study Common Core Implementation
Leonie Haimson, leader of New York City’s Class Size Matters, reports that Governor Andrew Cuomo has named a panel to study the implementation of the Common Core standards in the state. The panel, she says, is stacked with supporters of Common Core. She writes: No early childhood experts, elementary or special ed teachers on commission, which is unfortunate because these are the people whose c
Here is the Help You Need to Start an Ed-Lingo Bingo Game
A reader from North Carolina sent this wonderful post, filled with words that can be used to play “Ed-Lingo Bingo” during professional development time. When I was conducting research in San Diego about 2006, teachers there shared a list of Bingo words that they had compiled from many P.D. days. They called it “B.S. Bingo,” and the idea was to mark off a box each time you heard one of the words, a
Michigan Teacher: EAA Is Like the Tuskegee Experiment
Eclectablog has run a series of articles about the Education Achievement Authority, the special district created by Michigan’s Governor Rick Snyder to contain the state’s lowest performing schools. The district is run by Broad-trained superintendent John Covington, who left Kansas City right before the district lost its accreditation. The communications director for EAA complained about the Eclect
Researchers Reveal Funding Network for Wash. Charter Law
University of Washington scholars Wayne Au and Joseph J. Ferrare have written an excellent analysis of the big money that flooded the state of Washington to pass charter legislation in 2012. Although defeated three times before by voters, this time the proposal passed by a tiny margin. Its major funders were Bill Gates, who has no children in public school, and Walmart heiress Alice Walton,who liv
When Did Gibberish Replace Conventional English?
Colin McEnroe of NPR in Connecticut has discovered the root problem of corporate reformers: They have lost touch with common sense and the meaning of learning. To cover up their ignorance, they have invented rhetoric that sounds impressive but is no more than unintelligible verbiage. He starts here, and gets better: “I don’t know about you, but I remember the moment when, as a boy, I fell in love
Michigan: Teacher Says EAA Cultivates a Culture of Fear and Control for Staff and Students
Eclectablog has been posting a series of articles about Michigan’s Education Achievement Authority, where the state has clustered its lowest-performing schools. There again is that nasty reformer habit of calling things the opposite of what they really are. Because the schools are the lowest-performing, they now have the honor of joining the state’s Education Achievement Authority. The leader is J
A Special Message to BATs about the PTA
This post is a continuation of the previous one. I am addressing my many friends who are BATs. I am asking you to work with your local PTAs to battle against privatization and to oppose attacks on teachers. In state after state, public education is under attack. Teachers are under attack. Build coalitions with parents, especially local PTAs. We are natural allies. PTAs want to strengthen thei
NY PTA: Parents Outraged by CCSS, But…
A reader directed our attention to this curious phenomenon. The Néw York PTA conducted a survey showing that parents in the state are outraged by the botched implementation of the Common Core, yet the NYPTA remains strongly committed to CCSS. The militant dedication of CCSS enthusiasts says something interesting: in the absence of any concrete evidence for the success of this initiative, why are t
Debating Charter Schools in Minneapolis
A few months ago, I published a post about the charter schools in Minneapolis, which are expanding rapidly in that city, replacing unionized teachers with young and inexperienced Teach for America teachers. The burgeoning of charters in Minneapolis has something to do with a very powerful family named Kramer. EduShyster reported that the family is a powerful organization for corporate reform. She
FEB 06
The Battle for Newark, the Battle for Camden
Parents in Newark have rallied to save their schools from the hostile corporate takeover planned by the Chris Christie administration and (typically) given the deceptive name “One Newark.” Parents in equally beleaguered Camden, New Jersey, know that they are next in the line of fire. This post, by a Camden resident, expresses their fear, frustration, and outrage as the state lays the groundwork t
Bob Braun: Cami Anderson Must Resign!
Veteran journalist says you can debate the wisdom of many of Cami Anderson’s decisions. But her decision to keep Newark public schools open when all other nearby schools were closed due to extreme weather endangered the children. When you endanger children, you should not be in a position of responsibilty. Braun says Anderson must go. Anderson was appointed by the Christie Administration three ye
Inquiring Reporter Wants to Know: Who Is Sponsoring Minneapolis Education Summit?
The Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce announced an “education summit” on February 8, featuring the ever-controversial Michelle Rhee (who canceled out of our debate at Lehigh University on February 6). The original sponsors, in addition to the Chamber, included Target, General Mills, and Thomson Reuters. But then something strange happened, as investigative journalist Sarah Lahm discovered. All the n
Jonathan Pelto: Connecticut Commissioner Stefan Pryor Must Go! (LINK ADDED!)
Jonathan Pelto, a close observer of politics and education in Connecticut, says that State Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor must go. He is the leader of the privatization movement in the state, more devoted to charters than to public schools, which most children attend. Pryor’s management of the Connecticut Department of Education has become the personification of what happens when arrogance
Peter DeWitt: The Sad Truth about New York State: UPDATE
Peter DeWitt’s latest blog post strongly criticizes the leadership of New York state for ignoring the cries of parents and educators to stop the punitive policies. He begins: Where education is concerned in New York State, the past few years have been both painful and chaotic. It sounds crazy doesn’t it? How can ‘reform’ cause so much controversy, disruption and anger? Onlookers on the outside jus
Michigan: Another EAA Teacher Speaks Out About Failure of Snyder’s EAA
Over the past few days, I have posted some astonishing articles from Eclectablog, the Michigan blogger who has been following the story of Governor Rick Snyder’s misnamed “Education Achievement Authority.” This is a special district set up for low-performing schools from across the state. The governor’s plan is to continue expanding the EAA under the leadership of John Covington, a graduate of the
Republicans Champion the Charter School Movement
Rick Cohen of the Nonprofit Quarterly traces a clear pattern: The Republican party has embraced charter schools as their cause. Republicans have always favored school choice, assuming that competition makes all schools better. But they have never been able to persuade any electorate to endorse vouchers for private and religious schools. So, charters are now the darlings of Republican donors and ca
Refuse the Test!
Hi Diane, there is a new website in New York (www.refuseny.org) that I wanted to share with you. Below is the description from the “About page” of the refuseNY blog. If you like it, I hope you’ll consider sharing it. My wife and I created the site and launched it this past week. ABOUT RefuseNY is an accessible, concise introduction to the problems facing public education in New York as a result
FEB 05
Clarifying the Washington Post Account of What I Said in D.C.
As readers of the blog know, I visited members of Congress yesterday and attended a reception at the headquarters of the American Federation of Teachers at the end of the day. Here is an account that appeared in the Washington Post of what was said by me and others in the question-and-answer period. There is one statement that is somewhat misleading. This is the quote: “Asked about the latest ref
Andrew Cuomo: No More Money for Education!
Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to be known as the Democratic governor who didn’t raise taxes. He wants to be in the same league with the rightwing governors who boast that they created jobs by having a business-friendly climate with low corporate tax rates. The last thing he will do is equalize funding for education or–heaven forbid–actually spend more for education. Read this interview in Crain’s, a
Preschool: The Issue of the Day
Preschool education is one of the few issues on which there appears to be genuine bipartisan support, the Néw York Times reports. It was the centerpiece of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s landslide campaign, and red states like Grorgia and Oklahoma boast of their pre-K programs as models. The article cites the solid research as well as the critics who dispute the research. It would be useful for future r
KIPP Pulls Out of Two Campuses in Galveston
Schools in Texas have been forced to absorb huge budget cuts in recent years. One casualty was the two KIPP schools in Galveston, Texas, which could not afford to continue. They will close. “Galveston ISD paid KIPP $5.5 million this year – about $1.5 million more than it would have spent on those students in district-run schools…. KIPP, which operates 141 campuses that serve 50,000 students nati
Eclectablog: Michigan’s EAA Used Failed Technology for Neediest Kids
Eclectablog reports that the children in the so-called (and misnamed) Education Achievement Authority were used as guinea pigs for experimental technology. Eclectablog writes: “In the course of reporting on the tragic situation in Michigan’s Education Achievement Authority (read all of my posts HERE), one of the things that I have learned is that the computer platform that is used to administer t
A Connecticut Superintendent Speaks Out Against Failed “Reforms”
Tom Scarice, superintendent of schools in Madison, Connecticut, has already been named to the honor roll for his leadership and vision in bringing together his community to plan for the future of Madison public schools. Now, he steps up and speaks out again to take issue with those, like Governor Dannell Malloy, who call for a “pause” in the implementation of misguided reforms. In a letter to his
If Your School Fails, Open Another One, Preferably in Florida
Florida loves charter schools. It is not surprising since the charter industry has friends at the top of every key committee in the legislature. In Florida, charters open and close like the flow of waves on the lovely beaches that surround the state. Some make a huge profit, others disappear. There are now almost 600 charters in the state, so what’s another one, two, ten, or fifty? Many of the cha
NC Law Professor: Impossible to Improve Education While Ignoring Poverty
Gene Nichol, a law professor at the University of North Carolina, patiently explains that none of the “reforms” endorsed by the legislature, like charters and vouchers, will make a difference. The major obstacle causing low educational performance is poverty, not bad teachers or bad schools He writes: “The troubling correlation between education and poverty places North Carolina reform efforts i
FEB 04
North Carolina: the Hoax Bonus
In NorthCarolina, the top 25% of teachers are eligible to give up due process rights in return for an extra $500 a year. However, there is a catch, this reader says: “It is $500 a year for 4 years and then back to where you were in 2013-14. You don’t stay at the plus $2,000 in year 5. Also since only the first year is funded local funds will have to be found for years 2, 3 and 4. It’s just the ch
Why Mandatory Online Testing?
From a reader: “FYI. Tennessee computers across entire state crashed on second day of writing test. Attached is letter from admin of White Station High School in Memphis. Thought you’d be interested: White Station High School February 4, 2014 Dear Parents, We started our state writing assessments yesterday. Everything flowed smoothly. Today the online portal crashed statewide. As a result, today’
New York: Legislative Leaders Call for Two-Year Delay of Testing
Legislative leaders in the Assembly and Senate in Néw York called on the Board of Regents to delay implementation of Common Core testing for at least two years. In addition, “At the same time, the Senate backs a one-yuear moratorium on the proposal to share student data through the controversial third-party vendor inBloom. “In addition, students, parents, teachers, privacy experts and school adm
News from Washington, D.C.
I had a very exciting day in our nation’s Capitol today. Randi Weingarten and the American Federation of Teachers invited me to spend a day in D.C. And offered to set up meetings with members of the education committee in both houses. At the end of he day, the AFT hosted a reception. I took the train to D.C. to avoid the uncertain weather of recent days, and spent 2 hours on the train writing bl
The All-New Online Common Core PARCC Tests: Not So New After All
An early version of the PARCC common Core tests have been released, and bloggers are underwhelmed. Chris Cerone thinks they look more or less like the same old standardized tests, but way more expensive. Blogger Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters wrote: “They just released computer based sample PARCC items. http://www.parcconline.org/computer-based-samples Go directly to the test items in gra
Peter Greene: Common Core and Planned Obsolescence!
Peter Greene, a teacher in Pennsylvania, sees the incredible marketing opportunities associated with Common Core. And he worries that the marketing department has missed some even more spectacular opportunities to sell CC-aligned products: True– “CCSS” has been stamped every printed object that a school might potentially buy. Every book and worksheet now touts its CCSS-ness. Heck, there are elemen
David Brooks Has a Conversion Experience
Something interesting has happened to David Brooks. Only a couple of years ago, he wrote about schools that produced high scores as the paradigm of success. Now he describes a different skill set to define what is needed most in the emerging future. As computers become more powerful, the usual definition of success will change, he writes: “As this happens, certain mental skills will become less
Michigan: EAA Investigates Itself and Clears Itself
What an exhaustive investigation! After Eclectablog published reports of abuse of students, poorly trained TFA teachers, bulging classes, and other problems in the state’s Educational Achievement Authority, the EAA investigated itself and declared that all was well. Well, that is reassuring! The EAA was created by Governor Snyder to take over low performing schools and turn them around. From the
New York Teachers’ Union Condemns “Sit and Stare” Policy for Students
The New York State United Teachers issued a statement condemning any policies that punish children whose parents have told them not to take the spring tests. Next test for NYSUT: when will they call on parents and students to boycott the tests that will be used to rate and (de)grade teachers, based on junk science? NYSUT said: ALBANY, N.Y. Feb. 3, 2014 – New York State United Teachers President Ri
Is Chris Christie’s Newark Superintendent Shaping the Mayoral Race?
Cami Anderson, appointed by the Chris Christie administration, has lit a fire in Newark. Newark public schools have been under state control since 1995. The outrage that Anderson ignited is now influencing the mayoral race. This article describes the dynamics. Newark residents are angry about Anderson’s plan (ironically called “One Newark”) to privatize or close many public schools. The candidates
EAA Responds to Claims by Eclectablog about EAA Schools
In a comment sent to the blog, Terry Abbott, the communications director for Michigan’s Education Achievement Authority, vigorously denies the charges leveled against the EAA by the blogger Eclectablog. In another comment, he said that since I had not visited the EAA, I was in no position to judge the truth or falsity of the claims. This is true. I have never visited the EAA schools. Since I write
FEB 03
I Am Bummed Out: Rhee Will Speak in Minneapolis Instead of Debating Me
As readers of this blog know, Michelle Rhee promised to debate me at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania last spring. The date was set, at her request, on February 6. Then she demanded a second, and I agreed. (Her second was going to be Rod Paige.) Then she demanded a third, and I agreed. Then she said she couldn’t find a third, and she canceled. Now I learn she is speaking to the Chamber of Commerc
Breaking News: Chicago Teachers Union Supports Parents Who Opt Out of ISAT!
This is not good news for Pearson, whose stock recently took a tumble. The Chicago Teachers Union is supporting parents who boycott the obsolete ISAT: NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Stephanie Gadlin February 3, 2014
Pennsylvania Gov. Corbett’s Own Race to the Top: More Money for Rich Schools
Blogger Yinzercation describes Governor Tom Corbett’s latest proposal as a “Race to the Top” that will benefit the highest-performing, most affluent districts. He learned his lesson from Arne Duncan. Forget about equity. Forget about restoring the draconian cuts he made to the state’s suffering urban districts. Forget about the have-nots. Forget about Philadelphia, whose schools were stripped of b
New Virginia Governor Wants to Eliminate A-F Report Cards for Schools
Maybe the tide really is turning! Terry McAuliffe, the newly elected Democratic governor of Virginia, said on a radio program that he wants to end the practice of giving letter grades to schools, a practice pioneered in Florida by Jeb Bush. McAuliffe recognized that the letter grades (which, by the way, are highly misleading, inaccurate, and unstable) have the effect of stigmatizing not only schoo
Idaho: Tom Luna Will Not Run for Re-Election
Another star in the corporate reform, teacher-bashing firmament goes dim. Tom Luna, author of the deservedly malligned Luna laws, is not running for re-election. The Luna laws were vintage corporate reform, but were soundly overturned in every county in red state Idaho. Luna is known for his devotion to online learning. His campaigns always attracted generous support from the tech industry, and
Florida: Joe Biden’s Brother on How Charters Succeed
Frank Biden, brother of Vice President Joe Biden, is president of the Mavericks charter chain in Florida, explained the secret of charter success. He said, “Biden, the brother of Vice President Joe Biden, offered some red meat, saying the school choice movement needs to continue organizing parents – and accumulating political power. “It’s all about the 501(c)(4) and how much money we get in it,”
Michigan’s EAA: A Scary Place for Kids with Disabilities
Eclectablog of Michigan continues its invaluable reports on the stste’s disastrous so-called “Educational Achievement Authority.” This one contains the testimony of a special education teacher. Governor Snyder has created a streamlined version of the school-to-prison pipeline.
That Chetty Study: Fire More Teachers with Flawed Data
Remember the study that claimed that teachers who produce higher test scores in fourth or fifth grade have miraculous lifetime effects on students? Among other things, the students are less likely to get pregnant and an entire class will increase its lifetime earnings by $250,000 a year! The study was reported on the first page of the Néw York Times, where one author said the lesson was to fire t
Bob Braun on Newark and the Pink Hula Hoop
Bob Braun has a fascinating blog where he writes about New Jersey politics and education, based on his 50 years of covering both as a reporter and columnist. Here he tells the story of the current administration’s determination to sell off public buildings to KIPP and perhaps other charter operators. Newark is under state control and has been since 1995. The state-appointed superintendent Cami And
Breaking News: Tennessee State Board Considers Dropping VAM!
In a startling development, the State Board of Education in Tennessee made clear at its meeting on Friday that it may eliminate or modify value-added measurement (VAM). State Commissioner Keven Huffman was stunned. Tennessee is the state where VAM got started, launched in the 1980s by agricultural statistician William Sanders. Based on his experience, Sanders assumed that it was possible to hold a
FEB 02
Deasy Testifies on Both Sides of Tenure Lawsuit
John Deasy, superintendent of the Los Angeles public schools, testified that it was outrageously expensive and time-consuming to fire a tenured teachers, but also acknowledged that good administrators don’t grant due process rights to ineffective teachers. Further, he took pride in the number of teachers to whom he denied tenure as well as the number he removed.
John Thompson: The California Tenure Case is a Sham
John Thompson, teacher and historian, didn’t use the word “sham,” but that was exactly his meaning in this good analysis of the case where the claim has been made that due process for teachers denies the civil rights of students. The reality, as Thompson notes, is that the lawyers for the plaintiffs aren’t even trying to show that any child has been harmed because of tenure. They aren’t trying bec
Bob Braun Reports: Newark School Closings May Be Illegal
Veteran journalist Bob Braun cites a report by New Jersey’s Education Law Center that the planned school closings in Newark may well be illegal. Superintendent Cami Anderson, appointed by the Chris Christie Administration, plans to close as many as half the city’s public schools and turn the students over to charter corporations. The Education Law Center cites the lack of compliance with state l
Louisiana: Anti-Teacher Law Ruled Invalid, Again
In 2012, Governor Bobby Jindal rammed through the legislature his compleat program of privatization of public schools and dismantling the teaching profession. But things have not gone well since then because of the judiciary. The funding if the voucher program was held unconstitutional and so was the act that outraged teachers. The latter was overturned a second time. The courts continue to be
Breaking News: NC School Board Balks at Imposing Tenure Law
School officials in Guilford County, North Carolina, are balking about implementing a law that offers the “best” teachers a bonus of $500 to abandon their right to due process. Ironic, isn’t it, that it is the “best” teachers who are expected to give up their right to a fair hearing? The local newspaper wrote: “GREENSBORO — Guilford County school board members are pushing back against a law that
Ohio Cheats 92% of Kids to Offer Choice
This year, Ohio will spend $1 billion on charters and vouchers. These schools enroll 8% of students in the state. Their funding is taken from public schools, most of which are far superior to the choice schools. Stephen Dyer writes: I get and am sympathetic to the argument that kids need opportunities to escape struggling schools. And I have little problem with the few really excellent school choi
Superintendent: For Arne Duncan, It Is Always Someone Else’s Fault
A superintendent, here using a pseudonym for obvious reasons, is fed up with Arne Duncan. Duncan, he says, is always blaming someone else, never looking in the mirror. According to Duncan, our kids are dumb. Their parents spoil them. The kids don’t work hard enough. Furthermore, our culture stinks: No one takes education seriously, except Duncan, of course. Everyone else is lying to the children.
New York: Help The State Assembly Choose New Regents Who Oppose High-Stakes Testing
The New York State legislature will shortly decide which candidates, among more than twenty applicants, will be appointed to four Regents positions. There are four candidates who have made a firm commitment to oppose high stakes testing and would bring excellent experience. You can read about these candidates here: http://www.nysape.org/nysape-endorses-full-slate-of-candidates-for-the-board-of-r
Good News: Los Angeles Gets Price Cut from Apple, with No Curriculum
Los Angeles, which was teaching the nation what not to do with technology, is getting a new deal from Apple for its iPads. Apple will cut the price. Apple will sell L.A. new iPads instead of obsolete models. The iPads will not be loaded with pre-set Pearson curriculum. Howard Blume of the LA Times writes: “The Los Angeles Unified School District will pay substantially less for thousands of iP
Heroes in a Storm: Bus Drivers, Teachers, School Staff Protect Children
In the past few years, as one tragedy after another has befallen schools by nature or at the hands of the malevolent, our school personnel have time and again risen to the occasion. In the recent wintry blast that shut down transportation across large sections of the South, Atlanta was hit hard. School officials made the unwise decision to keep schools open despite the gathering storm, and it was
Data Mania: What Gets Measured?
The Education Commission of the States has compiled a graph showing what states are measuring in the way of student data. One interesting note is that the idea of A-F letter grades for schools started in Florida, the brain-child of Governor Jeb Bush. There are now 14 states that use letter grades. In my view, this is an especially pernicious form of data. Imagine how a parent would feel if their c
Michigan’s “Educational Achievement Authority”: A Dismal, Frightening Failure
It is hard to choose which state has done the most to undermine public education: Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin come to mind, but Michigan is right up there as a state whose Governor Rick Snyder is working hard to crush public education. There is the fact that some 80% of the charters in Michigan are run by for-profit operators. And note too that entire low-performing d
FEB 01
Silicon Valley Zillionaire Funds Attack on Due Process for Teachers
It is amazing how many of the 1% are willing to spend millions to remove due process from teachers, most of whom work harder and earn less than said zillionaire’s secretary or chauffeur. According to this article by Jennifer Medina in the “New York Times,” David F. Welch is a telecommunications executive who has spent millions to create a group called Students Matter to launch a lawsuit in Califo
New Jersey: Bill to Stop Forced Public School Closings Passed by Senate Committee!
From a New Jersey public school activist: “I am very happy to report that the Stop Forced Public School Closures legislation sailed through the Senate Ed Committee with 4 yes votes and 1 abstention. This is no small feat. But we had a lot of grass-roots support and it worked! Here’s a bit of the coverage.”
Jersey Jazzman: Why High School Sports Should Not Go Professional
Jersey Jazzman recounts stories of high school sports teams recruiting players from other districts to help them in the competitive world of athletic competition. He explains why this has happened. It goes hand-in-hand with our current misguided belief that education as it was once understood–that is, the development of each child in mind, body, and character– has been replaced by purely utilitari
Two Former NYC Principals Offer Advice to Mayor de Blasio
Robert Lubetsky and William Stroud published an article in the online Teachers College Record, offering advice for Mayor de Blasio. This is a shortened version of what appears on the TCR website. It was shortened by the authors. Schooling in New York City – From Accountability to Revitalization Robert Lubetsky City College of New York William Stroud Consortium for Policy Research in Education
Indianapolis: Plan to Hand Over Public Schools to Private Managers Advances
The Indiana State Teachers Association reports on a bill to privatize more public schools in Indianapolis. Privatization is not new. It is the theme song of the Obama administration in collaboration with libertarian think tanks and far-right governors. What is new here is that the legislature is passing this plan with no evidence that it will benefit children or improve education. No, wait, there
What Do Tennessee Teachers Really Think? Help This Video Go Viral!
The night before I addressed the Kentucky School Boards Association, I had dinner with a group of teachers and parents from Tennessee. The group included Mama Bears, BATS, and TREES. One of the BATS was Lauren Hopson from Knox County, who teaches second grade children. She is smart, strong, experienced, and wise. She ">is also outspoken, as I learned by watching this video, in which she let the b
Reader: Wendy Kopp on the Origins of TFA
The reader called “Democracy” posted this comment and a link to a YouTube video from 2012. I was unable to open the video, perhaps you can, but the comments on the video were still live. The comment reads: “Wendy Kopp: “there was a front page article in Fortune Magazine saying that corporate America was going to take on education reform. So, there were so many elements that made the timing for thi
Governor Haslam of Tennessee: Bad Collision with Facts
This blogger has gathered the latest wave of bad news from Tennessee, showing the emptiness of the Republican Governor Bill Haslam’s efforts to outsource everything public to whoever wants to make money. Even though President Obama praised red-state Tennessee as a prime example of the success of Race to the Top, conveniently ignoring the other Race to the Top winners where NAEP scores stagnated, t