Charters at top, bottom of DPS ratings | EdNewsColorado

Charters at top, bottom of DPS ratings | EdNewsColorado

Charters at top, bottom of DPS ratings

by Nancy Mitchell

New charter schools rank at the very top – and the very bottom – of Denver’s latest school report cards released today.

West Denver Prep’s Harvey Park campus, the first replication for the high-scoring charter network, topped the list of all city schools on DPS’ School Performance Framework, which considers achievement and growth on state

The Daily Churn: Thursday

by EdNews staff

What’s churning:

Terrance Carroll, the term-limited speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, is the new chairman of the board of A+ Denver, an education advocacy group founded in 2006. Carroll replaces former Denver MayorFederico Peña as chair of the group.

Carroll, a Denver Democrat, is the first African-American elected speaker, is a lawyer with the Greenberg Traurig, an international law firm with offices in Denver.

A+ describes itself as “non-profit independent civic organization formed to help Denver transform its public school

NYC Public School Parents: Testing, as Bad as the Chinese Way

NYC Public School Parents: Testing, as Bad as the Chinese Way

Testing, as Bad as the Chinese Way

by Steve Koss

Last Sunday, the New York Times elected to give over its education coverage to reporter Elisabeth Rosenthal, an M.D. who normally writes for the "gray lady" about epidemic diseases and other scientific and environmental topics.

Titled "Testing, the Chinese Way," Ms. Rosenthal's banner-style lead story in the Times's "Week in Review" section argues the merits of frequent testing based on her children's experiences in China while attending the International School of Beijing, an institution likely more closely akin in NYC to Dalton, Chapin, or Columbia Grammar than to the P.S. 1's, 10's, or 45's attended by most children. Nevertheless, in extrapolating from her observations in China, Ms. Rosenthal erroneously equates her children's experiences with those of regular

The Answer Sheet - Are Texas's social studies standards really so bad?

The Answer Sheet - Are Texas's social studies standards really so bad?

Are Texas's social studies standards really so bad?

Texas has completed its adoption of new social standards, a controversial process that made national news when religious conservative members of the Board of Education made decisions that critics said skewed history. I was one of those who criticized the changes on The Sheet, more than once, and yesterday, I questioned why the board was just now considering a new rule (not a standard) about how Islam is taught to students. In this post, Gilbert T. Sewall, director of the New York-based American Textbook Council, takes a different view. The council is an independent research organization that reviews history textbooks and other educational materials. By Gilbert T. Sewall With the official adoption of new social studies standards last month, Texas ends a year-long controversy over history standards and textbooks. After months of stunning national opposition, in the spring, the Republican majority on the Texas State Board of Education pushed through

Schools Matter: Was that Superman Who Got His Ass Handed to Him Yesterday in DC?

Schools Matter: Was that Superman Who Got His Ass Handed to Him Yesterday in DC?

Was that Superman Who Got His Ass Handed to Him Yesterday in DC?

by Jim Horn

From the vault, January 22, 2010, with commentary below the post by Paul A. Moore. The website for the propa-drama, or is that drama-ganda, has evolved and turned into an crusade unto itself, where the public can pledge with Michelle Rhee to see the film, and to find a job, perhaps. Now when you go the webpage, in the first slide we see a Mao-inspired Michelle Rhee praying, is it? The caption reads:

With the defeat of D.C's Mayor Adrian Fenty, the future of Michelle Rhee hangs in the balance.

Don't forget: this is about the children.

The oligarchs see this masterpiece of heart-tugging propaganda as the engine that will push their corporate

Michelle Rhee at Risk :: Frederick M. Hess

Michelle Rhee at Risk :: Frederick M. Hess

Michelle Rhee at Risk

by Frederick M. Hess
National Review Online
September 15, 2010

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In an outcome that had come to seem inevitable, though it would have been shocking six months ago, D.C. city-council chairman Vincent Gray beat incumbent mayor Adrian Fenty 56 percent to 42 percent in Tuesday's Democratic primary. Fenty, who swept to a massive citywide victory in 2006, fared well with white voters but cratered in the black community. He lost the city's black Democrats, even though the Washington Postreported in August that 67 percent of registered Dems thought the mayor had "brought needed change" to the city.

The contest assumed national significance because of its educational implications. It was Fenty who fought for mayoral control of the D.C. public schools, appointed Michelle Rhee as chancellor in 2007, and then stood rock-solid behind Rhee's remarkable efforts. Rhee has made it clear that she regarded Fenty as a stalwart champion and was skeptical she could be equally effective without that support. Her stance has been read as a particular dig at Gray, who had persistently equivocated on the contentious particulars of her efforts.

It's not yet 100 percent certain whether (or when) Rhee will leave. But nonetheless, for several reasons, the

On Not Letting Facts Interfere With a Good Argument - Bridging Differences - Education Week

On Not Letting Facts Interfere With a Good Argument - Bridging Differences - Education Week

On Not Letting Facts Interfere With a Good Argument

by Deborah Meier

Dear Diane,

It would be interesting to know what influenced the change of heart among those civil rights organizations, Diane. I've been exploring in my head—while I do my daily laps in the pond—what kind of data might persuade me to reverse my current educational convictions. What could convince me that I'm wrong?

Suppose someone could demonstrate to me that test scores would rise fastest if all schools served only a single "racial/ethnic/gender/economic" group? Suppose test scores suggested that the more segregated our lives were, the better our children's test scores?

I doubt this would be the case (see Anthony Bryk's Chicago study), but this is a thought experiment. Closing the test-score gap was not, actually, the central Supreme Court argument in the Brown v. Board of Educationdecision of 1954. But suppose one reheard the case—would we still reach the same

Queens Teacher: Waiting for More Educational Deform

Queens Teacher: Waiting for More Educational Deform

Waiting for More Educational Deform

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Two filmmakers who wish to see public schools narrow their curriculums even further so that kids can do better on tests.

Students Pack 'Closed' Charter School

Students Pack 'Closed' Charter School

Updated: Wednesday, 15 Sep 2010, 3:01 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 15 Sep 2010, 3:01 PM CDT

• 

  ANDREA WATKINS
  Reporter

HOUSTON - The Texas Education Agency says a northeast Houston charter school is officially closed, but one day after the state order, Benji's Academy is still holding classes.

Benji's Academy buses filled with students rolled into the campus Wednesday morning. Parents dropped their children off for school too, because they say the school vowed to stay open.

The TEA announced Tuesday the 30-year-old charter school with almost 550 students was no longer financially viable. The agency also said it needs to close the school to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the students.

But many in the community love the school. They say it

Ed Sec. in NC: Poor economy forces tough choices Education Week: From the Wires

Education Week: From the Wires

FROM THE WIRES

Ed Sec. in NC: Poor economy forces tough choices

September 15, 2010

Nev. education chief: Staffing hurt by cutbacks

September 15, 2010

DeBacker appointed Kansas education commissioner

September 15, 2010

Mass. bullying suspect seeks dismissal of charges, 1st Ld

September 15, 2010

ACLU Neb. cautions schools on religious speakers

September 15, 2010

Schools, sweating test scores, cut PE requirements

September 15, 2010

CDC: One-Third of Sex Ed. Omits Birth Control

September 15, 2010

Budget cuts mean uncut grass at some Ala schools

September 15, 2010

NMl church says students punished for kindness

September 15, 2010

Most schools meet Va accreditation standards

September 15, 2010

Report: fewer Conn. students using tobacco

September 15, 2010

ACLU Neb. warns schools against religious talks

September 15, 2010

Most schools meet Va accreditation standards

September 15, 2010

NC education board chairman becomes Perdue adviser

September 15, 2010

Texas Education Board to Consider Rule on Islam's Portrayal in Textbooks

Members of the social conservative bloc worry that new textbooks will be pro-Islam and anti-Christian. September 15, 2010

Vermont to get $19 million to save teacher jobs - Boston.com

Vermont to get $19 million to save teacher jobs - Boston.com

Vermont to get $19 million to save teacher jobs

September 15, 2010

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MONTPELIER, Vt.—Vermont is getting $19 million in federal funding to retain teachers.

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The funding is part of $10 billion going to school districts around the country included in emergency legislation passed last month.

The grants will be used to rehire laid-off teachers

LATEST EDUCATION NEWS WIRE UPDATES

• Vermont to get $19 million to save teacher jobs (AP, 11:34 a.m.)
• Report: fewer Conn. students using tobacco (AP, 11:28 a.m.)
• Nashville nuns lead nation in number of newcomers(AP, 3:10 p.m.)
• Florida's budget deficit outlook falls to $2.5B (AP, 8:19 a.m.)
• RI education commissioner sides with students (AP, 7:08 a.m.)

LATEST K-12 EDUCATION NEWS

• Hawaii teachers sue over health insurance (AP, 11:19 a.m.)
• DC voters oust mayor during Dem primary (AP, 8:20 a.m.)
• Schools missing mark on MCAS (Boston Globe, 9/14/10)
• Idaho nets $51 million to preserve teacher jobs (AP, 9/14/10)
• Boy, 5, wanders into wrong class, prompts lockdown(AP, 9/14/10)

LATEST HIGHER EDUCATION NEWS

• Budget details finally flow fast in Minn. gov race (AP, 11:04 a.m.)
• Experts: LePage outburst will play well to some (AP, 9/14/10)
• Group considers ND higher ed spending growth (AP, 9/14/10)
• Obama: Students should work hard, focus on school(AP, 9/14/10)
• Mass. voters pick winners in key primary races (AP, 9/14/10)

Eduwonk � Blog Archive � About Last Night, Now The What?

Eduwonk � Blog Archive � About Last Night, Now The What?

About Last Night, Now The What?

by arotherham

My take on what a Fenty loss likely means for schools in DC and for school reform nationally is my column this week at Time. Punchline: Instability in DC, politics nationally, talent drain, and not a great day for reformers if she goes. But there is more via the link above.

Over at TNR Seyward Darby’s take is well-worth checking out, too. I’d argue, however, that the next contract

QUICK Hits � The Quick and the Ed

QUICK Hits � The Quick and the Ed

QUICK Hits

by Forrest Hinton

Quick Hits is a short compilation of question-raising news stories, blog posts, and video clips that Education Sector team members are reading or viewing each day.

• Fenty’s out, Gray’s in. What happens to Michelle Rhee and DCPS? (The Washington Post)
• Which mayoral candidate did parents with children in DCPS favor? (Sara Mead’s Policy Notebook)
• Jay Greene ponders: Why is a public university in Arkansas contracting with a company that calls students’ phones to wake them up for class? (Jay P. Greene’s Blog)
• What’re the effects of students spending time in “social-media exile?” (College Guide)