Fulfilling FDR’s Dream: His Second Bill of Rights | Diane Ravitch's blog

Fulfilling FDR’s Dream: His Second Bill of Rights | Diane Ravitch's blog

Fulfilling FDR’s Dream: His Second Bill of Rights

I have engaged in a heated exchange off line with people who are upset about taxing billionaires. They feel sure that taxing the 1% or the .00025% is a slippery slope, and soon enough we will all pay taxes so high that we will have to give up our homes.

This is a good time, I think, to revisit Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1944 State of the Union Address. FDR came from the landed gentry but he somehow developed an acute social conscience.

Here is an excerpt from that speech, in which he described the “second Bill of Rights,” what he called “an economic bill of rights.”

He said, as he looked forward to the day when the World War came to an end:

It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard of living higher than ever before known. We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some CONTINUE READING: Fulfilling FDR’s Dream: His Second Bill of Rights | Diane Ravitch's blog

Teacher Tom: Love Is The Only Revolutionary Force

Teacher Tom: Love Is The Only Revolutionary Force

Love Is The Only Revolutionary Force

Psychologist Carl Jung wrote, "Where love rules there is not will to power; and where power predominates, there love is lacking." This, I think, is an important thing upon which modern educators in general, and early childhood educators in particular, could stand to meditate.

I strive to place love at the center of my practice, as I know is true of most of my colleagues. We genuinely love the children we teach and they love us. I've witnessed this to be widely true wherever I've visited. It's perhaps our greatest reward (because it sure isn't financial). When it goes as it should, we spend our days loving and being loved, swimming in it, breathing it. Our job is to keep them safe and to otherwise simply be there, loving them and helping them as they figure out how to connect with, to love, more people. This is the foundation of not just all learning, but all living in the fullest sense of the word.

When I look at our habitual idea of schooling, I see a lot of loving individual teachers working in a system in which love has been pushed to the side, and where power therefore CONTINUE READING: Teacher Tom: Love Is The Only Revolutionary Force

NYC Educator: Why Isn't Every School Like Brooklyn Tech?

NYC Educator: Why Isn't Every School Like Brooklyn Tech?

Why Isn't Every School Like Brooklyn Tech?

Let me say this first--I adore AOC. I think she's wonderful. I would vote for her against just about anyone. I think she's brilliant. She asked a question, though, comparing schools, at a forum in Brooklyn. While I think she's got great intentions, I'm a little surprised. To me at least, the answer is obvious.

Why can't every school be like Brooklyn Tech? I mean, you go there, and everyone says wow, you got into that elite high school. You must've done really well on that test. Probably you studied for it. In fact, I know people with elementary-age children right now, already engaged in studying for Brooklyn Tech, or one of the handful of schools AOC refers to.

Now it would be great if every school in the city carried that level of prestige. Maybe then we wouldn't be targeted by scumbags like Giuliani and Bloomberg (but I'm a dreamer). You'd better believe they send their kids to elite private schools so they don't have to mix with the bootless and unhorsed like you, me and AOC. After all, you don't want Bloomberg's spawn smudging their ascots on the way to the limo.

I've got nothing but respect for kids who get into NYC's magnet schools. However, they do have one thing in common with the ones rich kids go to--they are selective. Why can't every school be like Brooklyn Tech? Because we aren't. We take absolutely everyone, regardless of test scores or ability. I teach newcomers. In fact, my students are all beginners. As far as I know, Brooklyn Tech doesn't accept them at all.

Our school has a program for non-diploma bound students. We send some of them to retail outlets where they learn to do jobs. Last I heard, their failure to graduate was counted against us. All due respect to Brooklyn Tech, I'd argue we deserve credit for helping needy children. There's more to life than passing tests, and there's more to humanity than CONTINUE READING: NYC Educator: Why Isn't Every School Like Brooklyn Tech?

NYC Public School Parents: Breaking: Our class size appeal will be heard on Jan. 13 in Albany!

NYC Public School Parents: Breaking: Our class size appeal will be heard on Jan. 13 in Albany!

Breaking: Our class size appeal will be heard on Jan. 13 in Albany!

Big news just announced today: Our class size lawsuit vs NYC and NY State, Agostini vs. Elia, will finally be heard on Monday, January 13 at 1 PM in the Appellate Court in Albany.

Last spring, May 23, 2019 , attorney Wendy Lecker of the Education Law Center filed our appeal on behalf of nine NYC parents, Class Size Matters and the Alliance for Quality Education.  We sued the State Education Commissioner and the Chancellor, and urged the Appellate court to order the NYC Department of Education to reduce class size in all grades as the Contracts for Excellence law requires.

Our original lawsuit, Agostini vs. Elia, was filed in April 2018 when then-NYS Education Commissioner Elia refused to take action to enforce the Contracts for Excellence law in response to our original complaint.

The C4E law was first approved in 2007 and required NYC to lower class size; instead class sizes increased sharply and remain at levels far higher than when that law was passed.

Yet in December 2018, Acting Supreme Court Judge Henry Zwack ruled against us in a skimpy decision that engaged with CONTINUE READING: NYC Public School Parents: Breaking: Our class size appeal will be heard on Jan. 13 in Albany!

CANCELLING CONGRATULATIONS | The Merrow Report

CANCELLING CONGRATULATIONS | The Merrow Report

CANCELLING CONGRATULATIONS

Dear Friend,

Last week I congratulated you for earning enough money to allow you to give generously to deserving non-profit organizations.  As I told you then, I hired a high tech firm to crunch the data from my 5,000 person mailing list.  Well, one person (not you) was outraged that I had spent my money invading the privacy of friends and others.

LIGHTEN UP!  THAT WAS A JOKE! 

I did not spend my own money to dig into your personal space.  I used a gift certificate given to me by a friend in Silicon Valley.  And, by the way, it wasn’t all that expensive.

THAT’S ANOTHER JOKE!  Invasive data-crunching is very expensive.  It actually costs a surprising amount per person.  But it’s worth it because now I can sell the information to marketing firms, which means that I may end up making a profit, a nice way to end the year, I’d say.

THAT’S ANOTHER JOKE!  I will barely break even selling your data.  My data-cruncher told me that only 1,271 of you are capable of making ‘significant’ donations, and, CONTINUE READING: CANCELLING CONGRATULATIONS | The Merrow Report

Every Incident of Mishandled Guns in Schools - Giffords

Every Incident of Mishandled Guns in Schools - Giffords
Every Incident of Mishandled Guns in Schools

Editor’s Note: This list is comprehensive as of December 10, 2019. We will make periodic updates to keep it up to date.

Armed adults frequently mishandle their guns in schools. Arming teachers wouldn’t decrease risk to students—it would increase their risk.

Our comprehensive analysis finds there have been more than 85 publicly-reported incidents of mishandled guns at schools in the last five years, including:

• A teacher’s loaded gun falling from his waistband during a cartwheel.
• A student grabbing an officer’s gun while the officer attempted to subdue the student.
• A teacher unintentionally firing a gun in class during a safety demonstration.

Until very recently, educators and policymakers across the country have rejected the idea of arming teachers. But last summer, President Trump’s Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced that the administration is considering allowing states to use federal funding to arm teachers in schools.

Arming teachers is an incredibly unpopular proposition, opposed by seven out of ten teenagers, eight out of ten teachers, and seven out of ten parents. And for good reason.

A study published in March 2019 found “no evidence that the presence of resource officers in schools lessened the severity of school shooting incidents.” And there is no evidence that armed teachers would be any more effective. In fact, a robust body of public health research strongly CONTINUE READING: Every Incident of Mishandled Guns in Schools - Giffords

Mike Rose: Why Teaching “Grit” Is Not Necessarily a Good Thing | Diane Ravitch's blog

Mike Rose: Why Teaching “Grit” Is Not Necessarily a Good Thing | Diane Ravitch's blog

Why Teaching “Grit” Is Not Necessarily a Good Thing

Mike Rose opined a few years back about “grit” and its limitations.

This is one of those articles that is never dated.

Rose, one of my favorite authors, writes:

In a nutshell, I worry about the limited success of past attempts at character education and the danger in our pendulum-swing society that we will shift our attention from improving subject matter instruction. I also question the easy distinctions made between “cognitive” and “non-cognitive” skills. And I fear that we will sacrifice policies aimed at reducing poverty for interventions to change the way poor people see the world.

In this post, I would like to further explore these concerns—and a few new ones—by focusing on “grit,” for it has so captured the fancy of our policy makers, administrators, and opinion-makers….

Let me repeat here what I’ve written in every other commentary on grit. Of course, perseverance is an important characteristic. I cherish it in my friends and my students.

But at certain ages and certain times in our lives, exploration and testing new waters can also contribute to CONTINUE READING: Mike Rose: Why Teaching “Grit” Is Not Necessarily a Good Thing | Diane Ravitch's blog

Expunging injustice – Fred Klonsky

Expunging injustice. – Fred Klonsky

EXPUNGING INJUSTICE

As a teenager and and young man in L.A. in the Sixties I smoked a lot of pot.

Everybody did.

It was cheap and widely available.

And illegal.

Although I wasn’t aware of it – even before The War on Drugs – there were already lots of people in jail for marijuana possession.

In June 1971, Richard Nixon officially declared his “War on Drugs,” claiming that drug abuse was “public enemy number one.”

The rise in recreational drug use in the 1960s led to President Nixon’s focus on targeting marijuana and LSD.   For Nixon, and his generation, pot use was an integral part of the counter culture and the radical political movements of the time.

And, of course, it was.

As part of the War on Drugs Nixon increased federal funding for drug-control agencies and proposed strict measures, such as mandatory prison sentencing, for drug crimes.

Nixon went on to create the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1973. This agency is a special police force committed to targeting illegal drug use and smuggling in the United States.

At the start, the DEA was given 1,470 special agents and a budget of less than $75 million. By 2017 the agency has nearly 5,000 agents and a budget of $2.03 billion.

By the mid-Seventies I no longer smoked at all and have smoked rarely since then.

On a 2015 trip to Amsterdam I bought a joint in what they call a coffee shop. I asked for CONTINUE READING: Expunging injustice. – Fred Klonsky

Most popular education research stories from 2019

Most popular education research stories from 2019

10 of the most popular stories about education research in 2019
Debunking critical thinking, 'grit' and what goes on in gifted classes

For my year-end post, I’m highlighting 10 of the most well-read Proof Points stories of 2019. They are listed in the order of popularity — by the number of times readers viewed them on our website, The Hechinger Report. What stands out for me is how popular education trends, from social-emotional learning to school discipline, aren’t standing up to scientific scrutiny. The research evidence for education technology continues to be weak.

Thank you to everyone who has read and commented on my weekly stories about education data and research. I look forward to continuing this conversation with you next year. If you would like to receive an email newsletter and notification when the column comes out each week, please click here and fill out the form. Happy New Year  and I’ll be back again on Jan. 6, 2020.

1. Scientific research on how to teach critical thinking contradicts education trends

Daniel Willingham, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, makes the case that one of the biggest education trends — critical thinking — isn’t taught properly in schools. An extensive review of the research on how to teach critical thinking argues for teaching students old-fashioned content knowledge instead of CONTINUE READING: Most popular education research stories from 2019

UJAMAA – Parenting for Liberation #P4LKWANZAA

UJAMAA – Parenting for Liberation

Habari Gani?  Ujamaa!

Today is the fourth day of Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration that honors African heritage of the Black Diaspora. We will be highlighting the importance of the seven core principles of Kwanzaa, how you can practice in your families and communities, and share how Parenting for Liberation work embodies the tenets of each principle. 

Today, on the fourth day of Kwanzaa, we celebrate Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) which is to build & maintain our own stores, shops, & other businesses & to profit from them together.

One way that Parenting for Liberation practices Cooperative Economics is that we support Black businesses for our gatherings and events from the food, photography, and artists. Below are some vendors for our Kwanzaa event. Join us in patronizing them! CONTINUE READING: UJAMAA – Parenting for Liberation

Ten Education Stories We'll Be Reading in 2020 - Rick Hess Straight Up - Education Week

Ten Education Stories We'll Be Reading in 2020 - Rick Hess Straight Up - Education Week

Ten Education Stories We'll Be Reading in 2020

As we bid adieu to 2019 and look forward to another year of tranquil good cheer, it's time for my annual prognostications. Now, while some of you have uncharitably observed that I've an uneven record on this count, I shall soldier on, undaunted by the naysaying. Thus, without further ado, here's my best guess at 10 big education stories we'll be reading in the year ahead:

1. As his impeachment trial looms, President Donald Trump's legal team tries a new tactic. In a surprising bid to solidify his position for the Senate trial, Trump's defense team explains that he can't have violated the responsibilities of the office . . . because he never learned what they are. One adviser tells The Washington Post, "I don't think the president ever heard the phrase 'enumerated powers' until the impeachment hearings began." As the White House release puts it, "The president cannot reasonably be expected to comply with niceties of constitutional doctrine that he was never taught." For his part, the president tweets, "DEEP-STATE teachers hid the truth from me in their sh#%hole schools!!!" He adds, "I have the best people. The best! Unlike my LOSER teachers, THEY finally told me about the Constitution and 'emuneraty powers.' Starting now, I will be the most enumerated president ever!!!"
2. Struggling to regain her footing in a tough primary season, Sen. Elizabeth Warren announces that she's upsizing her higher education plan. In a carefully choreographed event at a Massachusetts community college, the candidate with a "plan for everything" unveils her new and improved higher ed plan. "My first plan just wasn't quite free enough," Warren says. "Now, free college will really mean free." Federal funding would cover tuition, fees, books, room and board, Wi-Fi access, travel, professional wardrobe, dorm fridges, boutique coffee drinks, yoga, Spotify Premium, fabric softener, and concert tickets. In a new campaign ad, Warren caresses a ridiculously soft-looking towel and says, "My plan? It's not just free college. It's free fabric softener, too!! How soft, you ask?" She winks, "Soft enough to absorb even a billionaire's dewy, delicious tears." The spot is a huge hit, winning the coveted ad of the year award from the influential Socialist Marketing Alliance of America.
3. Shortly after his Senate acquittal, Trump embarks on a "You're Fired Tour," visiting schools across America to fire teachers (whom he continues to blame for his travails). CONTINUE READING: Ten Education Stories We'll Be Reading in 2020 - Rick Hess Straight Up - Education Week

Kentucky: First Charter School | Diane Ravitch's blog

Kentucky: First Charter School | Diane Ravitch's blog

Kentucky: First Charter School

Kentucky passed a law authorizing charters but never provided funding for them. The new governor of Kentucky, Democrat Andy Beshears, was elected in part because of his strong support by teachers and his commitment to public schools.

https://www.fox19.com/2019/12/28/latest-kentucky-news-sports-business-entertainment-am-est/

CHARTER SCHOOL-DENIED

First charter school application in Kentucky rejected

NEWPORT, Ky. (AP) — The first charter school application filed in Kentucky has been unanimously denied. News outlets report Newport Independent CONTINUE READING: Kentucky: First Charter School | Diane Ravitch's blog

Education Research Report TODAY

Education Research Report

Education Research Report TODAY

A large negative fiscal impact of charter schools on both urban and nonurban school districts

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h

Complete report A significant criticism of the charter school movement is that funding for charter schools diverts money away from traditional public schools. The magnitude of such adverse fiscal externalities depends in part on the nature of state and local funding policies. This paper examines the fiscal effects of charter schools on both urban and nonurban school districts in North Carolina. T

Does Broad-Based Merit Aid Improve College Completion? Yes and No

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h

This study uses the natural experiment of a state lottery scholarship to measure the effect of generous financial aid on graduation rates at New Mexico's flagship public university. During the study period, the scholarship program paid full tuition for eight semesters for any state resident earning a 2.5 grade point average in their first semester at any public two-year or four-year college. The

Positive effects on student achievement driven by the length of the school day, not the length of the school year

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h

Schools often have to decide between extending the length of the school year or the school day. This paper examines the effects of changes in the distribution of instructional time on eighth-grade student achievement through a methodological framework that disaggregates total yearly instructional time into separate inputs for days per year and hours per day. This study's dataset brings together n

The Effects of School Reform under NCLB Waivers: Evidence from Focus Schools in Kentucky

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h

Under waivers to the No Child Left Behind Act, the federal government required states to identify schools where targeted subgroups of students have the lowest achievement and to implement reforms in these “Focus Schools.” This study examines the Focus School reforms in the state of Kentucky. The reforms in this state are uniquely interesting for several reasons. One is that the state developed un

Does an Accountability Program that Targets Achievement Gaps Affect Student Performance?

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h

In 2011, the U.S. Department of Education granted states the opportunity to apply for waivers from the core requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. In exchange, many states implemented systems of differentiated accountability that included a focus on schools with the largest achievement gaps between subgroups of students. This study uses administrative data from Michigan in a series of regr

 Vocational and Career Tech Education in American High Schools: The Value of Depth Over Breadth

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h

Education Finance and Policy, Vol. 15, No. 1: 11-44. Vocational education is a large part of the high school curriculum, yet we have little understanding of what drives vocational enrollment or whether these courses help or harm early careers. To address this deficiency, the authors develop a framework for curriculum choice, taking into account ability and preferences for academic and vocational

College Students’ Sense of Belonging: A National Perspective

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h

In a nationally representative sample , first-year U.S. college students “somewhat agree,” on average, that they feel like they belong at their school. However, belonging varies by key institutional and student characteristics; of note, racial-ethnic minority and first-generation students report lower belonging than peers at 4-year schools, while the opposite is true at 2-year schools. Further, a

Improving Teaching Effectiveness in New York City Middle Schools

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1h

Ten years ago, the reform of teacher evaluation was touted as a mechanism to improve teacher effectiveness. In response, virtually every state redesigned its teacher evaluation system. Recently, a growing narrative suggests these 

Education Research Report