Monday, December 16, 2019

John Thompson: The Danger of Ignoring the Most Important Problems Facing Our Kids and Our Society | Diane Ravitch's blog

John Thompson: The Danger of Ignoring the Most Important Problems Facing Our Kids and Our Society | Diane Ravitch's blog

John Thompson: The Danger of Ignoring the Most Important Problems Facing Our Kids and Our Society



John Thompson, historian and retired teacher in Oklahoma, shares his thoughts about what matters most. What matters most for the future is not test scores, yet we have spent an entire generation–now almost two generations of young people who have passed through our schools since 2000–focusing only on test scores. Will we pay a price? Will they?
As I left the computer to walk the dog, a thought provoking title jumped off the screen, “2019 NAEP Results Show There’s Something Wrong Going On.” Our neighborhood is gentrifying too much, but the park still offers a wonderful place for cross-generational, cross-cultural conversations about what is going right and wrong. Only our spoiled dogs complain when daily discussions last a long time when recounting the latest Trump assaults on our constitutional democracy.
In contrast to corporate school reformers, who claimed that schools could be the answer to inequities, when a dog walker shared a link about another path to progress, we knew there is no single, silver bullet. We loved the New York Times’ “Dogs Will Fix Our Broken Democracy,” but we knew that the doggies, on their own, can’t teach us “to step outside of our narrowest selves.”
The NAEP title also provoked contemplation on the school reform blinders which blocked out conversations about issues outside the school building. For two CONTINUE READING: John Thompson: The Danger of Ignoring the Most Important Problems Facing Our Kids and Our Society | Diane Ravitch's blog

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CURMUDGUCATION: What Is A Day Of Learning, Anyway?

CURMUDGUCATION: What Is A Day Of Learning, Anyway?

What Is A Day Of Learning, Anyway?



The measure crops up frequently in discussions of education policies and, sometimes, products. But what the heck does it even mean?
Charter advocates like to point to a CREDO study that shows urban charters giving students an additional 40 days of learning growth in math and 38 in reading (while critics bring up the 2013 CREDO study finding that charter schools provided seven additional days of learning per year in reading and no significant difference in math). Indianapolis, New York City, and other big systems find charter advocates touting additional days of learning. 
Meanwhile, one of the widespread criticisms of online schools is a CREDO study which found that cyberschool students lost 72 days of learning in reading and a whopping 180 days in math–that’s a whole year.
Bridge International Academy describes its success in Kenya in terms of added days of learning. Research into the educational effects of variables such as teacher experience is expressed in days of learning. Sales representatives for edu-products will promise additional days of learning.
But what exactly is a day of learning? Classroom teachers know that a Monday is not equal to a Friday or a Wednesday. Surely it’s not the day that students get out early, or the day that is interrupted by an assembly, or the day that the teacher was pulled out for meetings, or the day that the baseball team was dismissed early for an away game. Certainly not the day that everyone in school was reeling and preoccupied because of a local tragedy. A day in September is not the same as a day in April, and certainly not any day in the season that we’re CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: What Is A Day Of Learning, Anyway?
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Public Education Forum 2020 Challenges Democratic Presidential Candidates and All of Us to Invest in Equitable Public Schools | janresseger

Public Education Forum 2020 Challenges Democratic Presidential Candidates and All of Us to Invest in Equitable Public Schools | janresseger

Public Education Forum 2020 Challenges Democratic Presidential Candidates and All of Us to Invest in Equitable Public Schools
Before I drove to Pittsburgh on Saturday for the Public Education Forum 2020—where all of the leading Democrats running for President would explain live on MSNBC their plans for supporting public education—I considered what I hoped would happen at this day-long event. After all, not once in any of the televised Democratic candidate debates so far has even one question been asked about public education.
I went to Pittsburgh as an invited member of the audience, but before I left home, I wrote down the question that I would have posed to each candidate if I could have asked a question: “Please explain how, as President, you will change the narrative about closing or taking over or privatizing so-called ‘failing’ public schools and how you will build the public will for adequate investment to overcome the challenges for public schools in America’s poorest communities.”
What encouraged me all day Saturday, beginning in the event sponsors’ introductions and continuing in the half hour question and answer sessions with each of the seven candidates—Sen. Michael Bennet, Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren—is that the event sponsors had set up the day to ensure that candidates would carefully consider that very same question: “How will you change the narrative about closing or taking over or privatizing so-called ‘failing’ public schools and how will you build the public will for adequate investment to overcome the challenges for public schools in America’s poorest communities?” All of us who sat in the beautiful convention center next to the Allegheny River—along with those viewing the event live on MSNBC (or who can now watch the event online)—were challenged to consider the same question.

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Choosing Democracy: Bretón has it wrong- Again

Choosing Democracy: Bretón has it wrong- Again

Bretón has it wrong- Again

Bee opinion columnist Bretón has a harsh column about the SCUSD budget crisis.
https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article238321423.html

Part of the problem is what he assumes.,



He argues teachers should take a pay cut, and that they should pay some of their health care. This is the essence of austerity.  He assumes that the way to fix the problem is to pay teachers less,

( You can see how well this works out.  The Bee now pays its reporters less. They have over 100 fewer reporters. The quality of the paper has diminished substantially.  It is no longer a substantive paper. see https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/growing-local-news-deserts-endanger-democracy-study-finds)

Why assume that cutting salaries is the answer?  Lets try an alternative.

Assume the teachers should be paid well.  Assume that teachers should have quality health care for themselves and their families.  This is what unions are fighting for all across the nation,. It could be called Medicare for All.

Well, if we need to pay teachers well, more money will be needed for schools.  Yes, we should tax more and adequately fund our schools.  We have not done that since the passage of Prop. 13.  Austerity, underfunding schools, is a lousy policy. Just fighting over who gets their salaries cut is avoiding the important issues.  Fund the schools.

Here is how.




Choosing Democracy: Bretón has it wrong- Again
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The Bill of Rights, December 15, 1791 | Live Long and Prosper

The Bill of Rights, December 15, 1791 | Live Long and Prosper

The Bill of Rights, December 15, 1791

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(Note: This is an updated version of an earlier post on the Bill of Rights)
The United States Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, was ratified on this date, December 15, in 1791.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT: CURRENT CIVIC KNOWLEDGE
The First Amendment within the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of speech, religion, a free press, assembly, and petition.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances
Today, many Americans are unfamiliar with the details of the First Amendment. The recent State of the First Amendment Survey from the Freedom Forum Institute revealed that Americans’ knowledge of the First Amendment is lacking.
71 percent of Americans could name at least one of the freedoms guaranteed in CONTINUE READING: The Bill of Rights, December 15, 1791 | Live Long and Prosper

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How Effective is Mayor Control in New York City? Has Mayoral Control Effectively Addressed Inequities and Overall Effectiveness? | Ed In The Apple

How Effective is Mayor Control in New York City? Has Mayoral Control Effectively Addressed Inequities and Overall Effectiveness? | Ed In The Apple

How Effective is Mayor Control in New York City? Has Mayoral Control Effectively Addressed Inequities and Overall Effectiveness?
New York City is a mayoral control city; the mayor appoints eight members of the fourteen members Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), each borough president appoints a member. The members may be removed at any time by the appointing auhtority, the  mayor or the borough presidents. The PEP technically hires a chancellor; actually the mayor hires the chancellor and sets education policy for the city. The current mayoral control law sunsets June 30, 2022; however, the NYS Assembly Education Committee has scheduled a series of hearings to assess the law. The announcement below:
 In 2019, the legislature extended the provisions of mayoral control for three years, until June 30, 2022, and included provisions to increase parental involvement on the Panel for Education Policy and Community District Education Council. This hearing will be the first in a series of hearings and other informational forums throughout the City of New York to assess the effectiveness of mayoral control of the New York City School District and hear from stakeholders on the ways to address the inequities in our schools and improve student performance. 
The purpose of this hearing is to comprehensively examine the overall effectiveness of mayoral control of the New York City School District and to identify issues pertaining to school governance in New York City. This will allow the Committee to focus subsequent hearings on specific topics in order to examine possible reforms to mayoral control.
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Sunday, December 15, 2019

Carol Burris Rates the Candidates at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh | Diane Ravitch's blog

Carol Burris Rates the Candidates at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh | Diane Ravitch's blog

Carol Burris Rates the Candidates at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh



Carol Burris led the delegation from the Network for Public Education at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh. Here are her reflections on the candidates;
There were roughly 1000 attendees at yesterday’s Public Education Forum 2020.  The group was diverse in both race and age. Students accompanied by parents sat side by side with senior citizens. It was a captivated audience, the vast majority of whom stayed until the end at around 4:00 pm. 
Outside the forum there was a small protest. When I entered the building in the morning, I counted 35 people. One news report said that the protest grew to 100. Michael Bennet was the only candidate who engaged with the protestors—that encounter can be viewed here.
Support was voiced by the candidates for community schools, increased school funding for Title I schools, increased pay for teachers, support for unions, fully-funded pre-schools, increasing the number of teachers of color, student loan forgiveness, and other equity issues which have commonly appeared in candidates’ platforms. In short, it was a positive agenda that acknowledged that resources do matter and recognized the complex difficulties that our schools and our teachers face.
It is not my intent to influence anyone’s vote with this account. What follows is my review of the candidates’ performance by giving each the award I believe they most deserve based on what I heard during the forum as CONTINUE READING: Carol Burris Rates the Candidates at the Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh | Diane Ravitch's blog

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CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Ed Forum Weekend Edition (12/15)

CURMUDGUCATION


Ed Forum Weekend Edition (12/15)

Yesterday I spent the day in Pittsburgh at the ed forum, then decorating at my in-laws, then banging out a summary. But I still have a few things for you to read from the week. Remember to share!

Common Core: The Rest of the Story

Blogger and ed historian Adam Laats fills in some gaps in the NYT history of everyone's favorite standards.

GRE Fails To Identify Successful PhD Students  

Shocked. I am shocked. But the GRE isn't a great predictor of grad school success.

New Filipino Grad Requirement

Well, here's an actual cool idea. Filipino students now need to plant trees in order to graduate.

I Taught At a For-Profit College. They're Predatory Disasters. 

From the Guardian, a look inside the world of for-profit higher ed. It is not pretty.

No New Charter Applications In Chicago   

If you had any doubts that the charter boom is over, here's a look from Chalkbeat Chicago at a new development-- a year without any charter applications.

An Outright Lie

Remember that Ohio law that says students can't be dinged for getting facts wrong? Turns out that's part of the infamous Project Blitz, as is the legislator who proposed it. The Guardian has the story.

Mayor Pete and Charter Backers

Not from an education site, but Vice. Here's how charter money is bolstering Buttigieg.

Kentucky Ed Commissioner Resigns 

Kentucky governor-elect promised to clean house in th education department and replace the old charter-loving crew. He's done it. It's a new day in Kentucky.

DeVos Defends Restricting Debt Relief 

Erica Green at NYT with some great coverage of DeVos's latest visit to Congress, and her deep desire not to actually do debt relief.

The $191 Million Settlement with University of Phoenix  

Who finally nailed these bunco artists? Not the ed department-- the FCC.

Word Pedometers   

From the not-the-onion terrible idea file.

CURMUDGUCATION

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION


A Look At The Democratic Education Forum

by Peter Greene / 14h
After live-tweeting the day, I've worked up a summary, which you'll find over at my Forbes spot. Sorry to bait and switch, but that's where you can find my take on the day...

DEC 13

When Betsy DeVos Tells You Who She Is, Listen

100+by Peter Greene / 1d
Yesterday, Erica Green did a masterful job of covering Betsy DeVos's appearance before the House Education Committee to defend her continued efforts to resist any sort of debt relief for students bilked by for-profit schools. The New York Times article isn't accessible to everybody, and that's too bad, because the hearings are a perfect little picture of what values drive DeVos through her work at

DEC 12

Fordham: Teachers Are Downloading Junk

45by Peter Greene / 3d
Fordham Institute, the right-tilted thinky tank and tireless ed reform advocacy group, just released a new study that actually raises some interesting questions. " The Supplemental Curriculum Bazaar " takes a look at the materials teachers are downloading, and it finds them, well, not delightful. While I'm only going to argue with their findings a little, there are aspects of their methods that I

DEC 11

Privatization Is Their North Star

50by Peter Greene / 3d
Remember when ed reform was complicated, when it felt as if the whole business was a perfect storm of hydra heads, and it was all a public school supporter could do to try to track all the heads, let alone the body of the beast to which they were all attached? Things have changed. And the change tells us a lot about the body of the beast, as the many heads of the hydra have become neglected or eve

DEC 10

Can Rich Content Improve Education?

51by Peter Greene / 5d
Modern high-stakes testing really kicked into gear with No Child Left Behind, and then got another huge boost with the advent of Common Core. All through that era, teachers pushed back against the fracturing of reading instruction , the idea that reading is a suite of discrete skills that can be taught independent of any particular content . The pendulum has begun its swing back. Content knowledg

DEC 09

Kristen Bell, Celebrity Charity, Flaming Possums

67by Peter Greene / 6d
Sigh. I was already thinking about this, about how Dana Goldstein's Common Core retrospective for the New York Times collapsed a lot of history, but still had room for that time that pre-disgraced Louis CK made a crack about Common Core math. A great reminder of how a gazillion teachers and parents can comment on the quality of the Core, but a celebrity makes a comment and suddenly people listen.

DEC 08

Next Saturday: Dem Education Forum in Pittsburgh (Yes, I'll Be There)

72by Peter Greene / 6d
Next Saturday, December 14, some assortment of Democratic Presidential hopefuls will offer their two cents about education . The crowd will be an invitation-only group of about a thousand public education stakeholders, including yours truly. The Network for Public Education kindly gave me the chance to attend this event, and I am looking forward to it. If you are not among the thousand invitees, y


ICYMI: New Car Edition (12/8)

20by Peter Greene / 7d
So yesterday we replaced my wife's car, which has lost an argument with an errant deer. Used car shopping is a pain, but if you want to talk about something that has truly and completely been disrupted by technology. Little browsing, because everyone does that on line. Little haggling compared to the old says because everyone can go online and see what the car is worth. Few tremendous bargains, bu
CURMUDGUCATION
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