Quite Possibly the Stupidest Thing To Come Out of the US DOE
In announcing a new emphasis and "major shift," the US Department of Education will now demand that states show educational progress for students with disabilities.Arne Duncan announced that, shockingly, students with disabilities do poorly in school. They perform below level in both English and math. No, there aren't any qualifiers attached to that. Arne is bothered that students with v
GOP and Dems Once Again United by Disdain for Teachers
Well, we knew it was coming. We just didn't know it would be quite so bald-faced.As reported by Politico, the coming push to trash teacher job protections will bring together players from both the Obama and Bush administration.Campbell Bown, former journalist and current-- well, I hesitate to call her a teacher-hater, but it's hard to find any evidence to the contrary, will be launching a lawsuit
Arne Blows Some Smoke at the PTA
Monday the US DOE put up the full prepared text of Secretary Arne Duncan's speech to the National Convention of the PTA. As always, Duncan presents a compelling pastiche of baloney, things that aren't technically "true," and fine rhetoric that bears no relation to the actual behavior of the administration. Let me take you through the highlights. It won't be pretty, but it's useful to see
6-23-14 Curmudgucation
CURMUDGUCATION: Behaving As Expected"You just didn't react the way you were supposed to."This is another thread that runs through support of the CCSS complex. There's nothing wrong with the policy or program; people just didn't react the way they were supposed to.For instance, Anne Hyslop over at Real Clear Education, called concern over test-and-punish a "state of mind, not state o