Cuomo Panel Urges End to inBloom Data Project
Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed a panel to study the state’s botched implementation of the Common Core standards and tests. In its report, the panel recommended that the state halt its relationship with inBloom, the data collection project created by the Gates Foundation and Carnegie Cotporation at a cost of $100 million. It would have collected confidential and personally identifiable data about
Better Living Through Mathematics: How Moskowitz Plays Moneyball with Students
This blogger–Better Living Through Mathematics–has a problem with the games played by charters, specifically by Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy. Not one willing to suspend his disbelief, he wrote that he has a problem with charters in general and was mightily disappointed by Governor Cuomo standing up for the 6% of children in New York City who attend them (and the 3% in New York State): What’s my
Robert Shepherd: Here is FUD in Education
In an earlier post today, I described the use of FUD (fear, uncertainty,and doubt) to destroy public confidence in public education and thus pave the way for privatization. The vendors of FUD say our education system, which made this country great, is failing; that it is obsolete; that we are losing the global race. It is a massive hoax, a fraud, a lie. They want to frighten the public and open th
Wendy Lecker: Arne Duncan and David Coleman Are Wrong About Standards
Civil rights lawyer Wendy Lecker writes that Arne Duncan has sold the American public a bill of goods, a false narrative. He and David Colemn think that national standards will fix all the problems of American education. She says they are wrong. Their bad ideas are the problem. They are wrong. She writes: “Before the Common Core, according to Duncan, high school success was a “lie” — it certainly
Who is the #1 Enemy of Public Education?
Bill Phillis, the leader of the Ohio Coalition for Education & Adequacy is a tireless crusader for equitable funding of public schools. He is a retired after serving as assistant state superintendent of schools. He writes: Public education enemy #1 The Gates, Walton Family and Broad Foundations have federated with the U. S. Department of Education to eliminate the public common school system.
Under State Control, Children of Detroit Lose More Ground
The Detroit Data and Democracy Project reports that the children of Detroit have seen deteriorating results since the state takeover of their public schools in 2009. Dr. Thomas C. Pedroni of Wayne State University reported that the manipulation of statistics has been a defining characteristic of state control of the schools: He writes: One year ago this month I watched in disbelief as the Em
Anthony Cody on “March Madness”: Time to Stop Teaching, Time for Test Prep
Anthony Cody makes clear how teaching has been redefined and degraded by No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. March is the month when teaching ends and test prep begins. Federal education policy is a disaster. The Bush-Obama agenda has de skilled teachers and made testing the most important aspect of US education. Cody quotes teachers at length. One says: “I wish you could hear my collea
NC Charter Warned Due to Low Enrollments
A charter run by politically connected Baker Mitchell was warned that it may have to close due to low enrollment. Mitchell is a close associate of state budget director Art Pope, a multimillionaire who founded the libertarian John Locke Foundation and whose campaign contributions pushed the legislature far to the right. Mitchell is on the board of the John Locke Foundation Mitchell runs three cha
Understanding the Propaganda Campaign Against Public Education
A few years ago, when I was blogging at Education Week with Deborah Meier, a reader introduced the term FUD. I had never heard of it. It is a marketing technique used in business and politics to harm your competition. The term and its history can be found on Wikipedia. FUD stands for Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. The reader said that those who were trying to create a market-based system to replace
Schneider to Florida Parents: The Jeb Bush “Miracle” Is a Sham
Good news for Florida parents: Mercedes Schneider has written a brief fact sheet to show that Jeb’s “miracle” didn’t happen. One example: Alabama has a higher graduation rate than Florida. “Florida’s graduation rate has been among the lowest for years. In 2001-02, Florida’s graduation rate was among the bottom five states. In 2010-11, it was among the bottom seven (three states did not have rates
What EduShyster Learned in Austin about David and Goliath
EduShyster went to the first national conference of the Network for Public Education, and it reminded her of the Biblical story of David and Goliath. Our Goliath is the giant billionaire who only talks to people who agree with him. When he first encounters puny David, his first thought is, “Who is paying him? Must be the teachers’ union.” Goliath loves money so much that he cannot imagine anyone
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-10-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Slate: Parent Creates Mild Hysteria in Colorado by Opting Her Daughter Out of State TestsLisa T. McElroy, a law professor, decided that her children would not take the state tests during the year the family spent in Colorado. She checked and found it was legal. That is when the trouble began, and McElroy found out how much this ide
