CURMUDGUCATION: So, Charters Can Cheat, Apparently

CURMUDGUCATION: So, Charters Can Cheat, Apparently:

So, Charters Can Cheat, Apparently

The New York charter school that had the highest jump in ELA test scores is also the charter schoolthat decided to score their own tests.

English scores at the Teaching Firms of America Charter School jumped from 20% proficiency to 40% proficiency. And according to NY Chalkbeat, the principal doesn't find anything odd about it.

Founding principal Rafiq Kalam Id-Din II said he was confident that the English gains are an accurate reflection of how far his students have come.

“The growth is the result of authentic instruction,” he said. “That’s what happens when you don’t do test prep.”

In NY, charter schools aren't part of the test-grading consortium that scores exams for public schools, but they have a similar system set up which most reportedly use, so that nothing looks, you know, suspicious. Like a doubling in test scores after you score them yourself.

Id-Din said he decided to allow his staff to score students’ answer sheets because he wanted teachers to better understand the state’s test-development and grading process and because it saved money for the school.

Does it really matter who runs score sheets through a scantron machine? Well, no (and we should note that the school saw no such leap in its math scores). But the ELA test of course includes writing CURMUDGUCATION: So, Charters Can Cheat, Apparently:

The Teacher Career Ladders

Teaching-- a field where you can start at the middle and work your way up to the middle.

Many commenters on many sides of various tracks periodically note that one of the problems with the teaching profession is that there is no career path. You start out teaching a bunch of kids in your classroom, and thirty-some years later, there you are, still teaching a bunch of kids in your classroom. You are probably better at it for any number of reasons, but you're doing the same job, with the same responsibilities for the same classroom teacher pay.

Lots of folks (again, from all sides of all tracks) note that this is certainly not one of the more attractive features of a teaching career, and that we could probably hang onto teachers more easily (those of us who actually want to, anyway) if we could offer some sort of career advancement. Unfortunately, here are the teacher ladders that have presented themselves to date.

The Escape Ladder

The problem with a career ladder is that it adds non-teaching tasks to a teacher's day. There are some traditional career ladders open to teachers that involve moving up to administrative or supervisory jobs. If I had to guess, I would bet the two most common reasons that teachers do not climb that ladders are 1) being an administrator looks like a miserable job and 2) they don't want to leave teh classroom.

Administrative jobs have been so hamstrung and depowered that they have lost the luster that usually makes advancement appealing. The usual desire to climb a career ladder goes something like this: "At my level I can see problems to solve that would make The Work go better, and if I climb up a rung or two, I'll be able to effect those changes and make the place work better." But in schools it looks like you have to climb a ladder to the clouds before you can actually get your hands on the power needed to straighten out much of our mess.

Even lesser jobs, like taking on dean of students or athletic director, mean less classroom time. Career ladders lead not to another, higher step in a teaching career, but to another career entirely, a career where you no longer get to do the work you went into the biz to do in

The Teacher Career Ladders

Louisiana Educator: Letter From BESE Member BEEBE

Louisiana Educator: Letter From BESE Member BEEBE:

Letter From BESE Member BEEBE

Click Here to Follow Flip BESE on Facebook 

LEE P.BARRIOS FOR BESE 1 Web Site

JASON FRANCE FOR BESE 6 Web Site

MIKE KREAMER FOR BESE 7 Web Site

Note to readers: The following is a letter from Dr Lottie Beebe, BESE member representing Dist. 3. Dr Beebe has been the voice of reason on BESE. She points out that John White as the official custodian of public information for the Department of Education routinely withholds vital information from researchers and citizens. I have won two lawsuits commanding White to produce public information I requested. We as taxpayers had to pay the court costs and penalties imposed on White for violation of the Louisiana Public Records Law. Right now I have a third lawsuit awaiting a hearing and two other outstanding requests that have not been complied with.                                                                                                                                          Mike Deshotels

 Dear Editor:

A recent editorial in a locally distributed newspaper  (“October ballot holds key races this fall for School Board seats,” August 22, 2015) notes that important decisions will be made in the October 24th election regarding the state’s school board, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).  I agree with the editorial’s assessment of the importance of the BESE elections, but not its assertions regarding the educational progress of the past four years.

The editorial asserts that “test scores are up while dropout rates are down” but does not provide the source for this information.  This assertion of academic progress is similar to assertions made by the leadership of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI)—a  group whose leaders have pledged to spend a large amount of money supporting BESE candidates who will make similar claims in the fall election.  But what is the source of these claims?

The claims originate from data provided by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), which is led by Superintendent of Education John White, who is appointed by BESE.  While the LDOE should be a trustworthy, unbiased source of education data, the politics of the past four years have created a perception that the LDOE is misrepresenting information.  A record amount
of money was spent four years ago by LABI and other special interest groups to ensure that a BESE majority would be in place to hire White, the choice of Governor Bobby Jindal for the position.

Since White became Superintendent, the LDOE changed its website; it was once a functional government site that provided verifiable data to the public, but the data was removed and the site now primarily espouses a trite slogan – “LDOE.gov” became “LouisianaBelieves.com.”

Ironically, Louisiana cannot believe the claims that the 2012 reforms work, because they cannot be easily verified by independent sources. Numerous, lawful requests for public information from citizens have been ignored by the LDOE; some citizens had to take the LDOE to court to get data released.  Credible researchers found that the LDOE had changed the curve on its standardized tests to make it appear that students were doing better on the tests and the LDOE has changed its metrics for calculating graduation rates and the number of students that go to college in order to improve these scores. When Louisiana’s citizens hear claims of academic progress over the past four years, they should be mindful of the questionable source of this information.

Local school districts would welcome true support and collaboration with business and industry to help address the ill effects of poverty on the students we serve, rather than business and industry trying to promote choice policies that redirect scarce resources to unproven education options.

I reiterate my support for responsible education reform initiatives that are research-based and accompanied by transparent data.      

Sincerely,

Lottie P. Beebe, Ed. D., BESE Member District 3

Breaux Bridge, LA 70517Louisiana Educator: Letter From BESE Member BEEBE:

Defense Department schools begin implementing Common Core standards — but giving them different name - The Washington Post

Defense Department schools begin implementing Common Core standards — but giving them different name - The Washington Post:

Defense Department schools begin implementing Common Core standards — but giving them different name

The public school system run for the Department of Defense to educate children of active duty military and civilian department families in the United States and around the world has started to implement new standards that look remarkably like the Common Core. But it’s calling them by a different name.

Thomas M. Brady, director of the Department of Defense Education Activity — the umbrella agency responsible for department schools in the United States and abroad — told the Military Times  that the process has just begun, and that it will take several years to implement what is being called “College and Career Ready” standards in schools around the world.  The Department of Defense Education Activity operates  172 schools in 11 countries, seven states, Guam and Puerto Rico, according to the DoDEA’s Web site. The schools educate about 74,437 students, the Web site says.

The standards, according to the Web site, are “based in large part on the Common Core State Standards,” but the name was changed because the brand has become so controversial in the United States over the past several years, with some Republican governors pulling their states out of the core initiative or renaming the standards. U.S. News & World Report, in an article this year, quoted Paul Peterson, a professor of government and education policy at Harvard University, as saying the name change makes sense.

“The words have become tainted by the debate,” Peterson said. “I expect to see more of this kind of rebranding happening – many states are already thinking along these lines.”

The implementation schedule for the DoDEA schools calls for math standards for pre-K through grade 5 to be put into place this year, math and literacy standards for grades 6-12 next year, and literacy standards for pre-K through grade 5 in 2017-18, the Military Times reported. Brady said that agency officials are spreading out the implementation of the standards to make sure that teachers are adequately trained and instructional materials are available.

The agency has not selected a standardized test to assess students on their knowledge of the standards, but Brady was quoted as saying that there would be no high stakes connected to any exam that is selected.  “We’re not going to create  an environment here in DoDEA that has high-stakes assessments,” he was quoted as saying.

The Common Core has become highly controversial, with opponents coming from all points on the political spectrum. Some have complained that the initiative was pushed on states by the federal government, while others have criticized some of the standards as developmentally inappropriate. There has also been a lot of turmoil around Common Core assessments, including those Defense Department schools begin implementing Common Core standards — but giving them different name - The Washington Post:

BACK TO SCHOOL: A parent’s guide to K-12 school success

A parent’s guide to K-12 school success

ACLU sues to stop Nevada’s new school voucher program - The Washington Post

ACLU sues to stop Nevada’s new school voucher program - The Washington Post:

ACLU sues to stop Nevada’s new school voucher program

The American Civil Liberties Union is challenging the constitutionality ofNevada’s new school voucher program, arguing in a lawsuit filed Thursday that the program violates the state’s prohibition against using public money for religious purposes.

“Parents who want their kids to go to private school are absolutely free to do so,” said Amy Rose, legal director for ACLU of Nevada. “Just not at taxpayer expense.”

The new Nevada program, created this year by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature, creates “educational savings accounts” that would allow any parent, regardless of income, to pull a child from the state’s public schools and take tax dollars with them to pay for private or parochial school.

[In Nevada, school choice on steroids and a breakthrough for conservatives]

Parents could also use the money — an average of $5,100 to $5,700, depending on family income — for transportation, technology or home schooling. Supporters describe it as an escape hatch from poor schools, while opponents say it drains public schools of needed funds.

“What we should be concerned about is fixing the public school system if it is damaged,” Rose said at a news conference Thursday. “I don’t think we should be taking money away from public schools and giving it to private schools.”

[Read the ACLU’s complaint]

The Nevada treasurer’s office is writing regulations to implement the new program. A spokeswoman referred a request for comment on the lawsuit to the state attorney general, whose spokeswoman said she could not comment on pending litigation.

But Tim Keller, a lawyer for the Institute for Justice — a Virginia-based organization that helped state lawmakers draft the bill that created the Nevada program — vowed to defend the initiative from the ACLU’s “baseless and cynical lawsuit.”

Nevada’s state constitution prevents “public funds of any kind or character whatever” from being spent for sectarian purposes. The ACLU argues that ACLU sues to stop Nevada’s new school voucher program - The Washington Post:

Videos from PAA Week | Parents Across America #FightForDyett

Videos from PAA Week | Parents Across America:

Videos from PAA Week 

PAA Week Day 6: Test Stress and our Children (7-24-15)

• PAA’s Laura Bowman and Julie Woestehoff talk about PAA’s extensive research into the negative effects of the misuse and overuse of standardized tests on our children, and how PAA thinks we should do instead. .

PAA Week Day 5: Local Heroes, Walking the Walk (7-23-15)

• Campaign and public service stories from PAA founding members Natalie Beyer, Sue Peters, and Helen Gym.

PAA Week Day 4: Lobbying Congress (7-22-15)

• PAA’s Pamela Grundy and Julie Woestehoff walk you through the halls of Congress and how to be an effective advocate for public schools and our children.

PAA Week Day 3: The Impact of Race, Poverty and Cultural Bias on Educational Opportunity: Next steps (7-21-15)

• PAA’s Nate Harris, Khem Irby, Deb Mayer, and Julie Woestehoff expand on our program focus with ideas for addressing the opportunity and resource gap.

PAA Week Day 2: Messaging with FairTest’s Bob Schaeffer  (7-20-15)

• Join in this informative discussion with Bob Schaeffer, FairTest’s Communications Director, who shares his tips and wisdom for better ways to get our message across.

- See more at: http://parentsacrossamerica.org/videos-paa-week/#sthash.HZlVEsJo.dpuf



PAA supports Dyett hunger strikers

Parents Across America stands in solidarity with Chicago’s Dyett High School hunger strikers, parents fighting for high quality community schools for their children. Today is the 11th day of this courageous protest against the district’s plan to close their high school.

For years, Dyett parents and community have been calling on the district and the city to pay better attention to their high school and its students, but instead Dyett suffered increasing disinvestment and marginalization, with faculty and programs cut to the bone. Students had to take classes like art and gym online, despite the fact that the school recently won a gorgeous new gymnasium in a contest sponsored by ESPN.

Dyett parents and community members haven’t simply protested. They have spent months developing a strong, community-supported proposal to transition the school into a open-enrollment global leadership and green technology neighborhood high school. Meanwhile the district has been soliciting proposals from private companies to take over the school.

PAA supports the vision and the choice of the Dyett hunger strikers for a school governed by the community, with a strong parent voice. PAA believes that quality schools are community-centered, provide services and activities that benefit students and their families, and grow in response to the expertise, experiences and relationships of members of the school community.

It’s time for school and political leaders to listen to parents.

- See more at: http://parentsacrossamerica.org/paa-supports-dyett-hunger-strikers/#sthash.64x18QIH.dpuf

California voters back extending Proposition 30 to funnel more money to public schools | Policy Analysis for California Education

California voters back extending Proposition 30 to funnel more money to public schools | Policy Analysis for California Education:

California voters back extending Proposition 30 to funnel more money to public schools

PACE/USC Rossier Poll shows voters have little knowledge of Local Control Funding Formula reform meant to dramatically alter public school finance and accountability in the state

Contact: Merrill Balassone at balasson@usc.edu or (213) 740-6156

Crosstab

Topline

Methodology

Memo

LOS ANGELES – August 27, 2015 – As optimism about the state of California’s public schools continues to rise, a strong majority of California voters would back the reauthorization of Proposition 30 to channel additional money to public campuses, according to a new poll released Thursday.

The PACE/USC Rossier School of Education Poll shows 63 percent of voters are in favor of extending at least one provision of Prop. 30 – the tax increase on high incomes or the sales tax hike or both – that is set to expire at the end of 2016. Only 28 percent of voters said both fiscal provisions should be allowed to expire, the poll showed.

Approved by the voters in 2012, Prop. 30 temporarily increased the state sales tax by a quarter cent and the personal income tax rate on people earning more than $250,000 a year to fund public education and other government programs.

Six in 10 voters said California should be spending more on schools, as opposed to 26 percent who said the state’s public schools have enough money, the poll showed.

“Since the inception of this poll in 2012, we have identified valuable trends that not only reflect the opinions of the state’s voters but also influence policymakers in Sacramento,” said USC Rossier School Dean Karen Symms Gallagher. “The latest results indicate a growing confidence in our public school system as voters are clearly willing to provide greater financial support to education."

Voters were comparatively less enthusiastic about proposed changes to Proposition 13, which sets limits on property taxes. Changing the rules on the taxation of business and commercial property would raise an estimated $6 billion to $10 billion per year, of which 40 percent would go to public schools. A slight majority of voters – 51 percent – said they would support changes to Prop. 13, as compared to 39 percent who would oppose it.

“Although voters want more invested in education, we don’t see an underlying appetite for more extreme measures, such as making changes to Prop. 13,” said Jeff Harrelson, chief operating officer of Republican polling firm MFour Mobile Research, part of the bipartisan team with Democratic polling firm Tulchin Research that conducted the PACE/USC Rossier Poll. “Policy makers should be prepared to engage in an extended voter education effort on this issue."

Said Ben Tulchin, president of Democratic polling firm Tulchin Research: “Voters believe California’s public schools have made some progress over the last few years. As a result, a large majority of California voters wants to extend Proposition 30, particularly its tax on the wealthy, in order to continue this progress.”

California voters have become less pessimistic about the state of their public schools. Between 2012, when the question was first asked, and 2015, the percentage of voters who say the state’s public schools have gotten better more than doubled, from 7 percent to 17 percent. During that same time period, the percentage of voters who said public schools were getting worse declined, from 57 percent to 39 percent. Thirty-six percent of voters said public schools had stayed the same.

When asked about their neighborhood public schools, 17 percent of California voters said they had gotten better, up from 11 percent in 2012. Thirty-four percent of voters said their local public schools had gotten worse, down from 45 percent in 2012. Thirty-eight percent of voters said local public schools had stayed the same.

“Voters are clearly not satisfied with the state of California’s public education system, but they are beginning to see their schools moving in the right direction,” said David Plank, executive director of PACE. "They still see a lot of room for improvement, but this is a very encouraging trend.”

Lack of awareness of Local Control Funding Formula “alarming”

Sixty-five percent of California voters said they have never heard or read about the Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, Gov. Jerry Brown’s 2013 reform under which billions of dollars have been funneled to school districts to directly help English learners, foster children and students from low-income families, and an additional 21 percent said they had not heard or read much about it, the poll showed. Only 14 percent of voters said they had heard or read a little or a great deal about the LCFF.

When given basic information about the new funding formula, 57 percent said they approved of the policy, while California voters back extending Proposition 30 to funnel more money to public schools | Policy Analysis for California Education:

Thompson: Greg Toppo Sees the Game's Future and It Works This Week In Education:

This Week In Education: Thompson: Greg Toppo Sees the Game's Future and It Works:

Thompson: Greg Toppo Sees the Game's Future and It Work

I've always been confused by the seemingly absurd dichotomy. Brilliant computer geeks and digital geniuses create such potentially liberating technologies. But, they also became a driving force in corporate school reform and its efforts to turn schools back to the early 20th century.

Gosh, as Greg Toppo explains in The Game Believes in You, computer games were pioneered by a small group of mostly unconnected, visionaries, In the earliest days of the 1960s computer breakthroughs, some inventors were even influenced by LSD. So, why did such creative people commit to turning schools into a sped up Model T assembly line?

It would be too much to ask of Toppo, or any other single writer, to definitively answer this question but his excellent book helps us understand why so many architects of 21st century technological miracles helped impose test, sort, reward, and punish, bubble-in malpractice on our schools.

Toppo chose to study computer gaming after his still dynamic young daughter became disenchanted with reading, and after he tired of reporting on school reform wars.  The fundamental problem predates corporate school reform; for instance, 1/3rd of high school graduates never go on to read another book for the rest of their lives. And, as teacher and reading expert Kelly Gallagher says, the problem is both under- and over-teaching of reading. But, full-blown "readicide" has been made far worse by the test prep which was caused by output-driven, competition-driven reform. 

Toppo writes:

At exactly the same time that schools have taken the questionable path of implementing more high-stakes standardized tests keyed to the abilities of some imaginary bell-curved students, games have gone the opposite route, embedding sophisticated assessment into gameplay ... becoming complex learning tools that promise to deflate the tired 'teach to the test' narrative that weighs down so many great teachers and schools. 

The Game Believes in You does a great job explaining the cognitive science behind computer games (and in doing so he may foreshadow an explanation why corporate school reformers became so obsessed with competition that they helped impose nonstop worksheet-driven, basic skills instruction on so many schools.)

Games can be great learning tools because they build on students' desires to belong, to bond with their peers, and to compete. Games allow kids to fail without facing consequences that are too dire. And, they offer a holistic learning experience. As neurologist Frank Wilson notes,  "A hand is always in search of a brain and a brain in search of a hand."

Toppo explains that "kids are paying attention to everything including each other." So, as This Week In Education: Thompson: Greg Toppo Sees the Game's Future and It Works:

Going the extra mile OR Part of the same team - Lily's Blackboard

Going the extra mile OR Part of the same team - Lily's Blackboard:

Going the extra mile OR Part of the same team 

Like many of you, I, too, cheered for the U.S. women’s national soccer team when it won the World Cup this summer. As I watched the team celebrate, one thing stood out: everyone involved with the organization contributed to the team’s success.

The players and head coach are the most visible. Equally important, however, are the assistant coaches, equipment managers, team trainers, nutritionists, and countless others who all played a critical role in making sure that the athletes performed at their best.

Abby Wambach, one of the members of the U.S. national team, once said, “I’ve never scored a goal in my life without getting a pass from someone else.”

That quote encompasses the way I feel about our indispensible Education Support Professionals. Like a sports team, an educational team comprises many different people who contribute to the school community’s success. Helping students achieve their potential requires every available resource.

Teachers are often the first to come to mind when thinking of the people who play a part in a child’s education. But even the greatest teachers catch a pass from staff who, among many things, transport students to school, maintain the building, prepare meals, communicate with the community, offer support in the classroom, and direct the library and front office.

It takes team members like Janet Eberhardt, who was named the 2015 Education Support Professional of the Year (ESP) for her outstanding contribution to the San Francisco Unified School District, her community, and the profession. During her remarks before more than 7,000 attendees at the National Education Association’s 153rd Annual Meeting and 94th Representative Assembly (RA) in Orlando, Florida, I was especially moved by her passion in calling for ESPs, teachers and higher education faculty to join together and fight for students and public education.

NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia joins 2015 Education Support Professional of the Year Janet Eberhardt on the stage after addressing the Assembly at 153rd Annual Meeting, 94th Representative Assembly at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando Fl. July 4nd 2015. Photo by Calvin Knight

When I presented Janet with the national award earlier this year, I said that she is an absolute dynamo, and I feel even more strongly about that sentiment now. She leads by example by developing ESP training opportunities and developing future leaders. In her 29 years with the San Francisco Unified School District, Janet has created programs to engage and mentor students and families as well as developed several reading and student creativity programs to unlock a love for reading. As a union leader within the United Educators of San Francisco, she has held multiple important leadership roles, including planning, coordinating, and delivering ethnic minority leadership Going the extra mile OR Part of the same team - Lily's Blackboard:

People Don’t Like Current Education Policies, So Why Do Policy Leaders?

8/27/2015 – People Don’t Like Current Education Policies, So Why Do Policy Leaders?:

People Don’t Like Current Education Policies, So Why Do Policy Leaders?

August 27, 2015 Subscribe

THIS WEEK: People Hate Education Reform … New Orleans Miracle Is A Myth … No Quick Progress From Common Core … Don’t Let States Take Over Schools … Rep Mark Takano Talks Education

TOP STORY

People Don’t Like Current Education Policies, So Why Do Policy Leaders?

By Jeff Bryant

“The big annual poll on how Americans view public schools and education policy is out, and anyone eager to don the mantle of “education reform” might want to rethink twice their wardrobe … What was particularly jarring about the findings of this year’s PDK-Gallup poll is how much those results contrast to the pronouncements of current policy leaders from the Democratic Party and Republicans who are vying for their party’s presidential nomination. Recent policy pronouncements in the halls of Congress and from political speeches betray a staunch adherence to education policies that are completely not in favor, or are becoming less favorable, among the populace.”
Read more …

NEWS AND VIEWS

Poll: Most Americans Oppose Key Tenets Of Modern School Reform

The Washington Post

“The 47th annual PDK-Gallup poll, the longest continuously running survey of American attitudes toward public education … finds that a majority of Americans, as well as a majority of American public school parents, object to some of the key tenets of modern school reform … 64% say there is too much emphasis on standardized testing (7 percent say there isn’t enough) … Most Americans have an issue with evaluating teachers with student standardized test scores… About 80% of Americans said that student engagement with classwork and a high level of hope for the future are very important for measuring the effectiveness of public schools … Fewer rated the percentage of graduates attending college and getting a job right after high school as very important. Testing came in last as a measure of effectiveness.”
Read more …

The Myth Of The New Orleans School Makeover

The New York Times

“At a time when states and municipalities nationwide are looking to New Orleans, the first virtually all-charter urban district, as a model, it is more important than ever to accurately assess the results … Stark problems remain … Principals engage in widespread ‘creaming’ – selecting, or counseling out, students … No agency is responsible for keeping track of all kids … Louisiana’s official dropout rates are unreliable … A new report … found that over 26,000 people in the metropolitan area between the ages of 16 and 24 are counted as ‘disconnected,’ because they are neither working nor in school … Adding to the difficulty … Louisiana education data has been doled out selectively, mostly to pro-charter researchers, and much of the research has been flawed.”
Read more …

Lessons From New York: Don’t Expect Fast Change Under Common Core

The Hechinger Report

“As frustration about Common Core has mounted across the country, New York’s experience suggests that it might be many years before there is evidence of success under the new standards and it’s not clear if parents and educators whose patience has been tested are willing to wait that long … Scores have not improved much in the three years … The gulf between black and Latino students and their [white and Asian] peers has widened … These results buck the conventional wisdom that as teachers and students get more comfortable with a test, scores increase.”
Read more …

State Takeover Of Schools Harms Black, Latino Communities, Report Contends

Education Week

“A new report … traces the history of what the group calls ‘market-based intervention and reform,’ from the state takeover of three New Jersey school districts in the late 1980s and mid-1990s to the present-day push to allow state-run schools in Georgia. The authors contend that the growing number of state takeovers and achievement districts has increased segregation, dismantled community schools, and undermined the financial stability of the affected school districts … None of the current takeovers affect majority white school districts … 97% of the students in the currently operating state-run districts are black or Latino … The … report also criticizes the charter school industry, claiming that it has spearheaded the growth of state achievement districts by promoting charters as the solution to poor student performance.”
Read more …

Right On Banks, Wrong On Schools: “No Child Left Behind Wasn’t Designed For The Types Of Realities In My School”

Salon

Jeff Bryant interviews Democratic Representative Mark Takano who says, “I am surprised to the extent to which my own party has members who are true believers in the education reform movement, who take on the mantle of reformer … Where we’re not united is this issue of accountability … That accountability said if your students didn’t meet certain targets on standardized tests, you had to take a number of harsh measures or lose your federal funding. So we had this list of accountabilities that were really punishments … Effective education doesn’t work that way. Effective education is building relationships with students. It’s about teachers strategizing on how to engage students … Test-driven accountability is like constantly pulling the plant out to see if the roots are growing … If you liken education to bean counting, that’s not going to work.”
Read more …8/27/2015 – People Don’t Like Current Education Policies, So Why Do Policy Leaders?:

Schools Matter: New Test to Solve Tennessee's "true ethical and moral dilemma"?

Schools Matter: New Test to Solve Tennessee's "true ethical and moral dilemma"?:

New Test to Solve Tennessee's "true ethical and moral dilemma"?

Candice McQueen has replaced Tennessee's toxic former Commissioner of Education, Kevin (Rhee) Huffman.  In doing so, McQueen has inherited one of the most aggressive corporate education agendas in the nation. 

At the same time, she has taken the reins of a state system that has been underfunded for at least the past 35 years, as governors and legislators have jumped from reform one bandwagon to another to collect any free federal cash being handed out, even as the percentage of the state's budget committed to education has continued to dry up (see Part II of The Mismeasure of Education).

If these challenges were not enough, Dr. McQueen faces a literacy meltdown as measured by state test scores, even with the infusion of $501,000,000 from Race to the Top federal funds--most of which never reached the classrooms or the severely underfunded school library programs that remain on life support.  

At the same time, poverty continues to grow across the state, with more than one in four children now living in poverty, and one in three black or brown children.  The state ranks 43rd in the nation in child poverty and 48th in Hunger and Food Insecurity.  As poverty and hunger spread, literacy scores continue to tank, especially since math prep has been the major focus of year-round test prep.

For Dr. McQueen, however, it is not the hunger, poverty, and oppression that represent the "true ethical and moral dilemma; it is, rather, the low reading test scores.

As these developments unfold, the billionaire governor, Bill Haslam, continues to hand out to his cronies as much of the public resources as he can, including the shuttering of public schools in favor of the corporate welfare charter reform schools.  And the chief federal architect of the racist new states rights education policy based on the proliferation of charter schools, Lamar Schools Matter: New Test to Solve Tennessee's "true ethical and moral dilemma"?:

The student as education insurgent | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

The student as education insurgent | Philadelphia Public School Notebook:

The student as education insurgent

"Educating for Insurgency," by Jay Gillen, makes the case that the transformation of our schools depends on recognizing the critical role of young people in high-poverty schools.

Gillen is a Baltimore math teacher who helped organize the Baltimore Algebra Project, a student-run collective that provides tutoring services and engages in political advocacy. The project was inspired by and draws on the legacy of the iconic Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee leaders Bob Moses and Ella Baker.

Gillen’s book centers on a discussion of what he calls "schools of poverty" and the efforts to reform them. He compares the organization and norms of the plantation during slavery with today’s schools.  

The view of slaves as lazy and resistant to authority is carried over in the attitudes toward students, which are sometimes overt but more often coded, by many of today’s educators. Today’s schools of poverty, no less than plantations in slavery times, rely on repressive discipline.

… the official policies of most schools for adolescents in poverty assume that without "consequences" (the 20th century euphemism for ‘punishment)’, students would do no work at all, probably would not even bother attending school or classes, and would, most likely, run amok. A whole panoply of physical movements are alternately prescribed and proscribed: where the students must or many not sit; where they must or may not go; which doors they are required and which doors they are forbidden to use; which books or materials they must or may not touch; which websites they may see or must not see; when they must stand and when they may not stand; when they may use the bathroom; when they may eat, when they may or must leave the building; when they may or must speak. All these modal constraints depend utterly on punishments and the threat of punishment. Well-run schools, like well-run plantations, are places where the “consequences” for violating requirements are swift and certain.

For Gillen, efforts at fixing these schools break down, because students are seen as objects, to be manipulated for the purposes of others, rather than as subjects, who are actively engaged in shaping their own learning.

The other blind spot he identifies is the tendency to take student behavior literally. Things are not always what they seem for Gillen, who draws on the work of philosopher Kenneth Burke and novelist Ralph Ellison. Young people are experimenting with different personae and acting in a cultural context that is not always apparent to adults. Schools of poverty are contested territory in which student resistance, primarily in the form of non-conformity, challenges the role of these schools as the means for reproducing the social relationships that serve those with power.   

The portrait of robust official optimism with scientific, data-driven methods on the one The student as education insurgent | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: