LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-25-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

Vote! Today Show Running a Poll on Facebook about Standardized Testing

If you are on Facebook, express your views about standardized testing now:   The Today show is doing a survey on Facebook asking whether standardized testing is the best way for kids to learn. https://www.facebook.com/questions/10152328881051350/?qa_ref=pp   The latest tally–as of this writing–was 4,300+ against, 37 for.   Vote!

by dianeravitch / 1min hide  //  save

Our Education Spring: The Parent-Led Opt Out Movement Grows in New York City

This just arrived in my email from parents in Williamsburg, Brooklyn:   This was sent to all D14 Principals and Parent Coordinators. Feel free to share in your districts. ———– Dear Principals, Parent Coordinators, PTA presidents and school communities, At the recent Town Hall sponsored by the CEC14, it was requested that we distribute information on opting out of the upcoming NYState high stakes t

2 by dianeravitch / 30min 

Denis Smith of Ohio: Who Governs Charter Schools?

Denis Smith is a veteran educator who ended his career working for the Ohio State Education Department, overseeing charter schools. This is the first of a series of five articles. In it he considers the question of charter school governance. Who runs the school? Who appoints the board? Who is responsible? Is it public or private? Deregulation and privatization go hand in hand.   Denis Smith is a r

4 by dianeravitch / 44min 

WSJ: Big Data Enters the Classroom

Yup, it is a fact. Big data is here and it is going to tell us everything anyone wants to know about your children or your students. Actually, Big Data presents itself as a way to “help” students and teachers, but in fact will be a cool way for entrepreneurs to develop apps, sell student data, and make money. Over the past decade, schools have started using cloud storage or begun sending more data

3 by dianeravitch / 12min 

Peter Greene: Connecting the Dots Between CCSS and Big Data

Peter Greene, in a serious vein, explains that the Common Core standards are integrally connected to the collection of data. They can’t be changed or revised–contrary to the nationally and internationally recognized protocol for setting standards–because their purpose is to tag every student and collect data on their performance. They cannot be decoupled from testing because the testing is the mea

1 by dianeravitch / 31min 

Knewton, Pearson, and Big Data: Here They Come!

Big data will open the way to the future of education, says the CEO of Knewton.   The company is piloting its products at Arizona State University. Whatever we used to call education will cease to exist. Big data will change everything.   “The so-called Big Data movement, which has been largely co-opted by the for-profit education industry, will serve as “a portal to fundamental change in how educ

1 by dianeravitch / 12min 

Massachusetts Kindergarten Teacher: I Quit

I am really sorry to have to publish posts like this. I don’t want to see any teacher quit, especially the veteran teachers who are needed to help new teachers learn the ropes. And yet, there is a massive outflow of teaching talent from our public schools, caused by the soul-deadening testing regime that has throttled creativity and independent thought among teachers and students like. The spirit

7 by dianeravitch / 52min hide  //  save

Your Child Is Now a Data Point. Thanks, Pearson and Arne!

If you have been wondering why data mining matters so much, you will want to see this video. Please note that the U.S. Department of Education’s logo is on this video. In it, an entrepreneur named Jose Ferreira, CEO of Knewton, shares his vision for a future in which education of every individual child is completely determined by data. Education today happens to be the most “data-mineable industry

28 by dianeravitch / 1h 

Teacher: I Am One of the the Worst Teachers in My State

This teacher thought she was doing a swell job. But then the ratings came out and she discovered she is the worst teacher in the state! In the past, she has won many awards, and she loves teaching. In addition: I initiated and continue to run the chess and drama clubs with no remuneration. I do get a small stipend for being the academic games coordinator, running the Mathletes team and spelling be

29 by dianeravitch / 2h 

Yong Zhao Explains What Is Wrong with PISA

Yong Zhao posted the first of five blogs about the faulty claims of PISA, the international test that false reformers love to cite as evidence that our schools are failing and our kids don’t work hard enough. The five blog posts are drawn from Zhao’s much awaited new book. If you have not read his other books, order them now. Catching Up or Leading the Way and World Class Learners. You will enjoy

13 by dianeravitch / 3h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-24-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: SAT, ACT Sued for Selling Student DataA lawsuit was filed against the SAT and ACT for selling confidential data of students to colleges. Some states mandate that all students must take one of these tests, whether they are college bound or not. Students assume that their names and scores will be shared with colleges to which they ap

by mike simpson / 9h 

White House Report: Race to the Top Setting the Pace for Gains across the Education System | The White House

White House Report: Race to the Top Setting the Pace for Gains across the Education System | The White House:

White House Report: Race to the Top Setting the Pace for Gains across the Education System

More support for educators and increases in student achievement are among signs of progress as anniversary of President Obama’s signature education reform approaches

WASHINGTON, DC – In the four years since the Obama Administration announced its first Race to the Top grants, the President’s signature education initiative has helped spark a wave of reform across the country, according to the attached report released today by the White House and Department of Education.

As the four-year anniversary of those grants approaches this week, “Setting the Pace” finds that the President’s education reform agenda has helped raise standards for students, better support teachers and school leaders, and turn around low-performing schools. Ultimately, these efforts have led to signs of encouraging progress among the nation’s students.

Among the report’s key findings are:

• States that received Race to the Top funds to reform their K-12 education systems serve 22 million students and 1.5 million teachers in more than 40,000 schools.  
• These states represent 45 percent of all students and a similar percentage of all low-income students. Some of the most encouraging signs of progress have come in states that have done the most to embrace the types of reforms called for in Race to the Top, including Tennessee, Hawaii and the District of Columbia. 
• All Race to the Top grantees have taken key steps toward focusing on college- and career-readiness for all students and supporting hard-working teachers and principals, including developing a number of new tools and resources, providing coaching for educators, and expanding options for students. 

“Race to the Top set out to advance a simple idea: that the most powerful ideas for improving education come not from Washington, but from educators and leaders in states throughout the country. Now, nearly four years in, change is touching nearly half the nation’s students – for an investment that represents less than 1 percent of education spending,” U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. “We know this work is never easy, but what is most encouraging is that despite some debate in state legislatures and here in Congress, state and district leaders have had the courage to put their plan into action.

“The Obama Administration is focused on expanding opportunity for America’s students to ensure not only that they have a shot at achieving the American dream, but that the next generation of American workers can continue to compete in the global economy,” said Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. "The Race to the Top program has helped spur the change and improvement needed in our education system, demonstrating that by working together across the federal government, with governors and school boards, principals and teachers, businesses and non-profits, parents and students – we can provide the education that our young people need and deserve, to prepare for college and a successful career.”

At 80 percent, the nation’s high school graduation rate is the highest in American history, thanks to comprehensive, state-led efforts inspired in part by Race to the Top. In addition, student test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress are the highest since the test was first given 20 years ago.

With an initial budget of just more than $4 billion – less than 1 percent of total education spending in America – Race to the Top unleashed a flurry of pent-up education reform activity at the state and local level. Importantly, these efforts have created partnerships among parents, educators, and state and community leaders to continue this progress in the months and years ahead.

Today’s report highlights examples of the most innovative and effective reforms that are taking place in states across the country to prepare students for college and careers, support educators, and spur innovative educational strategies. From Massachusetts’ work to increase access to Advanced Placement (AP) classes by training more than 1,100 middle and high school teachers, to Tennessee’s efforts to support its educators by coaching 30,000 on new state standards and equipping 700 teacher-leader coaches, to Florida’s investment in programs to get the best and brightest educators to the highest-needs areas, to Maryland’s development of STEM curriculum models for use in language programs statewide, states are leading the way with plans tailored to meet the unique needs of their educators and students. This federal support, paired with state and local investment and leadership, is getting results for students and educators.

Looking at these examples and the progress made across our education system, the report finds that while much work remains, Race to the Top has empowered and reinforced the best ideas at the state and local level. By staying on course, America can continue to make progress toward ensuring that every child has an opportunity to get a world-class education and the skills he or she will need to succeed in today’s economy — and tomorrow’s.

“Encouraged and supported by Race to the Top, states are taking major steps forward for our nation’s students,” the report concludes. “There will never be a moment to declare victory in this race – the work will continue for many years to come. But America’s educators remain committed to support all our children on their path to a prosperous future. State and local leaders share that commitment. Staying on course is critical while this hard work is underway.”

3-25-14 Wait What?

Wait What?:

Arrogance, Ignorance and the Myth of the “High Stakes” Test (Guest Post by Dr. James D. Trifone)

Anyone who has been following Jonathan Pelto’s Wait What? Blog has read several posts regarding the botched rollout of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and most recently the software SNAFU that resulted in an eleventh hour rescheduling of the start up date for administering the SBAC test.  Many, including this blogger, have criticized the […] The post Arrogance, Ignorance and the Myth of th

4 by jonpelto / 21min 

How much time and money can Malloy and Pryor Waste on the Common Core Test of a Test

Maybe they really don’t understand how public schools function or maybe they really don’t understand the impact inadequate state funding has on Connecticut’s public schools. Or maybe they just don’t care… When you see one of state’s elected officials you might want to give them a big “thank you” for putting Connecticut’s public education system […] The post How much time and money can Malloy and P

8 by jonpelto / 1h hide  //  save

Reports stream in about problems using Google Chromebooks for Common Core Test

As the Malloy Administration’s Common Core Smarter Balanced Assessment Test of a test scheme kicks into high gear this week, reports are streaming in that Connecticut schools districts are discovering that despite assurance from Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor’s State Department of Education and the national the entity that is producing the Common Core Test, students […] The post Reports strea

5 by jonpelto / 2h 

3-24-14 Wait What?

Wait What?: Guinea Pigs (aka Connecticut students) – it is time to log into the Common Core Test of a testToday is the day… In nearly every public school in Connecticut students will put aside the learning process during the coming weeks in order to become guinea pigs for the Common Core Smarter Balanced Field Test of a test and the entire corporate education reform industry. In some states only 1

by mike simpson / 9h 

3-25-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet:

Arne Duncan heads to New Zealand, Hawaii with gaggle of staffers

My Post colleague Lyndsey Layton asked the Education Department about Secretary Arne Duncan’s trip this week to New Zealand and Hawaii — which will round out his visits to all 50 states during his tenure. Here’s what she learned: On Tuesday, Duncan jetted off to Wellington, New Zealand, to participate in the International Summit on […]    

by Valerie Strauss / 5min 

Resistance to standardized testing growing nationwide

Every week a nonprofit organization called the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, which is dedicated to ending the misuse and abuse of standardized testing (and is better known as FairTest) sends out an e-mail with a list of stories from around the country about resistance to high-stakes tests among teachers, students and parents. […]    

by Valerie Strauss / 2min

The new extremists in education debate

A member of the Ohio House of Representatives, Republican Rep. Andrew Brenner, wrote a post on his blog under this headline: “Public education in America is socialism, what is the solution?”  He wrote in part: Parents send their children to public schools throughout the United States, to school districts funded by taxation. Most of the […]    

1 by Valerie Strauss / 3h hide  //  save

Why teachers’ salaries should be doubled — now

  Nínive Calegari is a former classroom teacher who founded and serves as the president of The Teacher Salary Project, an organization aimed at improving the salaries of America’s teachers. She is also the co-producer of American Teacher, an award-winning film narrated by Matt Damon that documents the lives of four teachers based on a book she […]    

55 by Valerie Strauss / 6h  

3-24-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet: Ravitch: The best reason to oppose the Common Core StandardsThe growing opposition to the Common Core State Standards does not all stem from the same criticisms or even from the same political wing. Included in the anti-Core camp are conservatives, moderates and liberals who don’t offer identical critiques of the initiative. Some don’t like it academically; some don’t like it pol

by mike simpson / 9h 

3-25-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

In Denouncing Common Core, Ravitch Promotes National Standards

Even back to the days when Diane Ravitch was a trusted employee of the Bush I Administration, she was an advocate for voluntary national curriculum standards.  She has continued to hold this position, even as her previous pro-corporate vices became untenable for anyone with intellectual aspirations or even a lick of integrity. She said in a New York Times op-ed in 2005 that "unfortunately, th

2 by Jim Horn / 59min 

Debate on Bilingual Education Needs to Include All the Facts

Published in Education Week, March 25, 2014 The campaign to full restore bilingual education in California needs to include the research. Despite efforts by academics, this research was not brought to the attention of the voters. Not mentioned in the Education Week article is the fact that studies done before and after Proposition 227 passed consistently showed that students in bilingual programs

by skrashen / 22min 

Grindstones Make Grit

With Seligman disciple, Angela Duckworth, teaming up with KIPP co-father, Dave Levin, the industrial child psychologists have an able researcher and an experimental site to figure out how to roughen up the grindstone to reduce more urban children to piles of grit. At this point, we don't know what the how much grit will be ground out by subjecting children to years of screaming, labeling, threaten

by Jim Horn / 0min hide  //  save

The Moral Imperative to Opt Out Until the System is Changed

Editorial from Philadelphia Inquirer (ht to Ken Derstine)POSTED: Tuesday, March 25, 2014, 1:08 AmParents are right to protest the oversize emphasis placed on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams when so many schools are poorly funded.Robin Roberts says her three children won't be taking the PSSAs with the rest of the students at Philadelphia's C.W. Henry Elementary School. "If i

2 by Jim Horn / 51min 

21st Century Skills?

Stephen KrashenYogi Berra: "It's hard to predict, especially about the future.""I contend that, instead of insisting on more and more standardization, we should be increasing variety, flexibility, and choice in what we offer in our schools (Noddings, 2009, p.243)." ... useful knowledge changes as societies change" (Zhao, 2009, p. 135).It is often stated that new standards

by skrashen / 7h 

3-24-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter: Maryland Has Some of the Best Public School Protection Laws in the NationAP has a piece in WaPo that pretend that two most voracious advocacy groups for corporate welfare charters represent research groups: Center for Education Reform and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.  In pointing out that CER's charter welfare queen, Jeanne Allen, has labeled Maryland among the

by mike simpson / 7h