Diane in the Evening 8-13-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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

Ed Berger Gives a Test to the “Reformers”

Blogger Edward Berger has a test for those who claim to be reformers. What do you know about teaching? How long did you teach? What gives you the authority to tell teachers how to teach? And that’s just the beginning. He concludes that most reformers are quacks.

5 by dianerav / 57min 

Honor Dr. Rella for Standing Strong This Saturday

If you live anywhere on Long Island or near it, you should show up to meet and greet Dr. Joseph Rella, a hero educator who spoke out against New York State’s nutty and abusive scoring system. The event is on Saturday at noon. I received the following notice from his admirers: Dr. Joseph Rella, superintendent of Comsewogue School District, has created an opportunity for everyone who wants to end hi

1 by dianerav / 11min 

Philadelphia Parents: Do Not Open the Schools!

Philadelphia parents have taken a strong stand against the budget cuts that have decimated their children’s schools. They say, “Don’t open them unless they are fully funded.” Parents were responding to the district superintendent’s statement that the opening of school may be delayed. Last spring the district laid off nearly 4,000 teachers and other staff. “I am in the unfortunate position today of

3 by dianerav / 26min 

A Warning to the Anti-Common Core Group in New York

Three days ago, I posted about a new group formed to stop Common Core in New York. I watched and saw vehement arguments among the comments, especially about the extent to which the group was bipartisan or nonpartisan. The group is called Stop Common Core in New York State. Here is the link to the website: www.stopccssinnys.com or www.stopcommoncoreinnewyork.com. It has a FB group page https://www

2 by dianerav / 29min mark as read  //  save

The Great North Carolina Puzzle

Here is a puzzle for someone to solve. Governor Pat McCrory in North Carolina says that he did not cut the education budget. He says that the state is spending more than ever on education. This legislator says the budget was not cut, and anyone who says so is expressing “an outright lie.” And this legislator agrees. But every district is laying off teachers, teachers’ assistants, assistant princip

1 by dianerav / 29min 

Why We Love Monica Ratliff

What is not to love about Monica? She beat the Billionaires Boys Club, which had assembled a massive campaign fund to defeat her. She was trained as a lawyer, worked in civil rights law, then became a teacher. She has taught for 12 years in a high-poverty school. She won election to the LAUSD school board as a long-shot underdog. Here she gently explains to a host on the Fox Morning Show that all

1 by dianerav / 7min mark as read  //  save

Teacher: What I Learned as a Student in Chile

As corporate reformers demand a free-market system, where charters and vouchers are easily available, and schools compete for students, it is wise to take note of Chile. Chile is the one nation that implemented Chicago economist Milton Friedman’s ideas into its education system, at the behest of military dictator Pinochet. This is a comment by a teacher who studied in Chile: “I was studying abroa

2 by dianerav / 18min 

Fort Wayne School Board Votes to Disregard Bennett A-F Grades

The Fort Wayne Community School Board passed a resolution by a vote o 6-1 to discontinue using the A-F grading system created by disgraced former State Superintendent Tony Bennett. The South Bend, Indiana, school board is considering the same resolution:   RESOLUTION OF THE FORT WAYNE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES TO CEASE RECOGNITION OF ITS SCHOOLS BASED UPON THE BENNETT A-F

by dianerav / 1min mark as read  //  save

Anthony Cody: Lessons from the NY Test Debacle

Anthony Cody has written another brilliant column, this one explaining the lessons of New York’s disastrous Common Core testing, in which 70 percent of the state’s children allegedly “failed.” I say allegedly because this was failure that was designed and manufactured by State Commissioner John King. King predicted what the scores would be before the students took the tests. How did he know? He de

11 by dianerav / 59min 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-13-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Chile: The Most Pro-Market School System in the World, Part 2This is the second is a series of three articles written by Professor Mario Waissbluth of Chile for this blog. In this series, he describes the school system in Chile, which is based on testing and choice. Chile´s Education (II): The results of the most neoliberal system

by mike simpson / 2h 

How To Define ‘Success’? | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

How To Define ‘Success’? | Gary Rubinstein's Blog:

How To Define ‘Success’?

by Gary Rubinstein

The new and improved New York State tests have arrived and the higher standards have taken much of the air out of many charter chain’s balloons.  Schools, in particular, from KIPP and Democracy Prep have seen their status change from ‘above average’ to ‘below average’ overnight, at least based on the ‘reform’ definition of quality.

But there is still one charter chain, standing tall, and that is the Success Academy network.  ‘Reformers’ must be conflicted.  On the one hand they have a charter network that is doing well.  On the other, many of the sacred cows of reform, including KIPP, are not looking so good.  If Success really has demonstrated that it has the recipe that the other chains do not have, then in the name of ‘accountability,’ wouldn’t it be best to stop investing in these other charter networks and focus solely on the one that seems to be working?

Still, I’d say that this is a ‘victory’ for the reform crowd right now since the Success schools seem to finally prove that ‘Poverty is not destiny’ — as long as you define destiny as below average scores on a multiple choice math and reading test.

I’ve examined the various statistics about Success and will summarize and analyze them here with the hope of shedding light on what things this network might be doing that ‘works’ and also illuminating some of the problems with this network.

An example of the press gushing about this network, see this recent New York Post article.  Here is an excerpt:

Of the 1,500 kids in her Harlem and South Bronx schools who took the Common Core exams, 82 percent got a passing score in math, and 58 percent passed English.

Across the city, the pass rates were 26 percent in English and 30 percent in math. Many other 

Join me and guest Dr. Camika Royal live on Wednsday at 2:00 PM

I’m doing another Spreecast show this Wednesday and I’m excited to announce a very special guest, Dr. Camika Royal.  She is awesome and definitely one of the wisest voices in the education discussion today.  She is often on Huffington Post Live, and always steals the show.  It should be great. If you have a web-cam, you can join in on the discussion.  Also, I’ve invited a few other guests who may

1 by Gary Rubinstein / 21h 

AUG 09

My New eBook Available On Amazon

But it’s not the book you book think. People who like this blog would probably like to see a book about my ed reform tales and research, and I have actually started that book a few times.  I even have a working title, something like, “The Attempted Hijacking of American Education:  How I helped a little old lady cross the most powerful men in the world.”  Assuming one day the corporate reform move

3 by Gary Rubinstein / 3d mark as read  //  save

AUG 08

Driven by data … right off a cliff

Yesterday the big announcement in New York was the results of the latest ‘common core aligned’ state tests.  As expected, the scores plummeted.  The New York Times reported that from last year to this one, the percent of students scoring ‘proficient’ on English dropped from 47% to 26% while the percent scoring ‘proficient’ on Math dropped from 60% to 30%. Various ‘reformers’ weighed in and tried t

400+ by Gary Rubinstein / 4d 

WATCH: Common Core State Standards: Part 1 - Teaching | Learning Matters

WATCH: Common Core State Standards: Part 1 - Teaching | Learning Matters:

WATCH: Common Core State Standards: Part 1 - Teaching

Produced by: Cat McGrath

Standards only describe what students should know by the end of each grade level. How these standards are taught–what happens in the classroom–is the curriculum, and that is the responsibility of states and school districts. In this segment we see how teaching has changed in two 8th grade classes that have adopted the “Common Core.” We also examine the federal government’s role in this reform effort.

Tomorrow night, stay tuned for Part 2: Testing the “Common Core.” Will the new tests assess all the standards? What happens if they don’t?

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Missionary Zeal and the Paradox of Paternalism | the becoming radical

Missionary Zeal and the Paradox of Paternalism | the becoming radical:

Missionary Zeal and the Paradox of Paternalism

Posted on August 13, 2013 by plthomasedd

The United States of America fails Allie Fox, pushing him to abandon his homeland and to drag his family to the coast of Honduras in Paul Theroux’sMosquito Coast, popularized by the Harrison Ford and River Phoenix film adaptation:

“That’s business,” the captain said.

“That’s ruin,” Father [Allie Fox] said. “We eat when we’re not hungry, drink when we’re not thirsty, buy what we don’t need, and throw away everything that’s useful. Don’t sell a man what he wants—sell him what he doesn’t want. Pretend he’s got eight feet and two stomachs and money to burn. That’s not illogical—it’s evil.” (p. 75)

The novel, narrated by Allie’s son, Charlie, presents Allie as a gifted scientist/inventor with socialistic ideals and an aggressive humanism: “Father said, ‘Man is God’” (p. 85). In fact, Charlie notes, “It seemed as if Father could work miracles” (p. 63).

However, one character, Polski, recognizes danger lurking beneath Allie’s missionary zeal: “‘Your father’s the most obnoxious man I’ve ever met,’ Polski said”:

“He’s the worst kind of pain in the neck—a know-it-all who’s sometimes vight.”

Then, with all the sawdust in him stirring, he added, “I’ve come to see he’s dangerous….Tell him he’s a dangerous man, and one of these days he’s going to get you al killed….” (p. 55)

Theroux’s novel echoes and parallels other works about hubris and missionary zeal—Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s  ”Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” and Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible. Yet, in Theroux’s narrative Allie is one type of missionary who sees himself above the religious missionaries in the novel. Reverend Spellgood is mocked by Allie, but the reverend’s daughter, Emily Spellgood, explains to Charlie, “‘My father’s real 

Failing To The Top:

Failing To The Top

I have this recurring nightmare – one that, I fear, is about to become reality for most of America’s school children.

In my dream, I’m back in elementary school. It’s testing day and I’m struggling to remember my locker combination and get to class on time. My backpack implausibly opens and spills its contents into the hallway. Indifferent schoolmates rush by.

Finally I’m seated in class. The other students are already busily filling out their tests. An unfriendly proctor passes out the exam, and as I scan down the page, my stomach seizes into knots. I can’t answer a single question. The math problems are a confusion of numbers and symbols. The readings are worded with vocabulary totally foreign to me.

Oh, and did I mention I’m not wearing any pants?

Why do I fear my recurring nightmare – except the part about not wearing any pants – is becoming a reality for more of America’s school children? And why should anyone professing to care about the welfare of the nation’s school children care about this?

A Nightmare Writ Large

Earlier this year, students in New York state public schools took statewide exams aligned to the celebrated Common Core State Standards that are rolling out in most states in the nation. Last week, the results came in, and it’s obvious, given the numbers of students who failed the tests, that the students were about as well prepared for their tests as I had been for the tests of my nightmares.

One reason for why so many of the students failed –”nearly 70 percent of 

“I See Bad Teachers…” | EduShyster

“I See Bad Teachers…” | EduShyster:

“I See Bad Teachers…”

Posted on August 13, 2013

“I see bad teachers…. Walking around like excellent teachers….”

Reader: when viewing the latest blockbuster at my local megaplex, I often find myself wondering whether the director of said film has any ideas for reforming our failed and failing public schools. That’s why I was so pleased to learn that M. Night Shyamalan, maker of such hit films as the Sixth Sense, Signs and The Last Airbender, has embarked on a Titanic-sized project: closing the achievement gap. 

Getting Schooled
Next month, Shyamalan, whose last movie you almost certainly didn’t see, will release a book with the unlikely title of “I Got Schooled: The Unlikely Story of How a Moonlighting Movie Maker Learned the Five Keys to Closing America’s Education Gap.” But 

Court ruling limits fees schools can collect for replacement housing SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources:

Court ruling limits fees schools can collect for replacement housing
By Kimberly Beltran
Tuesday, August 13, 2013

California districts may not impose school-impact fees on new projects built to replace existing housing, a California appeals court ruled late last month.

A recent analysis of the decision in developer Cresta Bella’s lawsuit against Poway Unified School District found that other than increased square footage beyond that of the original project, a school district may not impose fees on replacement housing unless a study expressly demonstrates that the replacement housing will generate new students.

“Based on Cresta Bella, LP v. Poway Unified School District, (July 31, 2013) __ Cal.App.4th __ 2013 WL 3942961, the key for justification studies and school facilities needs analyses moving forward will be establishing the nexus or relationship between the development of replacement housing and the generation of new students,” Lozano Smith partner Harold Freiman wrote in a client brief.

“As noted by the court, the study must ‘show that reconstruction of preexisting units was projected to be a contributing cause of the need for new school facilities.’ Importantly, the court recognized that "[t]here may be circumstances in a particular school district's housing reconstruction trends that could support a correlation between reconstruction of preexisting residential units and the generation of new students. . . ."

The issue of fees for replacement housing was previously considered in Warmington Old Town Assocs. v. Tustin 

July tax collections fall short, economic outlook still rosy

Despite July’s reputation for delivering relatively modest state tax revenue, State Controller John Chiang expressed disappointment Monday that last month’s collections fell about 6 percent, or $300 million, short of expectations.

29min

Comfortable Baby Steps? | My Island View

Comfortable Baby Steps? | My Island View:

Comfortable Baby Steps?

August 13, 2013 by tomwhitby

I think everyone has certain phrases, or catchwords that tend to set them off. Some of us, of the more passionate persuasion, have phrases that send us over the edge. I am not talking about the conference clichés like “that’s where the tire meets the road” or “Let’s not kick that can down the road” and the ever-popular “I wouldn’t give your troubles to a monkey on a rock’. I am talking about phrases that are couched in the comfort of country-speak to conceal the true intentions of what the phrase represents. I attended a wonderful Edcamp this week where I shared and learned a great deal, but I encountered the frequent use of two such expressions in more than a couple of sessions.

If you need an explanation of what an Edcamp is, I will make an assumption that you are not yet connected, or at best a newly connected educator. Edcamps started a few years back and have become a growing movement for educators to personalize their learning of their much-needed professional development. The existing models of PD provided by the education system over the last few centuries don’t seem to be providing the necessary elements for success for educators. A growing number of educators have designed a new form of PD called Edcamps. Edcamp sessions are discussions of what the participants find relevant. There is no pre-set schedule of approved sessions. People volunteer to lead discussions on topics chosen by the attendees. There are no vendor sessions. There are only educators. If a session is not meeting 

8-13-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Tuesday Open Thread

Heard that the waitlists were running late - input from Tracy Libros in Enrollment:Our student information system is currently being replaced, so the most recent update of assignment and waiting list information was in mid-July. New information will be updated as soon as possible, which is likely to be at the end of August or beginning of September. We understand the importance of waiting list s

by Melissa Westbrook / 31min 

New Principals Announced for West Seattle Schools

From the West Seattle Blog:  Shannon Stanton was announced by Superintendent Banda as the new principal of Alki Elementary. Ms. Stanton comes to Alki from Pine Tree Elementary in the Kent School District, where she has been principal since 2011. She is committed to the academic initiatives at Alki and we believe she will be a great fit for the Alki community.Connie Aleman as the new principal of G

by Melissa Westbrook / 1h 

Readers, Stop Having Opinions and Voicing Them Here

Because you are making some School Board candidates upset (and possibly hurting their feelings.)This is my smile of the day because in the last couple of weeks I have heard from three candidates saying they have been "mischaracterized"  or "assumptions made" by this blog and by you, our readers. I can only say to all the candidates - welcome to politics.  Of course, people have opinions even befor

by Melissa Westbrook / 18min 

 Washington State Charter Law Case Update

The charter school law case has been assigned to King County and to Judge Jean Rietschel.  I was amused to read elsewhere that the lawyers for the plaintiffs were accused of going "court and judge shopping."For the record, most cases involving statewide issues are either heard in Olympia (state capital) or Seattle (largest court system).  No mystery there.As for judge shopping, it is my understand

by Melissa Westbrook / 2min 

YESTERDAY

Charter Schools -What's featured on their websites? Class Size

It's the same for private schools.Listen to Los Angeles School Board member, Steven Zimmer, as he speaks out about class size (as a former teacher).   It's a little less than three minutes long.Heartfelt and inspiring.  And yes, why is it that class size is touted for charters and private schools as a benefit and not public schools?  Don't all kids deserve attention?FYI, Bill Gates' kids' schools

by Melissa Westbrook / 20h 

Seattle Schools; New Appointments Announced

 (I have very mixed feelings about these appointments.  Both men have good education skills. Mr. Wright is the more worrisome of the two.  He has close ties with the Gates Foundation. He got onto the board of the Alliance for Education just nine months after he moved to Seattle a couple of years back.  That's something of a record for the Alliance to put him on their Board.  His resume shows that

by Melissa Westbrook / 22h mark as read  //  save

AUG 11

Seattle Schools This Week

Monday, August 12Curriculum and Instruction Policy Committee Mtg, 4-6 pm.  AgendaA lot of BARs for various partnerships with outside entities for services.  One, for Special Ed services via the Northwest School of Innovative Learning, caught my eye because I know they were being sued in 2011while a student in the Puyallup School District was in their school.  The student's family alleged physical

by Melissa Westbrook / 1d