Understanding the work of Michael Deshotels – Educate Louisiana

Understanding the work of Michael Deshotels – Educate Louisiana
Understanding The Work Of Michael Deshotels

Having followed the work of Michael Deshotels for almost seven years, I’ve come to understand his work, support his message, and count him as a trusted education advocate and personal friend. I also appreciate and support the work of other education advocates such as Lee Barrios and Dr. Mercedes Schneider. All of these folks have worked to bring to light what is wrong with what is happening in Louisiana’s education system just as I have. I have learned that sometimes no matter how hard you try, your message doesn’t get the traction it should because people don’t care, don’t understand, or interpreted the message, wrong.

When it comes to state assessments, student scores, and school performance schools, I believe that the four of us agree that the published results are meaningless based on the following reasons.

1. The outcome is predetermined.
2. The expected level of achievement is arbitrary.
3. The cut scores used to determine the level of achievement are arbitrary.
4. If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its life thinking it is a failure.

THE MESSAGE: Deshotels’ most recent publication, The LDOE claims steady growth in student LEAP scores, is a continuation of his effort to illustrate the invalidity of these scores. In his narrative, he points out that the average cut score for ELA and Math in grades 3-8 is 27%. The actual minimum number correct that a fourth grade student can get and receive a score of “Basic” is 21 of the 86 questions (24%). I note that the goal is “mastery;” however, “basic” is passing. CONTINUE READING: Understanding the work of Michael Deshotels – Educate Louisiana

Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Teachers

Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Teachers

Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Teachers

With about 1% of applicants to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program successfully receiving loan forgiveness, students who plan to rely on financial aid and hope to become teachers may have reason to think twice.

Nationwide, students are borrowing more student loans to pay for college than ever before. Among those who took out loans, the average student in the class of 2017 borrowed nearly $30,000, according to U.S. News data. But the median midcareer salary is $41,000 for students who majored in early childhood education and $43,000 for those who majored in elementary education, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2016-2017.

Rising college costs and low wages create the need for loan forgiveness for teachers, advocates say. But the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program has come under fire recently for failing to keep its promise. A recent lawsuit filed in federal court by the American Federation of Teachers alleges Education Secretary Betsy Devos unlawfully denied individuals debt forgiveness, according to a press release. While the lawsuit is currently pending further action in federal court, its outcome could impact the future of loan forgiveness for current and prospective students.

Students must also consider the possibility of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program being eliminated, as was proposed by President Donald Trump in March.

Still, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, says students shouldn't allow themselves to be deterred by debt. "No one should forgo a career in public service because of concerns over student debt. Yet it's not a secret that the teaching profession is facing a crisis -- deep, systemic disinvestment in public education that has led to soaring college costs and shrinking teacher salaries, and a de-professionalization of the job that has led to a teacher shortage in all 50 states," Weingarten wrote in an email. "But teaching is a career built on hope, and a commitment to helping others and making our communities better. We must honor that commitment and protect the future teacher workforce."

Amid this uncertainty, Mark Kantrowitz, publisher and vice president of research for Savingforcollege.com, a website that CONTINUE READING: Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Teachers

It's Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... A VERY BUSY DAY | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

It's Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... A VERY BUSY DAY | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

Now Students Can Transcribe Smithsonian Historical Audio Recordings & Not Just Written Texts

by Larry Ferlazzo / 42min

I’ve shared a lot about how various institutions crowdsource transcribing historical handwritten text, and how that kind of project can make history come alive for students (see The Best Sites Where Students Can Transcribe Historical Texts ). The Smithsonian now has a project that lets people listen to historical audio recordings and asks them to transcribe what they hear. It seems pretty cool –

“How Can We Promote Resilience in the Classroom?”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 3h

How Can We Promote Resilience in the Classroom? is the new question of the week at my Education Week Teacher column. Feel free to leave responses in the comments section there or here…

YESTERDAY

Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL

by Larry Ferlazzo / 10h

BiljaST / Pixabay Five years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART ONE. . Also, check out A Collection Of My Best Resources On Teaching English Language Learn

A Look Back: Collective Punishment In The Classroom

by Larry Ferlazzo / 10h

I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2011. waldryano / Pixabay A few days ago I wrote a post titled Emphasizing Pride, Not Shame, In Classroom Management . In it, among other things, I shared some of the things I say to students if I know they are going to have a sub the following day. A friend saw the

Most Popular Posts Of The Week

by Larry Ferlazzo / 10h

I’m making a change in the content of the regular feature. In addition to sharing the top five posts that have received the most “hits” in the preceding seven days (though they may have originally been published on an earlier date), I will also include the top five posts that have actually appeared in the past week. Often, these are different posts. You might also be interested in IT’S THE TWELFT

New Study Finds That Specific Ninth-Grade Intervention Very Effective & It’s Remarkably Similar To What We Do At Our School

by Larry Ferlazzo / 11h

Kunnasberg / Pixabay The American Institutes of Research just released a study finding that a program called Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) was very effective at improving academic progress for ninth-graders and enhancing their connection to school. Here’s how Ed Week summarized the program : …incoming freshmen are grouped into cohorts of about 30 students who take the same reading, math,

Video: “Here’s How the European Union Works”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 11h

TheAndrasBarta / Pixabay I’ve previously shared Two Decent Videos About The European Union. They are still the ones I’d use in my Geography class. However, if you want one that is decent, but more detailed, you might find this video that was just shared by The Atlantic to be a reasonable alternative:

California State Department Of Education Unveils Ethnic Studies Curriculum

by Larry Ferlazzo / 20h

geralt / Pixabay The California State Department of Education has just unveiled a proposed Ethnic Studies Curriculum . The Sacramento Bee has an excellent article about it: California ethnic studies curriculum would be a first in U.S. The state wants feedback Here’s the state announcement: California is committed to providing excellent educational opportunities to all students. Research shows tha

New Animated Video Explaining The International Baccalaureate Program

by Larry Ferlazzo / 21h

geralt / Pixabay The YouTube channel “Sprouts” has just published this animated over of the International Baccalaureate Program. It’s not an official IB production, but seems to give a decent overview. As regular readers know, I’ve taught IB’s Theory of Knowledge class for years and regularly share related resources on this blog. Following the video, I’ve added links to previous posts about IB th

“Q&A Collections: Teaching English-Language Learners”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1d

Q&A Collections: Teaching English-Language Learners is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. All Classroom Q&A posts offering advice on Teaching English-Language Learners (from the past eight years!) are 

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

The many ways one powerful nonprofit organization helps charter schools - The Washington Post

The many ways one powerful nonprofit organization helps charter schools - The Washington Post

The many ways one powerful nonprofit organization and its leader help charter schools

Building Hope is, according to its website, a national nonprofit organization based in Washington that“partners with investors and philanthropic and government organizations to provide comprehensive charter school services.” Those services include providing financing for charter schools facilities “at below-market rates,” helping developing charter facilities, serving as an incubator space for new and expanding schools, offering financial consulting, and more.

Its website also says that it has provided more than “$281 million in direct loans, credit enhancements, and equity investments to support over $1.7 billion in school construction” to help 273 charter school projects in 18 states and the District of Columbia, affecting more than 133,000 students. It is in the District that Building Hope says it has “enjoyed its biggest impact,” with its assistance resulting in 47 percent of public school students attending public charters.

All of that makes Building Hope a powerful organization. Its president is S. Joseph Bruno, who oversees and directs “all aspects” of Building Hope’s operations. His biography says he is “a certified public accountant with 35 years of accounting, finance, business and management experience; was a partner in two of the ‘Big 4’ international accounting firms; and was the CFO of a public company.”

His biography says he was the first hire of Building Hope — as a consultant in 2003, the year it was formed — “and has guided the organization ever since.”

This post is a look at Building Hope and some of the connections it has developed over the years. The author is Carol Burris, who is executive director of the advocacy group the Network for Public Education and a former award-winning principal in New York. She has written for the Answer Sheet for years on corporate-based school reform and the charter school movement, most recently in a piece titled “A report that detailed up to $1 billion in wasted federal funds on bad charter schools may have underestimated the problem."

Bruno declined to answer questions about this post.

Here’s Burris’s piece:

By Carol Burris

The original mission of the federal Charter Schools Program of the U.S. Department of Education was to help new charter schools get on their feet by providing start-up help. The program began small during the Clinton administration when Congress awarded it $6 million to give to states and a handful of schools that directly CONTINUE READING: The many ways one powerful nonprofit organization helps charter schools - The Washington Post