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

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

Feisty Friday Diane Ravitch's blog 

A site to discuss better education for all

Stuart Egan: Betsy DeVos IS the Status Quo

by dianeravitch / 2min

Stuart Egan, a high school teacher in North Carolina, notes that Betsy DeVos relies on two rhetorical strategies: 1. Pleasant (and meaningless) platitudes; 2. A decided opposition to “the status quo.” She, who insisted at her Senate hearing 

WSJ: Congress Is Going After Your Pension, Not Theirs

10by dianeravitch / 41min

Today in the Wall Street Journal, a story that is enraging. The people with the best pension in the world want to slash yours! “The lucky participants in one of the best retirement plans around are coming after yours with a meat cleaver. “In 

Tomorrow is Earth Day! There Will Also Be Many “March for Science” Events

1by dianeravitch / 27min

April 22 is an annual event to celebrate the Earth and to take steps to improve the environment for all who share the same planet. Tomorrow there will also be a March for Science in many locales, notably in Washington, D.C. and in New 

Dr. Betty Rosa, Chancellor of New York Board of Regents, Responds to Robert Pondiscio of Thomas B. Fordham Institute

by dianeravitch / 40min

Dr. Betty Rosa, Chancellor of the New York Board of Regents, responded to a critical article by Robert Pondiscio of the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute in this post on the TBF website. Pondiscio expressed disappointmen

Gary Rubinstein: The Oops Factor at Bill Gates’ Favorite School in Colorado

1by dianeravitch / 32min

The trouble with hailing a school as a model is that you can’t predict what might happen next year. This has never stopped Bill Gates! In 2012, he visited the Eagle Valley High School in Colorado. In 2013, he celebrated the school in his annual letter as one that was successfully adopting his ideas. But…Gary Rubinstein reviewed Eagle Valley High School’s latest state report, and it is no longer a

Jeff Bryant: Betsy DeVos Doesn’t Care About Civil Rights

4by dianeravitch / 1h

The U.S. Department of Education has been a major force in protecting the civil rights of students and promoting desegregation. But, writes Jeff Bryant, these issues do not seem to be part of Betsy DeVos’s agenda . Nor are they a high priority for Jeff Sessions at the Justice Department. He writes: “So far, Trump’s Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has sent numerous signs she is assembling a staff

Betsy and Randi Visit a Rural School District in Ohio

5by dianeravitch / 2h

Betsy DeVos and Randi Weingarten visited the public schools of rural Van Wert, Ohio. Randi wanted Betsy to see how important federal dollars are to a good public school. Betsy went along and got a promise from Randi to tour a school of choice with her. Education Week says the “rifts” between them remain. Yeah, a rift the size of the Grand Canyon is not likely to close no matter how many schools t

YESTERDAY

The Indivisibles Now Have Nearly 6,000 Groups Organized to Defeat the Rightwing Agenda

13by dianeravitch / 18h

The Indivisibles started out as a guide for people who wanted to oppose the Trump agenda. It was specific advice offered by former Congressional staff members. Among other things, it urged people to attend town hall meetings with their elected officials. Thousands of people responded and we have already seen how members of the public are demanding action from their representatives to protect thei

Texas: AR-15 Assault Weapon Will Be Raffle Prize for School Charity

32by dianeravitch / 21h

The New Caney school district in Texas is holding a raffle to raise money for Project Graduation. One of the prizes is an AR-15 assault rifle. This is the same weapon that has been used in numerous massacres, including the massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and the Orlando nightclub massacre. The owner of the gun said he would do a background check before releasing the we

Have You Heard? Truth in Edvertising

11by dianeravitch / 22h

Jennifer Berkshire and historian Jack Schneider discuss a new phenomenon: schools that advertise for students. They identify one charter that spends $1,000 per student to recruit new ones. This is the new world of school choice and the free market, where schools compete for customers and your tax dollars are spent for advertising and marketing, not for teacher pay or supplies. http://haveyouheard

Chester Finn Jr. Calls for an End to Teacher Tenure

26by dianeravitch / 23h

In this post , Chester (Checker) Finn Jr. questions the need for teacher tenure. Getting rid of tenure, he says, will save money, as it has in higher education, where money is lavished on administrators’ salaries and facilities, but not faculty (except for the Big Names). He thinks that teacher tenure is a relatively recent invention, copying tenure in higher education. Actually, this is not true

James Kirylo: Our Obsession with Standardized Testing is Inhumane

16by dianeravitch / 1d

Mercedes Schneider posted a guest column by James Kirylo on our leaders’ sick obsession with testing and its harmful consequences for students. Testing has become a grueling rite of spring, he writes. “Whereas in 1950 those who completed high school took only approximately three standardized tests through their entire K-12 experience, and whereas in 1991 those who completed their K-12 experience

Steven Singer: DeVos Hires Critic of Civil Rights to Not Protect Civil Rights

14by dianeravitch / 1d

Each day brings more evidence that the Trump administration intends to roll back the social and political gains of the past 50 years (Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society) and perhaps even FDR’s New Deal. Betsy DeVos hired lawyer and rightwing activist Candace Jackson as acting assistant secretary in charge of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. When DeVos finds a permanent as

Mitchell Robinson: The Danger of Silencing Teachers

35by dianeravitch / 1d

Mitchell Robinson, professor of music education at Michigan State, writes a very sad story here about a dedicated teacher who was threatened with firing if she refused to name names. “Rachel [a pseudonym] is one of those teachers who has 

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

California bill that critics say could cripple charter schools back in the spotlight | EdSource

California bill that critics say could cripple charter schools back in the spotlight | EdSource:

California bill that critics say could cripple charter schools back in the spotlight

A bill that would have allowed only school districts to approve new charter petitions is very much alive despite being shelved Monday by its sponsor.

The bill known as Senate Bill 808 got a burst of support Tuesday from the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, which voted 4-3 in favor of a resolution supporting the bill plus two others that charter advocates consider anti-charter.

The vote came after vigorous appeals from charter supporters to defeat the resolution.

SB 808 is one of three pieces of anti-charter legislation championed by the state’s largest teacher’s union, the California Teachers Association. The bill limits the ability of charter schools to open new campuses or renew existing agreements by requiring them to seek approvals to operate from local school districts only. The bill would also greatly limit the appeals process if a district turns down a charter.

Currently, to open a charter school, organizers can submit petitions to school districts for authorization, and in some cases to county offices of education or the State Board of Education. If their application is denied by the district, they can appeal to their county office of education and the State Board of Education.

Charter supporters argue that the bill will lead to the shut down of many charters since they must get renewals every five years.

Union spokeswoman Claudia Briggs reiterated that SB 808 is not dead and instead will follow a two-year timeline in the current legislative cycle.

The bill’s author, Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, tabled the bill rather than call for a vote on Wednesday when it was due to come before the Senate Education Committee. Mendoza is expected to appear Monday at the Capitol with the California Teachers Association leadership to reiterate his support for the bill. Authors of the two other bills the union is supporting will also speak.

Charter schools are public schools that are run independently. Their growth has California bill that critics say could cripple charter schools back in the spotlight | EdSource:

 

Finding Teachable Moments In The March For Science : NPR Ed : NPR

Finding Teachable Moments In The March For Science : NPR Ed : NPR:

Educators On A Hot Topic: Global Warming 101

Organizers of Saturday's nationwide March for Science have some pretty lofty goals: supporting science "as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity." Promoting "evidence-based policies in the public interest." Oh, and don't forget highlighting "the very real role that science plays in each of our lives and the need to respect and encourage research that gives us insight into the world."

Whoa, that's a lot of exalted ground to cover with one cardboard sign!

But long after those signs and slogans are put away, educators will continue the fun, hard slog of helping students understand key issues, like global warming, the science behind it and what students can do to help.

I reached out to three veteran experts on climate science education — Scott Denning, Frank Niepold and Rebecca Anderson — who'll be working on the issue during and after this weekend's marches. I wanted to hear more about their work and challenges, especially at a time when the head of the EPA has questioned the human role in global warming and President Trump has proposed slashing climate change funding and pulling back many environmental regulations.

First up: Scott Denning. By day, Denning teaches atmospheric science at Colorado State University. He's also the former editor of the Journal of Climate and the founding science chair of the North American Carbon Program. He's produced lots of peer-reviewed scholarly papers on the topic.

And, for more than a decade, Denning has helped educate audiences of all ages about Finding Teachable Moments In The March For Science : NPR Ed : NPR:

Ohio Town’s Schools Hope to Be ‘More Than a Line Item’ in the Federal Budget - The New York Times

Ohio Town’s Schools Hope to Be ‘More Than a Line Item’ in the Federal Budget - The New York Times:

Ohio Town’s Schools Hope to Be ‘More Than a Line Item’ in the Federal Budget

VAN WERT, Ohio — Ken Amstutz’s phone did not stop buzzing long enough for him to think about what could happen in 24 hours. He was fielding questions from public officials and the national news media, keeping tabs on planned protests and coordinating a meeting with United States Marshals.

“Nothing like this happens in Van Wert!” said Mr. Amstutz, a small-town school superintendent.

Then on Thursday, Betsy DeVos, the education secretary, and Randi Weingarten, her antagonist and president of the American Federation of Teachers, descended on this small, rural school district for a highly anticipated meeting of two polarizing education leaders. In a town that voted overwhelmingly for President Trump, and that takes pride in its public school system, educators hoped the two leaders could find common ground.

The area remains avowedly Republican but is leery of the budget cuts that Mr. Trump has proposed for federal aid to poor school districts. Parents also have little use for the Trump administration’s push to expand school choice and access to private-school vouchers. They want their neighborhood schools to work, because that is what they have.

“We’ve always voted Republican,” Mr. Amstutz said. “Public education is one area where Republicans have done nothing for us, really.”

Ms. Weingarten and Ms. DeVos made for strange traveling companions. Ms. Weingarten called Ms. DeVos’s confirmation a “sad day for children” and has accused the billionaire secretary of undermining public education by bankrolling Ohio Town’s Schools Hope to Be ‘More Than a Line Item’ in the Federal Budget - The New York Times:

CURMUDGUCATION: The Attack on Charter Schools

CURMUDGUCATION: The Attack on Charter Schools:

The Attack on Charter Schools

Nashville Charter School parents complain that they are under attack and disrespected. Charter advocates have long panel discussions about how to fight back against the attacks on charters and choice. Every 9-12 months, a new website is launched because reformy fans of charter and choice believe that they are under attack and need to get their story Out There.

Even the newly-minted teacher of the year, who works at a charter school, is concerned that public and charter schools are seen as "in conflict."

So why do charter schools feel so attacked and put upon?

Part of it may be an illusion of privilege. When you are an rich old white guy who has always gotten his way, it can be shocking and destabilizing when people say "No" to you. If you are a money-soaked hedge-funder surrounded by compliant underlings, it may be upsetting when people who should know their place start getting uppity. When you live soaked in privilege, any denial of your God-given right to get your own way might well feel like an attack. But that doesn't describe everyone who has thrown their support behind charters and choice.

Some of it is certainly karma, history coming around. Many charter choice fans seem to have forgotten that they spent years pitching charters and choice by chicken littling about Failing Public Schools and how much the public schools suck and how trained educators were awful, better replaced by lightly trained best-and-brightests from some ivy-covered hall.They are like the bully who, having finally pushed the kid with the glasses too far so that he takes boxing lessons and starts to punch back at their bullying but, says, "What are you doing! You're supposed to be too nice to CURMUDGUCATION: The Attack on Charter Schools:

14 Devious Claims to Destroy Special Education

14 Devious Claims to Destroy Special Education:

14 Devious Claims to Destroy Special Education

Around the country, state education chiefs, local school superintendents, and school boards are eliminating special education services. There’s an effort to get rid of special education. Sometimes this is done through language that sounds appealing.

Who doesn’t want a quality education for all children? Why not declassify students? Do schools really need part-time resource classes for reading? These claims might sound acceptable but they almost always lead to budget cuts!

Here is what I am referring to. If I have left something out or you have a favorite claim that’s made to get rid of special education please let me know.

1. “The bar is too low.” When the IEP is written carefully with feedback from parents and a variety of specialists the goals should be realistic and challenging. The bar should never be set too low if parents are involved in the decision-making and the IEP is written correctly.
2. “We need an enrollment cap.” Caps on special education should be outlawed! Ask the Texas Education Agency how their cap on services is working out. 
3. “General education needs the money more than special education.” This has been a common claim from the beginning of IDEA (PL 94-142). It pits special education against general education.
4. “Students deserve quality schooling.” This implies that special education, or any kind of individual assistance, lacks quality. It’s an attempt to convince 14 Devious Claims to Destroy Special Education:

Two Wise Articles about High School Graduation Requirements | janresseger

Two Wise Articles about High School Graduation Requirements | janresseger:

Two Wise Articles about High School Graduation Requirements

This week brought two fine commentaries on today’s punitive high school graduation requirements. Stan Karp, an educator, demonstrates widespread flawed assumptions about the need for high school exit exams. And, in a stunning commentary, the Rev. Jesse Jackson exposes the serious flaw in Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to demand that students present proof of a life plan in order to secure a high school diploma.

I hope Stan Karp, an educator and editor at Rethinking Schools Magazine, whose column is published by Valerie Strauss at the Washington Post, is correct when he says it seems to be going out of style to use exit tests artificially to raise the bar for high school graduation: “In the last few years, 10 states have repealed or delayed high school exit exams. California, Georgia, South Carolina, and Arizona even decided to issue diplomas retroactively to thousands of students denied them due to scores on discontinued tests. Although 13 states still use exit testing for diplomas and policies are in flux in several others, the number is down from a high of 27 states during the testing craze promoted by No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Karp’s article exposes the flaws in the myth that high school graduation tests ensure that students hold what has been called “a high-quality diploma.”

Karp lives in New Jersey, which still uses a standardized testing bar for high school graduation. I live in Ohio, where a new graduation plan, scheduled to begin with the class of  2018, requires students to accrue a total score of 18 points from a batch of required end-of-course exams. Projections indicate about a third of Ohio’s high school seniors will not have accumulated enough points to graduate and will be denied a diploma in June of 2018.

Karp opposes high school exit exams, what he calls, “the trapdoors of the education world. These are the tests that tie scores to high school diplomas and push students who miss the Two Wise Articles about High School Graduation Requirements | janresseger:

With A Brooklyn Accent: My Appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor"

With A Brooklyn Accent: My Appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor":

My Appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor"

Now that Bill O'Reilly is off the air, I think it is time I provide an account of my appearance on the "O'Reilly Factor," since the tape of the episode I appeared on is nowhere to be found


Ten years ago, I received a call inviting me to appear on "The O'Reilly Factor." The occasion was a controversy in a town in Ohio where a white teacher was chosen to teach a Black History course when the one Black teacher in the school retired. I assumed that I was called because my recently published book "White Boy: A Memoir" described how I ended up as a Professor in Fordham's Black Studies Department.


I had some experience in doing media appearances about this subject thanks to my wonderful publicity agent Marlah Bonner McDuffie, and had just done an appearance on the Chappelle Show which brought me some "street cred" so I decided to accept, despite Mr O'Reilly's reputation for eviscerating liberal guests. 


When I got to the studio, I quickly concluded that this experience was going to be more challenging than my other media appearances, including those on Fox Business where I was interviewed on Judge Napolitano's Show.


Whenever I was interviewed on television, I was accustomed to be escorted into the green room where guests were to wait by a friendly person, and offered snacks. None of this transpired. A grim faced woman led me to a small room without food and water with a big With A Brooklyn Accent: My Appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor":

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Regional Superintendents Send White Paper to Legislature

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Regional Superintendents Send White Paper to Legislature:

Regional Superintendents Send White Paper to Legislature

A letter of interest called "An Educational Funding Position Paper Submitted by the Superintendents of the NW Educational Service District 189 Region" was send to the Governor, State Superintendent Rykdal, and members of the Washington State Legislature on March 23, 2017.

I do not know if this kind of letter is being considered in the King County districts but I'll ask SPS. 

Ostensibly, it's about fully funding public education.  But one point - on collective bargaining - stands out.

We are unanimous in our stance that collective bargaining must be reformed. At a minimum, "guardrails" or "bumpers" must be in place that prohibit bargaining of local levy resources for basic education duties and responsibilities.  Without reform of collective bargaining - particularly around use of local levy resources - we are strongly concerned that a significant new investment of State resources will not produce the outcomes and program improvements the Legislature intends.  We are further concerned that absent a reform of collective bargaining as it currently exists, a regression to the current unconstitutional funding system at some point in the future is a certainty.

Indeed, much of the paper is about funding and teacher issues including TRI pay, state salary schedule, health benefits, salary increments, PD, cost of living, etc. 

To note,

We do not support bonus or merit systems and view them as both inherently unreliable to administer and destructive to building and sustaining a collaborative district and school culture that best serves all children.

But they do support "regionalization or poverty factors" to retain teachers. 

In addition:Seattle Schools Community Forum: Regional Superintendents Send White Paper to Legislature:

Badass Teachers Association: Call This The Empty Chair by Patte Carter-Hevia

Badass Teachers Association: Call This The Empty Chair by Patte Carter-Hevia:

Call This The Empty Chair 

by Patte Carter-Hevia

Today I attended a National Education Association Listening Tour stop. Dinner and then a keynote speaker and then a panel discussion. The theme was "How do we create the public schools that our children deserve?”

The keynote speaker was a business owner and author. He told the story of how he came to learn that a business model is not what education needs. Interesting. Engaging. Informative. Entertaining.

Please, God, from his mouth to corporate America’s and the policymakers’ ears.

The panel discussion that followed included an education lawyer, a university professor from the college of education, a university coordinator of urban education, a state representative, the school superintendent, and the school board president. All wrapped up in a bow with the union president as the moderator.

All advocates of public education and educators.
All well-informed individuals.
All intelligent and articulate professionals.
Each with much to bring to the proverbial table.

And, as far as I could tell from what I have been able to discern, not a current public school teacher in the bunch.

Instead we were the audience. We were once again being talked to and talked about. Once again, the discussion, as good as it was, ended where it should have begun.

Pity the poor colleagues of mine who were Badass Teachers Association: Call This The Empty Chair by Patte Carter-Hevia: