Tuesday, April 6, 2010

$350 Million 'Race to the Common Test' Starts Now - Politics K-12 - Education Week

$350 Million 'Race to the Common Test' Starts Now

By Michele McNeil on April 6, 2010 3:49 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

The U.S. Department of Education has given the green light to the $350 million Race to the Top assessment competition, which will award grants to groups of states to create rigorous common tests to complement the common standardseffort already underway.

The $350 million is part of the larger $4.35 billion Race to the Top Fund grant program. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced in June 2009 he wanted to peel off $350 million to help states create the "next generation of assessments."

According to the final regulations out today, a consortium, to be eligible for the awards, must be at least 15 states big. The department is expecting to give out one to two awards, at around $160 million each, according to the application materials. For insight into who might qualify, read my colleague Catherine Gewertz's story on the run-up to the competition.

Education Research Report: School Spending Is Poorly Tracked, at Odds With Policy Goals

School Spending Is Poorly Tracked, at Odds With Policy Goals

by Jonathan Kantrowitz

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School finance expert Marguerite Roza doesn't mince words in her new book on education spending. Of mandated student-achievement standards, she writes, "It seems reasonable that policymakers and researchers should know how much it costs to achieve them. The problem is, no one has a clue."

Roza's "Educational Economics: Where Do School Funds Go?" uncovers an education-finance system in which district after district does not know or does not effectively calculate how resources are allocated among its schools. School leaders who try to track dollars and services from the district to each school often use district averages to estimate per-school spending. But averages, writes Roza, mask wide variations in the actual distribution of experienced teachers, enrichment programs, and social services among schools in the same district.

More than an accounting problem, the current practices make it nearly impossible for education leaders to align spending with goals. In fact, Roza finds districts whose objectives and resources are not just weakly linked, but

Lessons from Phase 1 of Race to the Top – ED.gov Blog

Lessons from Phase 1 of Race to the Top

Now that we have announced the phase one winners of Race to the Top, it is worth stepping back and analyzing why our two winners, Delaware and Tennessee, did so well. The attached spreadsheet lists the scores of all 16 finalists in each of the key reform categories. The non-finalists can compare their own scores – which are also publicly posted — to the winners.
The data confirm that no single factor can make or break any particular application but rather a combination of a successful track record, bold reforms, broad buy-in and statewide impact is the key to success. It is easy to be bold if no one buys in and it is easy to get buy-in if you are not bold. Neither matter much at all if you are not successful in reaching the kids in the classroom, and the bottom line is you must show results. To win Race to the Top you need it all and that requires courage, commitment and capacity.
Both of the winning states built on their unique strengths and track records, rather than trying to manufacture a reform agenda from whole cloth. In the case of Tennessee, their value-added assessment system is the foundation for their reforms, while Delaware is building on its Vision 2015 blueprint. Both states also secured broad support through a combination of changing their state laws and coalition building among school districts, unions, businesses, advocacy groups, and local philanthropies.
The bottom line is that we had many strong applications but every state has room to improve – including the two winners. The point of Race to the Top is to challenge ourselves and each other to get better – not in one or two areas of reform that can lead to incremental improvements – but in every area of reform simultaneously.
In a global economy where jobs and investment are not restricted by borders, America is in a race for our long-term economic security. The single most-important investment we can make as a nation is to ensure that every child gets the best education possible. We have no time to waste. The Race to the Top continues.
Secretary Arne Duncan

This entry was written by kwinters, posted on April 6, 2010 at 1:24 pm, filed under Headlines, Race to the Top. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.

Colo., La. Politicans Now Pushing Tenure Reform - Teacher Beat - Education Week

Colo., La. Politicans Now Pushing Tenure Reform

by Stephen Sawchuk

By now, I hope you've read my story wrapping up some of the action in Ohio, Delaware, Florida and Maryland to overhaul the system broadly known as tenure. The actual terms differ from place to place, but winning tenure generally means that teachers are granted due-process protections that require extensive documentation of poor performance before they can be dismissed.
At the end of the story, I noted that it's unclear whether other states will follow their lead. As it turns out, just this week we've seen some additional movement in Colorado and Louisiana.
In Colorado, state Sen. Michael Johnston, a Democrat, plans to introduce a bill that would require teachers to be deemed "effective" in three evaluations before receiving tenure. Growth in student test scores would be a significant part of the system, according to this Denver Post story.
It's hard to know what the chances of this measure passing are, especially since it looks like it will take on other

The Educated Reporter: How much have we actually turned around so far?

How much have we actually turned around so far?

Central Falls left a lot of reporters asking about how much turnaround has actually occurred since NCLB began, and what it has looked like. A new Education Sector report, “Restructuring ‘Restructuring,’” gives some useful context.

The Perimeter Primate: Conspiracy, or not? You decide.

Conspiracy, or not? You decide.

by The Perimeter Primate

Remember Arne Duncan’s Race to the Top? That’s the program he picked Joanne Weiss to develop and run which requires states to revise their education laws according to the Broad/Gates template, after which, if the states have gone far enough, they can become eligible to enter the contest for possibly getting some money from Duncan’s pot.
Weiss, by the way, is a businesswoman and the former COO of the NewSchools Venture Fund, an investment vehicle which funnels philanthropic dollars into charter school start-ups. Lots of Eli Broad connections there.
With states being so desperate to get any amount of money, many rushed to change their laws and then applied to RTTT. But, to their disappointment, most states were rejected. Only two states “won” in the first round,

This Week In Education HotSeat: Rick Hess, Revisited

This Week In Education

HotSeat: Rick Hess, Revisited

by Alexander Russo

The last time Rick Hess submitted to a HotSeat interview was back in the dark ages of the internet (ie, 2006). Lots has changed since then and Hess has a book coming out next week so it seemed about time to check back in with the irascible and indefatigable AEI scholar. As you'll see, Hess hates NCLB more than RTTT. He's concerned about the current overemphasis on turnarounds and thinks that timid school leaders are as much a problem as union contracts. He modulates his thinking but says he doesn't flip-flop like Petrilli or Ravitch. He blogs, but he doesn't read your blog (and he claims he's not interested in Twitter). In contrast to his recent blog posts Hess comes off as sort of mellow (think Jeff Bridges) and doesn't seem to mind being made gentle fun of for his fancy

Cartoon: Firing Teachers Over Kids' Low Scores

A Memorial to a Hero Needs Your support!

A Memorial to a Hero Needs Your Support!

Washington, D.C.Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial

The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial will be the first on the National Mall to recognize a person of color and a man of peace, not a president or a veteran of war. In 1996 Congress authorized the Memorial Foundation to raise funds to establish a national memorial to honor the legacy of Dr. King on the National Mall. The memorial’s very existence signifies that we as a people believe Dr. King and his legacy deserve this esteemed placement in what can be considered America’s “Hall of Fame.”

Mission

We want to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by leading a collaborative funding, design, and construction process in the creation of a memorial to honor his national and international contributions to world peace through non-violent social change..

The vision of a memorial in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. is one that captures the essence of his message, a message in which he so eloquently affirms the commanding tenants of the American Dream — Freedom, Democracy and Opportunity for All; a noble quest that gained him the Nobel Peace Prize and one that continues to influence people and societies throughout the world. Upon reflection, we are reminded that Dr. King's lifelong dedication to the idea of achieving human dignity through global relationships of well being has served to instill a broader and deeper sense of duty within each of us— a duty to be both responsible citizens and conscientious stewards of freedom and democracy.

Dr. King championed a movement that draws fully from the deep well of America's potential for freedom, opportunity, and justice. His vision of America is captured in his message of hope and possibility for a future anchored in dignity, sensitivity, and mutual respect; a message that challenges each of us to recognize that America's true strength lies in its diversity of talents. The vision of a memorial in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. is one that captures the essence of his message, a message in which he so eloquently affirms the commanding tenants of the American Dream — Freedom, Democracy and Opportunity for All; a noble quest that gained him the Nobel Peace Prize and one that continues to influence people and societies throughout the world. Upon reflection, we are reminded that Dr. King's lifelong dedication to the idea of achieving human dignity through global relationships of well being has served to instill a broader and deeper sense of duty within each of us— a duty to be both responsible citizens and conscientious stewards of freedom and democracy.

As part of our effort to build the Memorial, we invite you to be a part of history by participating in our Kids for King Education Initiative. It’s easy to enter. Just write an essay, create a piece of art, or produce a short video expressing what you have learned about Dr. King’s ideals of Democracy, Justice, Love and Hope as well as how you plan to carry the legacy forward.

Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12

The end of the Kids for King Education Initiative has been pushed back to April 30, 2010, so get working on writing an essay, creating a work of art, or recording a video about your thoughts on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We encourage you to participate in this great program because 9 of you will be selected for a very special award. We'll fly you and one of your parent's or legal guardians to Washington, D.C. to attend a special press event on the National Mall this fall. We're excited to see, hear, and read about what you and your friends have to say about Dr. King. For more information please check out our website at www.kidsforking.org. We look forward to hearing from you today!

A Letter to Lawmakers - Bridging Differences - Education Week

A Letter to Lawmakers

By Diane Ravitch on April 6, 2010 8:13 AM | 3 Comments | No TrackBacks

Dear Deborah,

Today I am going to cheat. Well, not really cheat, but just deal with the fact that I am hard pressed to find time to do much more than breathe and sleep (I do not include "eat" because I have been skipping meals, and I should not include "sleep" because I don't do much of that either.) I have been lecturing, writing, and traveling nonstop. I am getting, on average, about 100 emails daily from readers of my book, mainly teachers who either say "thank you" or "help." My book appears at #16 on The New York Times best-seller list for next Sunday.

So many people, especially teachers, feel powerless in the face of an onslaught against their professionalism. Last week, I wrote about the awful legislation in Florida, which will strip teachers of tenure and judge them by student test scores. Teachers in that state asked me to come to Tallahassee and testify, but I

TeachFor.Us � Gary Rubinstein’s TFA Blog � Teaching as leadership critique part IX

TeachFor.Us � Gary Rubinstein’s TFA Blog � Teaching as leadership critique part IX:

Gary Rubinstein’s TFA Blog

By a somewhat frustrated 1991 alum

Teaching as leadership critique part IX

Now that I’ve finished the entire book, including all the appendices, I’d like to make some conclusions and final reflections for any new teachers reading the book and especially for new TFA CMs.

I think that one of the central themes of the book is that effective teachers know how to be efficient with the one resource that nobody ever has enough of – time. There are only so many hours in a day to do all the things teachers need to and no matter how ‘relentless’ you are, that number of hours is a constant defined by physics.

To be an effective new teacher, you have to know how to prioritize your time during the school year. While you are training, this summer, you also have to know how to prioritize your time so that you make the most of the five week institute.

Here is where TFA has been inconsistent. They outline six principles and then they are never that explicit about which ones

Schools Matter: Test Czar Dolores Umbridge: All instruction must be test-prep.

Test Czar Dolores Umbridge: All instruction must be test-prep.

by skrashen

Newly appointed Testing Czar Dolores Umbridge, with the approval of Secretary Duncan, has issued her first decree, a slight modification of Educational Decree 26, originally covering instruction at the Hogwarts School. The original decree is as follows:

Educational Decree 26: Teachers are hereby banned from giving students information that is not strictly related to the subject they are paid to teach.

The new decree, now official US Department of Education policy, is:

Teachers are hereby banned from giving students information that is not strictly related to the material covered

The hand and glove relationship between LAUSD and UTLA - Perdaily.com

The Hand And Glove Relationship Between LAUSD And UTLA

No, the teachers' union and LAUSD have not decided to offer proctological exams at Beaudry or Berendo, but sometimes it just feels that way.

It's been a while since I've updated the readers of perdaily with what has been going on in my own personal war for public education justice with LAUSD. So I thought that I would spend today's post telling you what has transpired since you tuned in last. It has been a little over 2 months since I was removed from my classroom after being handcuffed and searched and, after a brief stay at empty Local District 6 offices at Slauson and Eastern in the lovely City of Commerce. Since then, I havebeen installed in my homebetween the hours of 8AM and 3PM, Monday through Friday -- except school holidays. While seniors are allowed to leave campus for lunch, it was only 3 weeks ago that LAUSD finally conceded that I too could do the same.

While it should be clear to all of you who have either followed my saga in earlier daily postsof perdaily or had the misfortune of suffering a similar fate at the hands of LAUSD Administration Party Members, I have engaged in no word or action that is not consistent with trying to bring excellent public education to the predominantly minority students -- think 73% Latino student population -- who continue to be systematically and consciously pushed through LAUSD without even the bear minimum of what would constitute a good education that might give them a real chance at a productive future as opposed to gangs and criminal justice.

In one sense, I have learned that I am in a no-win situation, because although I am not responsible for my present situation of having to remain at home in lieu of going to a school

16 to Vote in the UK? � Student Activism

16 to Vote in the UK? � Student Activism:

16 to Vote in the UK?

April 6, 2010 in Students

The British newspaper The Guardian is reporting that the country’s Labour Party will endorse a 16-year-old voting age today.

Labour, which is currently in power in Britain, is releasing a new party platform in advance of national elections scheduled for next month. The elections, in which voters will elect the country’s parliament, are expected to be closely fought.

Incumbent prime minister Gordon Brown has endorsed votes for 16-year-olds

No Room for For-Profits in i3 :: Frederick M. Hess

Frederick M. Hess's Blog

No Room for For-Profits in i3

by Frederick M. Hess • Apr 6, 2010 at 8:56 am
Cross-posted from Education Week

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I favor a more expansive role for for-profits in schooling. Not because I think folks in for-profits are smarter or more capable than people in public agencies or non-profits (hell, I work in a non-profit!), but because for-profits have some unique and useful features. Their selfish pursuit of profit gives them cause to be more aggressive about expansion, more nimble about abandoning failed efforts and seeking new niches, and more energetic about rooting out inefficiency. Anyway, I've more to say on all this in Education Unbound.

Now, believe me, I know for-profits also have their share of unique flaws, and I've no faith in their virtue. This suggests the need for sensible safeguards, smart monitoring, and savvy managers. All this comes to mind because of the Department of Education's unfortunate decision to make it prohibitively difficult for for-profits to participate in the i3 fund--the program where innovative providers with evidence of effectiveness would most seem a natural fit.

The original statute made clear that for-profits would not be able to apply for grants; eligible entities would be LEAs and non-profits. Okay. But the Department's guidance and frequently asked questions now also make

Tuesday, April 6, 2010