Chicago: Privatized Custodial Services=Filthy Schools
Rahm Emanuel wants to privatize public education as much and as fast as he can. Aside from closing down 50 schools in one fell swoop, the mayor privatized custodial services to two companies for $340 million over three years, promising cleaner schools and cost savings. But, as reported by Catalyst, a respected journal that covers education in Chicago, principals complain that their schools are fi
Tom Ratliff: Public Schools in Texas Outperform Charter Schools
Tom Ratliff, a member of the Texas state Board of Education, wrote this article for the Longview News-Journal. It is a warning to parents not to assume that charter schools are better than public schools. On average, he says, the opposite is true. Public schools ranked higher for financial accountability: During the 2012-13 school year (the most recent year of the rating), Texas’ traditional p
Cast a Vote to Help Student Leaders Win $100,000 for Organizing
The Providence Student Union Is an inspirational group of high school students who have shaken up Rhode Island. Due to their creative protests against high-stakes testing, especially the use of a normed, standardized test for graduation, they won the support of the Boston Globe and then the state legislature, which declared a moratorium on using tests for high stakes purposes. Take a moment and h
Bertis Downs: Jason Carter is the Real Deal in Georgia
Bertis Downs, a member of the board of directors of the Network for Public Education, lives in Georgia. He sent the following comment, which gives hope that the citizens of Georgia will support their local public schools and vote for a Governor who wants to improve them. An earlier post described Governor Nathan Deal’s desire to create a statewide district modeled on the failed RSD in New Orleans
Amazing Story of the Day: Ohio Department of Education Hires StudentsFirst as “Neutral” Third Party
From reader Chiara: This is absolutely amazing. [Ed: read the story in the link] The Ohio Department of Education has chosen a lobbying group. StudentsFirst, to direct efforts to “inform” parents on whether to turn over a bunch of public schools to private contractors under the Parent Trigger: “Columbus Superintendent Dan Good said yesterday that the district is working to understand all the
A Gift for You from Mother Teresa
This was sent to me as a gift by George McLaughlin. George was one of the teachers at Central Falls High School in Central Falls, Rhode Island, who was summarily fired along with the rest of the staff, without due process or evaluation. “People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind a
Peter Greene on Frederick Douglass and “No Excuses”
Peter Greene read the preceding piece by EduShyster about the strategy, tactics, and philosophy of “no excuses” charter schools. He was troubled, alarmed, repulsed by the behaviorist methods. I was reminded of what we use to call “brainwashing.” He thought of Frederick Douglass.
EduShyster: The High Cost of “No Excuses”
This is, quite frankly, an alarming post. EduShyster learns about the techniques, strategies, and philosophy of “no excuses” charter schools by interviewing Joan Goodman, who directs the Teach for America program at the University of Prnnsylvania. Goodman describes how the “no excuses” charters program young children to obey authority without question. ” To reach [their] objectives, these schools
Charter Schools Expand Rapidly in Central Falls, R.I.
Remember Central Falls? That is the small district in Rhode Island where the superintendent Frances Gallo decided to fire every staff member at the high school in spring 2010 because of low test scores. Gallo got the support of State Commissioner Deborah Gist, and the firings got the approval of Arne Duncan, who was supported by President Obama. The Rhode Island firing squad was hailed as heroes,
New York Educators Struggle to Make Sense of Teacher Evaluations
Educators in Néw York are trying to make sense of the state’s evaluation system. The formula is supposed to consist of observations (60%); state scores (20%); and local assessments (20%). Yet the results don’t line up with common sense or common knowledge. Some principals seem to be giving higher observation scores to teachers they want to protect because they believe they are valuable and don’t
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 9-13-14 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGPaul Karrer: Who Will Stop the Mandates and the Madness?Paul Karrer, who teaches in Castroville, California, writes a scorching review of what is laughingly called “reform.” He begins: “Arne Duncan and his patron President Barack Obama have gotten themselves in a bit of an educational bind. Big news came out of the White