Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Meredith Ely: Blaming Teachers or Finding Solutions?

Meredith Ely: Blaming Teachers or Finding Solutions?
Meredith Ely

Meredith Ely

Posted: October 21, 2010 01:14 AM

Education pundits are championing the creed, "education is the civil rights issue of our generation," to bring a sense of urgency to a broken public education system. Individuals that propose bold restructuring of schools, like Michelle Rhee, Arne Duncan, and a myriad of other reform-minded leaders, are calling the public to rethink longstanding norms in education. Common themes have risen from this progressive dialogue; holding teachers highly accountable for student achievement, using data to drive instruction and assessment, reworking or weakening tenure laws, and providing economic incentives for positive academic results seem to be priorities as we look at changing how schools function.

One of the most popular criticisms of this reform movement is that we are blaming teachers for the downfall of a huge national system. Parents and school staff are speaking out, demanding that we

The Answer Sheet - Afterschool programs in funding jeopardy

The Answer Sheet - Afterschool programs in funding jeopardy

Afterschool programs in funding jeopardy

This open letter was written by Jodi Grant, executive director of the nonprofit Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit organization that works to ensure that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs. Grant writes about the danger that afterschool programs now face because of a move to shift federal money currently spent on these programs to extend the school day. That may seem like sound policy, but it isn't. Research doesn't support the notion that kids automatically learn more if they sit longer in a classroom each day. Quality after school programs that engage kids in learning in ways different from the regular classroom experience have been shown to work wonders. By Jodi Grant Today, more than 7,500 communities across America will celebrate the afterschool programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. Afterschool programs are an innovative, yet practical and proven way to expand

Diane Ravitch: public education in danger � peoplesworld

Diane Ravitch: public education in danger � peoplesworld

Diane Ravitch: public education in danger

Diane Ravitch

DETROIT - School reform is not a new topic but the nature of the debate has changed. In decades past, education critics mainly wanted to make public schools better. They sought more training for teachers and increased funding for schools.

But now, says educator and author Diane Ravitch, the question is, "Will public education survive? Will we continue to have a public education system that is bound by law to accept all children? Or will we have children enter a lottery to see if they get accepted by a charter school? Will public schools be the default option for those that didn't make it into public schools?"

Few can break it down the way Ravitch does. She once saw strict government mandates and charter schools as the impetus for reforming public education. She's changed her mind. Now she sees

New York City plans to release ratings of teachers based on test scores

New York City plans to release ratings of teachers based on test scores

New York City plans to release ratings of teachers based on test scores

Controversial D.C. schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee will announce her resignation on Wednesday, nearly four years after she was brought in by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty to improve the city's languishing public education system.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 21, 2010; 1:14 PM

A battle that erupted in Los Angeles this summer over the public release of teacher ratings is flaring in New York this week and could become prominent in thedebate over school reform efforts nationwide.

New York City education officials announced Wednesday that they had decided to provide news organizations ratings on teachers that are derived from calculations on how much year-to-year progress their students make on standardized tests.

Natalie Ravitz, a city education spokeswoman, said the information, including names of about 12,000 teachers, would be given as early as Friday to outlets that requested it formally under public records law.

"We think the public has a right to the information,"

Forget What You Think You Know About How To Study : NPR

Forget What You Think You Know About How To Study : NPR

Fight Back! Stop those Parent Volunteers

Fight Back! Stop those Parent Volunteers

Fight Back! Stop those Parent Volunteers



Education cuts in California have been deep, and more cuts are likely in the near future as districts go over the fiscal cliff when federal stimulus funds and Edujob funds run out. So it is not surprising that districts are eliminating positions that they would like to maintain like librarian assistants, playground monitoring, and other cuts away from the classroom. One Northern California district near where I grew up is fortunate enough to have a group of parent volunteers to pick up some of the slack. Most schools would be jealous of such support. But, in this case the classified employee union is fighting hard to get those parents off campus (here). According to Loretta Kruusmagi, president of the local classified employees union.

“They are not going to have volunteers there at all. I can’t cite the exact thing, but there are state

Democratic (Little ‘d’) Education and Opinion Polls



With Election Day just around the corner, a lot of people are starting to take closer looks at public opinion polls—casual newspaper readers, journalists, policy wonks, and, especially those vying to be the next representative of District X. Two major problems (out of many) with polls that try to gauge the public’s attitudes and feelings toward contemporary policy issues are: (1) There are rarely options to select answers like ‘I don’t know enough to answer this question’ or ‘I don’t really have a strong preference here.’ (2) The questions asked of the public are generally vague, mostly abstract, and often unhelpful

DN! on Whittier Elementary Occupation � occupy california

DN! on Whittier Elementary Occupation � occupy california

DN! on Whittier Elementary Occupation

CHICAGO, Illinois – For the past 37 days, parents have occupied La Casita, a fieldhouse at the Whittier Elementary school in protest over its proposed demolition and the lack of resources available to schoolchildren, including a library. Parents have transformed the space into a library by keeping the doors open to children and with the help of the community. More information a

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Louder Than A Bomb

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Louder Than A Bomb

Louder Than A Bomb

This review also appears in The Huffington Post


If like me, you're burnt out on all the Waiting for Supermanhype, I've got the perfect antidote. Go see Louder Than A Bomb, a brilliant and powerful documentary that is nothing less than eye poetry. I was lucky enough to score a couple of tickets to a sold-out showing at Chicago's International Film Festival but had to watch from the packed theater's second row. However, the tears running down my face weren't caused by my proximity to the screen, but from the power of spoken-word poetry and the stories behind the Chicago high school kids performing it.

No, there are no superheroes in this film, no Michelle Rhee or