Massachusetts, Roland Fryer, and a “Two-tiered System of Standardized Testing”? | deutsch29

Massachusetts, Roland Fryer, and a “Two-tiered System of Standardized Testing”? | deutsch29:

Massachusetts, Roland Fryer, and a “Two-tiered System of Standardized Testing”?

On November 17, 2015, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) will vote on either the PARCC assessments or the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) as the statewide assessment system for Massachusetts.

In 2015, districts were able to decide on either PARCC or MCAS, with over half using PARCC.

Massachusetts commissioner Mitchell Chester is the chairs the governing board of the struggling PARCC consortium, and in November 2015, he is to make a formal recommendation to BESE on which assessment system to choose.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker has made two new appointments to BESE. One is Michael Moriarty, a Holyoke education and community development expert.

The other is Harvard University economist Roland Fryer, who was (hmmm…) promoted from assistant professor to full professor after a single year on the Harvard University faculty (and skipping right over associate professor, to boot).

Fryer is also the faculty director of Harvard University-based EdLabs, which describes itself as just a helpful group of individuals with no agenda:

We are an eclectic collection of scientists, educators, and implementers with diverse backgrounds and vast experience, generating ideas and implementing experiments that have the potential to transform education.

Edlabs has no political affiliation or agenda to promote. We squeeze truths from data. People may not always like what we discover, but we will disseminate our results no matter what we find.

On the same web page EdLabs lists five “stakeholders.” Among them is Condoleeza Massachusetts, Roland Fryer, and a “Two-tiered System of Standardized Testing”? | deutsch29:

CURMUDGUCATION: WSJ on Teacher Quality

CURMUDGUCATION: WSJ on Teacher Quality:

WSJ on Teacher Quality

Earlier this week the Wall Street Journal convened a trio of educational experts to discuss the question "How Do We Raise the Quality of Teachers."

I'm not sure what got into them, exactly, but reporter Leslie Brody actually included a teacher in her trio of experts. In fact, not just a teacher, but New York teacher, activist and writer Jose Luis Vilson. I have huge respect for Vilson for a variety of reasons (the man teaches math to middle school students!), not the least of which is his calm and focus and ability not to get caught up in opposing things, but always clearly articulating what he is for. It's a skill not all of us have mastered.

Vilson is teamed up in the conversation with Daniel Weisberg, honcho of the New Teacher Project (TNTP) and Kate Walsh of the national Council on Teacher Quality. So, well. That makes one more teacher in one of these conversations than we usually get. Brody edits the conversation by topic, so we'll do the same here.

What is the main obstacle to improving teacher quality in America, and why?

Walsh leads with NCTQ's standard theory that teacher education programs are too easy to get into and too easy to succeed in. NCTQ did a big research project on this very subject, and by "research," I mean they grabbed a bunch of college commencement programs and read through them. Really. I know I exaggerate for effect sometimes, but that's what they actually did.

That said, she makes a valid point about the need to look at the supply side of the teacher pool CURMUDGUCATION: WSJ on Teacher Quality:

The Eleventh Honeymoon | The Jose Vilson

The Eleventh Honeymoon | The Jose Vilson:

The Eleventh Honeymoon

11 years ago, I promised myself I would inspire, kick butt, and teach kids to the best of their abilities. Ten years ago, I eschewed all that and said I would be much stricter with them because they needed it. Nine years ago, I wanted to take pieces of my first two years and double down on my firm resolve. Eight years ago, I wanted to test my mettle with a brand new set of students who would eventually push me to ponder a whole new career. Every year, my energies oscillate from elation to downright neurosis. I’ve reread Harry and Rosemary Wong’s First Days of School, visited classrooms throughout the summer months, and revamped entire curricula so I could be a better teacher for my students.

In my eleventh year, I told myself to quit all that and make Mr. Vilson as close to Jose as professionally possible.

I still come into school 30-45 minutes early, reading material in hand. I still get my cup of coffee in the corner store. But I’ve changed my approach. I’m better at saying “good morning” to fellow faculty before that first sip. I’m better at picking up around myself around the classroom. I’m better at letting some of my frustrations go.

I still put on music during my morning session. I’m better at leaving the song on while the students walk into class, especially if it’s John Coltrane.

The students trickle in with the usual zeal, or lack thereof. Some meander around the lockers, The Eleventh Honeymoon | The Jose Vilson:

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 9/17/15 #FightForDyett

SPECIAL NITE CAP 

CORPORATE ED REFORM

Lawsuit: Schools failed to inform parents of right to opt out of tests | EdSource

Lawsuit: Schools failed to inform parents of right to opt out of tests | EdSource: Lawsuit: Schools failed to inform parents of right to opt out of testsA bucket of forms to opt out children of Common Core-aligned tests sits at a protest in May 2015 at Yorba Linda High School.A parents group claims a Los Angeles County school district failed to notify parents of their right to opt their children o

by mike simpson / 0min 

Maybe Even Gates Money Can’t Save Common Core? » Missouri Education Watchdog

Maybe Even Gates Money Can’t Save Common Core? » Missouri Education Watchdog: Maybe Even Gates Money Can’t Save Common Core?The Brookings Institute published a report which must be causing must consternation in the pro-Common Core circles.  It’s increasingly apparent that all that money and all the time many education reformers spent ridiculing parents who dared to question the NGO takeover of pri

by mike simpson / 1h 

Jersey Jazzman: Massive Norcross Hypocrisy: Competition Is Good For Schools, But Bad For Me

Jersey Jazzman: Massive Norcross Hypocrisy: Competition Is Good For Schools, But Bad For Me: Massive Norcross Hypocrisy: Competition Is Good For Schools, But Bad For Me Sometimes I wonder why my head doesn't just explode:With 300 people filling a shiny new auditorium for speeches and cheers, the ribbon-cutting held yesterday at the new KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy in Camden at times seemed as much

by mike simpson / 3h 

Milwaukee school board vice-president Larry Miller and the lessons of Wisconsin. “Compromise with the tea-party Republicans is not an option.” | Fred Klonsky

Milwaukee school board vice-president Larry Miller and the lessons of Wisconsin. “Compromise with the tea-party Republicans is not an option.” | Fred Klonsky: Milwaukee school board vice-president Larry Miller and the lessons of Wisconsin. “Compromise with the tea-party Republicans is not an option.”Milwaukee school board vice-president, Larry Miller.Recently I had the chance to sit down with Milw

by mike simpson / 3h 

House Republicans want to give teachers a break - The Washington Post

House Republicans want to give teachers a break - The Washington Post: House Republicans want to give teachers a breakTeachers who spend their own money on classroom supplies — most of the nation’s nearly 4 million K-12 teachers — would be eligible for a permanent tax credit of up to $250 annually for unreimbursed expenses, under a bill passed by the House Ways and Means committee on Thursday.The

by mike simpson / 4h 

Class Act | EduShyster

Class Act | EduShyster: Class ActWhy a civil rights law suit to lift the charter cap in Massachusetts could turn out to be the worst idea charter proponents have ever had…Quick reader: when is it perfectly appropriate to wear white after Labor Day? Why, when one is a legal eagle of the *white shoe* variety. This week, three of Boston’s whitest white shoe law firms, WilmerHale, Goodwin Procter LLP

by mike simpson / 4h 

CURMUDGUCATION: Should Teachers Stick Around

CURMUDGUCATION: Should Teachers Stick Around: Should Teachers Stick AroundAt Bellwether, Chad Aldeman wants us to know that the classic teacher retirement plan "shortchanges teachers."Aldeman's entire argument rests on a curious assumption--  but let's see what he's saying, first.His point is a two-parter, and you can follow link one and link two to read his briefs at length if you like.

by mike simpson / 4h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: HUNGER STRIKE, DAY 32 -- 70% fail PARCC exam. Duncan calls it, 'telling the truth"

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: HUNGER STRIKE, DAY 32 -- 70% fail PARCC exam. Duncan calls it, 'telling the truth": HUNGER STRIKE, DAY 32 -- 70% fail PARCC exam. Duncan calls it, 'telling the truth"Test results for IL's 2,000,000 students have plummeted to their lowest point in a decade. They purport to show nearly 70% of them failing the PARCC. Pearson will deliver the rest of the test r

by mike simpson / 5h 

New Mexico’s Teacher Evaluation Lawsuit Underway | VAMboozled!

New Mexico’s Teacher Evaluation Lawsuit Underway | VAMboozled!: New Mexico’s Teacher Evaluation Lawsuit UnderwayYou might recall, from a post last March, that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), joined by the Albuquerque Teachers Federation, filed a “Lawsuit in New Mexico Challenging [the] State’s Teacher Evaluation System.” Plaintiffs are more specifically charging that the state’s current

by mike simpson / 5h 

NPE Endorses Lee Barrios for BESE – The Network For Public Education

NPE Endorses Lee Barrios for BESE – The Network For Public Education: NPE Endorses Lee Barrios for BESEThe Network for Public Education is proud to endorse Lee Barrios for the District 1 seat on the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). “Lee Barrios has been a steadfast champion of better education for all children in Louisiana,” NPE President Diane Ravitch said. “I am so h

by mike simpson / 7h 

LAUSD Board Pres Steve Zimmer on the winner-take-all attitudes that are hurting public schools

Interview: Schoolyard Scuffles | The Argonaut Newspaper: LAUSD Board of Education President Steve Zimmer on the winner-take-all attitudes that are hurting public schoolsThe new Common Core state standardized test results are in, and they don’t look great for LAUSD.Nearly a year after the departure of Supt. John Deasy, the school district still awaits new permanent executive leadership.Traditional

by mike simpson / 7h 

It’s Constitution Day: A quiz to see how much you know - The Washington Post

It’s Constitution Day: A quiz to see how much you know - The Washington Post: It’s Constitution Day: A quiz to see how much you knowHere, again, is our annual quiz on Constitution Day, which occurs every year on Sept. 17 and which could be called the U.S. government’s birthday.Constitution Day was created by Congress in 2004 to require that all schools which receive federal funding offer some type

by mike simpson / 9h 

This Week In Education: Thompson: Hess & Jennings Cast Doubt on NCLB

This Week In Education: Thompson: Hess & Jennings Cast Doubt on NCLB: Thompson: Hess & Jennings Cast Doubt on NCLBThe conservative spawn of the devil, Rick Hess, writes: "The acid test, I'd think, is whether they [test score increases] carry over to what matters: success in high school, college, and beyond. A decade of stagnant high school metrics is not reassuring, and it's possible

by mike simpson / 9h 

Opt Out Philly to take part in National Parent Strike on Sept. 17 - Working Educators

Opt Out Philly to take part in National Parent Strike on Sept. 17 - Working Educators: Opt Out Philly to take part in National Parent Strike on Sept. 17Opt Out Philly will be a part of the National Parent’s Strike. It’s not just a day it’s a national movement for parents to take back public education one test score at a time!On Thursday, September 17, Opt Out Philly is participating in the Nationa

by mike simpson / 9h 

The Republican Debate: Did YOU Hear Education Mentioned?

The Republican Debate: Did YOU Hear Education Mentioned?: The Republican Debate: Did YOU Hear Education Mentioned?I did not remain glued to the screen when the debate was on last night, so when I stepped away, maybe it was then that they mentioned education and public schools.I must have missed it.Yes. I’m sure that was it. My guess is that they thoroughly discussed, at some point, the backbone of

by mike simpson / 9h 

How To Make The Most Of Your 10 Minutes With The Teacher : NPR Ed : NPR

How To Make The Most Of Your 10 Minutes With The Teacher : NPR Ed : NPR: How To Make The Most Of Your 10 Minutes With The TeacherSo you finally get the chance to meet one-on-one with your child's teacher — now what?Like a good Boy Scout, be prepared: Educators agree that doing your homework before a parent-teacher conference can make a big difference.The Harvard Family Research Project's Tip Sheet

by mike simpson / 10h 

CURMUDGUCATION: The Public Education Dream

CURMUDGUCATION: The Public Education Dream: The Public Education DreamAs much time as I spend writing about what I think people get wrong, it's important to keep some focus on what I want to see done right. So let's look at the major issues in education these days and consider what the positive outcome would be in a perfect world, and what would be a hopeful outcome in the real world.SCHOOL CHOICE

by mike simpson / 10h 

Bronin Wins Hartford Democratic Primary for Mayor declaring – “We Did It.” - Wait What?

Bronin Wins Hartford Democratic Primary for Mayor declaring – “We Did It.” - Wait What?: Bronin Wins Hartford Democratic Primary for Mayor declaring – “We Did It.”Promising to plow all the snow off Hartford’s streets, cut taxes, expand city services, create jobs, properly fund the public schools and provide corporate welfare to any company that is thinking of leaving or coming to Hartford, Greenwi

by mike simpson / 10h 

FERC Fasters In Solidarity With Dyett12 | PopularResistance.Org #FightForDyett

FERC Fasters In Solidarity With Dyett12 | PopularResistance.Org: FERC Fasters In Solidarity With Dyett12Washington, DC –  Beyond Extreme Energy (BXE) fasted in solidarity with organizers and hunger strikers working to reopen the Dyett highschool with a green energy curriculum. This was the 9th day of the BXE fast and the 30th day of the Dyett hunger strike. BXE is fasting at the Federal Energy Reg

by mike simpson / 10h 

The Proxy Wars That Constrain African Americans - The Atlantic

The Proxy Wars That Constrain African Americans - The Atlantic: Race Is Always the IssueBlackness has been relentlessly disparaged in American discourse—both covertly and overtly.Every conversation about resources in the United States is also about race and racism. Like parents choosing a neighborhood for its “good schools,” Americans talk about prison and crime as a means of discussing race and r

by mike simpson / 11h 

New Report Decries Theft of Democracy in State School Takeovers | janresseger

New Report Decries Theft of Democracy in State School Takeovers | janresseger: New Report Decries Theft of Democracy in State School TakeoversThe Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools is pushing back against the rush by state legislatures to take over the poorest schools in America’s big cities—in many cases to seize entire school districts—and run them without the oversight of an elected local school b

by mike simpson / 11h 

California Democrats Starve Public Education

California Democrats Starve Public Education: California Democrats Starve Public EducationWe are often told that the right wing is acting to destroy public education with people like Wisconsin’s Governor Republican Scott Walker and the Koch brothers being properly vilified. For example, American Federation of Teacher’s President Randi Weingarten has written that, “We need to tell Govs. Tom Corbett

by mike simpson / 11h 

YESTERDAY

Shiny objects and false narratives: Time to refuse it all | educationalchemy

Shiny objects and false narratives: Time to refuse it all | educationalchemy: Shiny objects and false narratives: Time to refuse it allJoanne Weiss is the author of an article entitled Competing Principles:Race to the Top, a $4 billion US education reform effort, produced valuable lessons on designing a competition-based program.Here’s the main page at Stanford: Competing Principles (SSIR)Weiss’ m

by mike simpson / 19h 

Seattle teachers' approach in contract fight drew on broad, community-based issues | OregonLive.com

Seattle teachers' approach in contract fight drew on broad, community-based issues | OregonLive.com: Seattle teachers' approach in contract fight drew on broad, community-based issuesMargaret Gingrich, a second-grade teacher at Montlake Elementary school, carries a picket sign as she and other members of the Seattle Education Association, the union that represents striking teachers from the Seattl

by mike simpson / 20h 

Teachers' union head spars with education reformer over New Orleans | Washington Examiner

Teachers' union head spars with education reformer over New Orleans | Washington Examiner: Teachers' union head spars with education reformer over New OrleansDid New Orleans adequately address problems facing special needs students in the wake of Hurricane Katrina? Influential figures on both sides of the debate met on the same stage Wednesday.The conservative American Enterprise Institute hosted

by mike simpson / 20h 

Another One: Illinois Releases PARCC Results | deutsch29

Another One: Illinois Releases PARCC Results | deutsch29: Another One: Illinois Releases PARCC ResultsIt seems that early release of PARCC test results is all the rage among PARCC states. At first, PARCC was reluctant on September 10, 2015, to release its complete set of freshly-minted cut scores, but it did so by the end of the day.The word from PARCC communications director, David Connerty-Marin

by mike simpson / 20h 

What It Takes to Build a Truly Equitable Education System - NEA Today

What It Takes to Build a Truly Equitable Education System - NEA Today: What It Takes to Build a Truly Equitable Education SystemA brief released on Tuesdy by the National Education Policy Center (NEPC) and supported in part by the Great Lake Center for Education Research & Practice underscores much of the same vision NEA has on providing equitable opportunities for every student—opportunities

by mike simpson / 23h hide  //  save

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 9/16/15 #FightForDyett

SPECIAL NITE CAP CORPORATE ED REFORMMike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: After all the wasted test-prep hours and Common Core testing madness...Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: After all the wasted test-prep hours and Common Core testing madness...: After all the wasted test-prep hours and Common Core testing madness..."We've been writing and meeting with ISBE officials for over two years to stop thi

1 by mike simpson / 1d