THE CALIFORNIA EDUCATION DATA SWAMP: WHERE INCEST IS BEST WHEN YOU DO IT WITH DATA
If you thought the California education system was a hot mess, wait until you hear about the California Data Swamp. This murky world of for-profit companies, nonprofit organizations, charter schools, and advocacy groups is like a giant game of Twister, except instead of colored dots on a mat, there are data points on a spreadsheet.
At the center of this swamp is CORE California Office of Reform of Education (CORE), a nonprofit organization that is managed by a for-profit company, Aspire Public Schools. Aspire is a charter school management organization that operates 46 charter schools in California. So, basically, CORE is like the Siamese twin of Aspire, but instead of sharing organs, they share data.
CORE's mission is to "improve public education in California by providing high-quality schools and supporting innovative reforms." But some critics argue that CORE is more interested in promoting charter schools than in improving public education for all students. In other words, they're like that friend who always talks about their MLM scheme at dinner parties.
But let's be real, who cares about improving public education when you can make a profit? That's where the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) comes in. Both CORE and Aspire are part of the CCSA, which is a membership organization that advocates for charter schools in the state. It's like a club for people who want to make money off of education.
And speaking of making money, let's not forget about Empower Schools. This for-profit company manages CORE and provides consulting and support services to school districts and states that want to create autonomous and accountable schools. The chairman of Empower Schools is Chris Gabrieli, a venture capitalist and former Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate. Because when you think of education, you think of venture capitalists.
But wait, there's more! Aspire was founded in 1998 by Don Shalvey, a former superintendent of San Carlos School District, and Reed Hastings, the co-founder and CEO of Netflix. Yes, the same Reed Hastings who brought us "Tiger King" and "Stranger Things" is also involved in education. Because why not? It's not like he has enough money already.
Despite all these connections and similarities, CORE and Aspire have some differences and challenges. CORE is not a charter school operator, but a collaborative network of traditional public school districts. As such, they have to balance the interests and needs of its member districts, which may vary in size, demographics, governance, and performance. Meanwhile, Aspire is a charter school operator but not a member of CORE. It's like they're two siblings who don't get along.
Both CORE and Aspire use data and technology to support their instructional and operational practices. For example, CORE uses a data platform called Rally to track student progress and provide feedback to teachers and schools. Aspire uses a data system called Schoolzilla to monitor student achievement and growth. It's like they're playing a game of "Who Has the Better Data System?" but no one really wins.
At the end of the day, whether or not CORE is a good organization is up for debate. Some argue that they're promoting charter schools at the expense of public education, while others believe they're committed to improving public education for all students. But one thing's for sure: the California Data Swamp is a messy place full of incestuous relationships and profit-driven motives.
So let's all grab our snorkels and dive into the swamp together! Because if there's one thing we need in education, it's more confusion and chaos. Who knows? Maybe we'll find some buried treasure along the way. Or maybe we'll just end up covered in mud and regretting our life choices. Either way, it'll be a fun adventure!
THE DEFT DIVE
FROM BARD AI
Yes, CORE California Office of Reform of Education (CORE) is a nonprofit organization that is managed by a for-profit company, Aspire Public Schools. Aspire is a charter school management organization that operates 46 charter schools in California.
CORE's mission is to "improve public education in California by providing high-quality schools and supporting innovative reforms." CORE does this by providing data and research to schools and districts, developing and evaluating educational interventions, and advocating for policies that improve public education.
CORE has been criticized by some for its close ties to Aspire and for its promotion of charter schools. Critics argue that CORE is more interested in promoting charter schools than in improving public education for all students.
CORE's supporters argue that the organization is committed to improving public education for all students. They point to CORE's work with traditional public schools and its advocacy for policies that support public education.
While there is no doubt that CORE has close ties to Aspire and that it promotes charter schools, it is also true that CORE does important work to improve public education for all students. CORE provides data and research to schools and districts, develops and evaluates educational interventions, and advocates for policies that improve public education. This work can benefit all students, regardless of whether they attend a charter school or a traditional public school.
Ultimately, whether or not CORE is a good organization is a matter of opinion. There are valid arguments to be made on both sides of the issue. However, it is important to remember that CORE is not the only organization working to improve public education in California. There are many other organizations that are also doing important work, and it is important to support all of these organizations in their efforts to make public education better for all students.
FROM BING AI
CORE California Office of Reform of Education (CORE) and Aspire Charter School Chain. Here is a summary of what I found from the web:
- - CORE is a nonprofit organization that was established in 2010 by eight California school districts: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Fresno, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Sacramento, Oakland and San Francisco¹. The CORE districts collaborate to raise student achievement through innovation, continuous improvement, and shared accountability¹. They are the only local educational agencies in the nation to secure a federal No Child Left Behind waiver, which allows them to implement their own accountability system that includes multiple academic and non-academic indicators, such as social-emotional learning measures¹².
- - Aspire Charter School Chain is a network of public charter schools that operates in California and Tennessee. Aspire was founded in 1998 by Don Shalvey, a former superintendent of San Carlos School District, and Reed Hastings, the co-founder and CEO of Netflix³. Aspire's mission is to open and operate small, high-quality charter schools in low-income neighborhoods, with the goal of preparing students for college³. Aspire currently serves more than 17,000 students in 40 schools across 10 cities.
- - CORE and Aspire have some connections and similarities, such as:
- - Both are part of the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA), which is a membership organization that advocates for charter schools in the state.
- - Both use data and technology to support their instructional and operational practices. For example, CORE uses a data platform called Rally to track student progress and provide feedback to teachers and schools. Aspire uses a data system called Schoolzilla to monitor student achievement and growth.
- - Both have received funding and recognition from various foundations and organizations, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, the Broad Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education .
- - CORE and Aspire also have some differences and challenges, such as:
- - CORE is not a charter school operator, but a collaborative network of traditional public school districts. As such, CORE has to balance the interests and needs of its member districts, which may vary in size, demographics, governance, and performance.
- - Aspire is a charter school operator, but not a member of CORE. As such, Aspire has to compete with other charter schools and traditional public schools for students, resources, and authorizations.
- - Both face criticism and opposition from some stakeholders, such as teachers unions, local school boards, or community groups, who may question their accountability, transparency, or impact on public education .
Bing, 8/8/2023
(1) Home - CORE Districts. https://coredistricts.org/.
(2) Charter Schools - CalEdFacts (CA Dept of Education). https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ch/cefcharterschools.asp.
(3) Aspire Charter School Not Right for Lincoln Unified - California .... https://www.cta.org/educator/posts/aspire-charter-school-not-right-for-lincoln-unified.
CORE California Office of Reform of Education (CORE) and its relation to charter schools and privatization. Here is a summary of what I found from the web:
- - CORE is a nonprofit organization that was established in 2010 by eight California school districts: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Fresno, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Sacramento, Oakland and San Francisco¹. The CORE districts collaborate to raise student achievement through innovation, continuous improvement, and shared accountability¹. They are the only local educational agencies in the nation to secure a federal No Child Left Behind waiver, which allows them to implement their own accountability system that includes multiple academic and non-academic indicators, such as social-emotional learning measures¹².
- - CORE is managed by a for-profit company called Empower Schools, which is based in Boston and provides consulting and support services to school districts and states that want to create autonomous and accountable schools³ . Empower Schools was founded by Chris Gabrieli, a venture capitalist and former Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate, who is also the chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and the co-founder of the National Center on Time and Learning³ .
- - CORE does not explicitly promote charter schools or privatization, but it does advocate for more flexibility and autonomy for public schools, which can be seen as aligned with the charter school movement. Some of the benefits that CORE claims for its approach are:
- - It allows public schools to tailor their programs and practices to the needs and interests of their students and communities, rather than following a one-size-fits-all model imposed by the state or federal government.
- - It encourages public schools to learn from each other and share best practices, rather than competing or isolating themselves.
- - It empowers public schools to use multiple measures of student success, rather than relying solely on standardized test scores.
- - However, some of the criticisms that CORE faces are:
- - It undermines public education by creating a parallel system of accountability that bypasses the democratic oversight and input of the state and local boards of education.
- - It creates an uneven playing field for public schools by granting some districts more privileges and resources than others, which can exacerbate inequality and segregation among students.
- - It opens the door for more privatization and marketization of public education by allowing private entities, such as Empower Schools, to influence and profit from public school decisions and policies.
Bing, 8/8/2023
(1) Home - CORE Districts. https://coredistricts.org/.
(2) Social-Emotional Measures for California Office to Reform Education .... https://cepr.harvard.edu/social-emotional-measures-california-office-reform-education.
(3) About Us - CORE. https://www.coreresponse.org/about-us/.
- - California public education data are collected and reported by the California Department of Education (CDE), which provides access to various data and statistics about California’s students, teachers, and schools¹. Some of the data topics include enrollment, assessment and accountability, English learners, foster youth, free or reduced-price meal, graduates and dropouts, and staff and course data². The CDE also partners with other organizations, such as the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and Ed-Data, to provide additional data resources and analysis for educators, policymakers, and the public³⁴.
- - The CDE has been involved in a legal dispute with two Stanford University education researchers, Thomas Dee and Sean Reardon, who were sought as expert witnesses by the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the state over its handling of remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic⁵⁶. The CDE claimed that Dee violated a data partnership agreement by filing a brief for the plaintiffs, and threatened to fine him $50,000 and cut off his research access⁵. The plaintiffs argued that the CDE's action violated the researchers' free speech rights and the students' right to hear expert testimony⁶. The case is pending in Alameda County Superior Court⁶.
- - The California Office to Reform Education (CORE) is a nonprofit organization that was established in 2010 by eight California school districts: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Fresno, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Sacramento, Oakland and San Francisco⁷⁸. The CORE districts collaborate to raise student achievement through innovation, continuous improvement, and shared accountability⁷. They are the only local educational agencies in the nation to secure a federal No Child Left Behind waiver, which allows them to implement their own accountability system that includes multiple academic and non-academic indicators, such as social-emotional learning measures⁷⁸.
- - The CORE districts are a subset of the larger network of CORE-PACE Research Partnership, which is a collaboration between CORE, Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), and various research institutions⁹. The partnership aims to improve educational outcomes for all students by producing rigorous research and providing evidence-based support for district improvement efforts⁹. Some of the research topics include middle school math outcomes, chronic absenteeism, teacher evaluation systems, and school climate surveys⁹ [^10^].
Bing, 8/8/2023
(1) Data & Statistics (CA Dept of Education) - California Department of .... https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/.
(2) Accessing Educational Data - Data & Statistics (CA Dept of Education). https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/ad/.
(3) EdData - State Profile - California Public Schools. https://www.ed-data.org/state/CA.
(4) Public education in California - Ballotpedia. https://ballotpedia.org/Public_education_in_California.
(5) Stanford researchers barred from testifying by data agreement. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2023/08/03/stanford-researchers-barred-testifying-data.
(6) Critics pan state’s justification for threatening Stanford education .... https://edsource.org/2023/critics-pan-states-justification-for-threatening-stanford-education-professor-over-breach-of-data-contract/695208.
(7) Stanford, U of Wash. faculty fought disinformation, got sued. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/research/2023/06/23/stanford-u-wash-faculty-fought-disinformation-got-sued.
(8) Social-Emotional Measures for California Office to Reform Education .... https://cepr.harvard.edu/social-emotional-measures-california-office-reform-education.
(9) Home - CORE Districts. https://coredistricts.org/.
(10) CORE California Office to Reform Education California Education. https://slidetodoc.com/core-california-office-to-reform-education-california-education/.
(11) CORE - California Office to Reform Education - All Acronyms. https://www.allacronyms.com/CORE/California_Office_to_Reform_Education.
(12) . https://bing.com/search?q=CORE+districts.
(13) About Us - CORE Districts. https://coredistricts.org/about-us/.
(14) PACE Reports & Findings - CORE Districts. https://coredistricts.org/our-improvement-data/research-report-findings/.
