Students in L.A. Silently Protest Computer Mess
Students at Jefferson High School in Los Angeles staged a sit-in to protest a scheduling breakdown now in its third week of school. “Students gathered in the quad after first period, sitting in a grassy area in a silent protest of what they contend has been weeks of mismanagement by administrators that has wasted their time and severely interrupted their education. “For the first weeks of school,
Connecticut: Governor Malloy, Trust Your Best Educators
Connecticut is a state with many wonderful teachers, administrators, and schools. The state consistently ranks second or third in the nation on NAEP. The state has some districts with high poverty and low test scores. Governor Dannel Malloy decided to solve their problems by aligning himself with the privatization by charter crowd. He hired Stefan Pryor, a co-founder of a charter chain, as his st
Florida: Charter Operators with “Troubled” Histories Request Another Chance
In Broward County, Florida, several new proposals for charter schools have been submitted by charter operators who previously closed down their schools. Despite their previous failure, the local board is likely to grant them a new charter because the board is not allowed to consider past performance. How crazy is that? The story in the Sun-Sentinel by Karen Yi and Amy Shipley says: “At least sev
Andy Hargreaves: What Is the Purpose of Educational Benchmarking?
Andy Hargreaves of Boston College asks an important question: What is the purpose of benchmarking? We collect data, we measure, we test, we set goals, but why? Will it improve performance if we know that someone else does it better? Do they have the same challenges, the same resources? Is there more to education than raising tests ores and do higher test scores necessarily mean better education?
Florida: Teacher Evaluation System Is So Flawed That No One Can Explain It
This editorial from the Tampa Bay Times was published in March, but I just discovered it and wanted to share it. Unlike the editorial writers in many other cities, the Tampa Bay Times went beyond the press releases and self-serving statements of public officials. They pointed out that the ratings had a margin of error of 50%. “That means it is useless. Still, the state intends to base half of a t
Bob Braun: How New Jersey Leaders Broke the Law to Charterize Newark
Bob Braun, veteran reporter turned independent blogger, charges that officials in New Jersey broke state laws requiring a random lottery to advance the charter movement in Newark. He writes: “New Jersey and local school officials have been involved in a conspiracy to evade laws governing the operation of charter schools in order to allow the wholesale “charterization” of public schools in Newark
“Effective” Teachers Fleeing Houston Because of Flawed VAM
Audrey Amrein-Beardsley reports that highly rated teachers are leaving the Houston public schools because of the erratic EVAAS measure. Seven teachers are suing the district based on its erratic measure. In this post, she tells the story of a teacher with 15 years experience who prefers teaching in high-needs schools. “The one teacher highlighted in this piece, “holds a mathematics degree from
Fred Smith: Do New York State Education Officials Ever Tell the Truth?
Fred Smith, a testing expert who worked many years at the New York City Board of Education, has become a mentor to the opt-out movement in New York. In this article, which was published in the New York Daily News, Smith “Do you solemnly swear to tell the half-truth, the partial truth and nothing like the truth? Apparently, that’s the vow press officers who work for the New York State Education Dep
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Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: David Sirota: Microsoft Admits Keeping $92 Billion Offshore to Reduce TaxesWriting in the International Business Times, investigative journalist David Sirota reports that Microsoft admits keeping $92.9 billion offshore to avoid paying $29.6 billion in taxes, according to the most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Comm