College of Education Dean Uses New Mode of Research to Analyze Educational Equity Issues | UKNow

College of Education Dean Uses New Mode of Research to Analyze Educational Equity Issues | UKNow

College of Education Dean Uses New Mode of Research to Analyze Educational Equity Issues

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 12, 2020) — A unique digital media study focused on educational equity issues surrounding Teach For America has been published by University of Kentucky College of Education Dean Julian Vasquez Heilig. The study is thought to be the first in educational policy to use a new form of research — digital ethnography — to analyze participant responses.

Published online first by Urban Education, it will appear in an upcoming print issue of the journal. The study analyzed podcast interviews with former Teach For America corps members who shared their personal experiences working with the organization. They provide a counter narrative to the ways Teach For America is commonly characterized in public discourse, helping to give a more complete representation and fuller understanding of the program and its impact.

The interviews aired on the podcast "Truth for America," hosted by Vasquez Heilig and T. Jameson Brewer, an assistant professor at the University of North Georgia and one of the study’s co-authors. Additional co-authors were Amber K. Kim, an equity literacy coach and consultant, and Miguel Sanchez, a doctoral candidate in educational leadership at California State University, Sacramento.

“We have, essentially, invented a new way of doing research. By using publicly available podcasts, anyone can go back and listen to participants’ conversations in full and make CONTINUE READING: College of Education Dean Uses New Mode of Research to Analyze Educational Equity Issues | UKNow

Barbara Veltri: TFA Is Still Feeding at the Trough | Diane Ravitch's blog

Barbara Veltri: TFA Is Still Feeding at the Trough | Diane Ravitch's blog

Barbara Veltri: TFA Is Still Feeding at the Trough 

Barbara Veltri is a teacher educator at Arizona State University. She has mentored TFA corps members, and she wrote a book about TFA.

In this essay, she notes that Doug Ducey, Republican Governor of Arizona and a favorite of Charles Joch, is an avid supporter of Trump, school choice, and TFA.

She writes:

Tara Kini, wrote, “We’re hearing a lot of conflicting scenarios and projections related to the teacher workforce come fall. On the one hand, there is a fear of massive layoffs precipitated by the Cov-19 recession and state budget cuts. On the other, there are projections of staffing shortages and state budget cuts. (June 25, 2020).

We have been here before

In 2012, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that in fiscal year 2013, 35 states were spending less than they did during the recession. Since 2009, more than 200,000 teacher jobs vanished and in spite of CONTINUE READING: Barbara Veltri: TFA Is Still Feeding at the Trough | Diane Ravitch's blog

LDOE Shakeup: Brumley Arrives; TFA Leadership Hits the Exits | deutsch29

LDOE Shakeup: Brumley Arrives; TFA Leadership Hits the Exits | deutsch29

LDOE Shakeup: Brumley Arrives; TFA Leadership Hits the Exits

On June 08, 2020, Louisiana’s new state education superintendent, Cade Brumley, officially began his tenure.

Brumley was not the choice of ed-reformers favoring former state superintendent, John White.

Thus, it comes as a pleasant non-surprise that top hires from White’s administration are leaving the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE). In his June 15, 2020, article, Advocate reporter Will Sentell discusses their exit:

The leadership of the state Department of Education is undergoing a major shakeup with the arrival of Cade Brumley as state superintendent of education.

Five key aides to former state Superintendent of Education John White are out or on their way out, including one who announced her plans Monday.

The list so far includes Jessica Baghian, one of White’s top lieutenants who served as assistant superintendent and chief academic policy officer. …

Other insiders leaving the department include Catherine Pozniak, assistant superintendent for fiscal operations and federal support. …

Hannah Dietsch, assistant superintendent and chief strategy officer, CONTINUE READING: LDOE Shakeup: Brumley Arrives; TFA Leadership Hits the Exits | deutsch29