Watch libertarian Andrew Coulson’s film, now showing on some, not all, PBS stations around the nation. It was paid for by libertarian foundations that support privatization. The lead funder–the Rose-Mary and Jack Anderson
When will the citizens of Florida say “Enough is enough”? When will taxpayers stop subsidizing frauds who open charter schools? The founder of a charter chain in Florida was charged with racketeering and fraud The founder of a
Stephen Dyer of Innovation Ohio writes here that vouchers cost Ohio taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars every year, yet voucher students are performing worse than their peers in public schools. I don’t like writing these things. I really
Thanks to G.F. Brandenburg for pointing me to this important post about teacher attrition rates in D.C. by Valerie Jablow. D.C., lest we forget, is one of the epicenters of corporate reform. In 2007, D.C. established mayoral control of the schools. Mayor Adrian Fenty hired Michelle Rhee and gave her full authority to remake the schools. Rhee stayed until Fenty was defeated at the next election in
This may be the most important post you read today. Maurice Cunningham, a professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, began investigating the millions of dollars pouring into the state during the referendum on charter schools last fall. He wondered why so many billionaires from other states wanted to expand the number of charter schools in Massachusetts. He continued his in
In 2010, the corporate reform movement emerged as a national phenomenon. “Waiting for Superman” was the rage that fall, aided by a massive Gates-funded PR program, asserting that bad schools were caused by lazy, greedy teachers. Suddenly, the push for privately managed charter schools and attacks on teachers merged as a coherent “reform movement,” helped along by $5 billion in Race to the Top fed
Mike Klonsky writes that it was another horrendous weekend of youth violence and murder in Chicago. And Rahm Emanuel, the mayor who will go down in history for closing 50 public schools in one day, is going to speak at the National Pres Clob about his punitive plan to withhold high school diplomas from students who can’t produce evidence of college acceptance or a job or enlistment in the militar
Legal teams will track voucher plans and file lawsuits against them. No public finds for private and religious schools. No public funds for private security forces, private firefighters, private swimming pools, private beaches, private parks. Public means public! Under democratic control. Open meetings. Financial transparency. Open to the public. VOUCHER WATCH LAUNCHED TO COMBAT USE OF PUBLIC FUN
Steve Zimmer has been on the Los Angeles Unified School Board for eight years. This spring he ran for re-election. He came close to the 50% mark in the first round, but didn’t cross it. In the runoff, turnout was very low (less than 10%), and he was beaten by Nick Melvoin, who was funded by the Billionaire Boys Club. He wrote these reflections on his defeat: Friends, It has been a month since the
Christopher Lubienski and Sarah Lubienski are among the nation’s leading researchers on the subject of school choice. Their book, “The Public School Advantage: Why Public Schools Outperform Private Schools” is must reading. Christopher Lubienski is professor of education policy at Indiana University. Sarah Theule Lubienski is a professor of mathematics education at the University of Illinois at U
Phil Cullen is a blogger in Australia, whose blog “The Treehorn Express” eloquently savages national standards and testing. Cullen discovered our reader Duane Swacker, who teaches in Missouri. Duane regularly lectures us on Noel Wilson’s devastating critique of standardized testing. I am happy to point out that Phil Cullen discovered Duane Swacker and introduced Noel Wilson’s thinking to many Aus
The Carpe Diem charter chain started in Arizona in 2012. Google the chain, and you will find articles praising the promise of this school where students sat in cubicles with a computer, looking like a call-center. Flash forward to 2017, and it turns out that students don’t want to be taught in a call-center. The Hechinger Report, which wrote about the promise of the charter when it opened, discov
Marc Tucker says that Trump’s budget will not make America great again. It is a reverse Robin Hood plan, taking from the poor and giving to the rich. “The first reaction is all gut. The budget, on its face, would represent a gigantic
