CURMUDGUCATION: 5 Causes of Ed Reform Fails

CURMUDGUCATION: 5 Causes of Ed Reform Fails:

5 Causes of Ed Reform Fails

Robyn Schulman is a Forbes contributor covering "the intersection of education and entrepreneurship." She the senior editor of thought-leadership for 51talk, "a leading education startup in China." So she's not necessarily the kind of person I'd be inclined to pay attention to. But her new Forbes piece is a worthwhile read.

The Top 5 Reasons EdTech Startups Fail And How To Avoid Them lists five problems that most classroom teachers will recognize. Only they aren't confined to ed tech start-ups. Or even ed tech, which is just one brand of ed reform-- and ed reform shares many of these fatal flaws.

1) Lack of understanding the education ecosystem.

Just because you went to school back in the day does not mean you know how schools and education  work today. This leads ed tech folks to develop programs that don't actually fit the needs of people in the field. In the ed reform biz, this leads to repeated calls to reform practices that stopped being the norm decades ago. Teachers have not been told to make their students do rote memorization for years, and most of us are entirely familiar with computers.

If you don't know what our challenges and problems are, there's no way you can help us deal; with them.

2)  Edtech startups lack critical teacher input and transparency.

Indeed. You would think that people who want to influence the world of education would talk to the people who devote their entire professional lives to the classroom. But no-- some folk remain convinced that not only do they not need to talk to teachers, but they should actively avoid it. Many an edtech promoter has taken the position that their program would work great if not for those CURMUDGUCATION: 5 Causes of Ed Reform Fails:

Randi Weingarten - 2017 FDR Distinguished Public Service Award Honoree - YouTube

(7) Randi Weingarten - 2017 FDR Distinguished Public Service Award Honoree - YouTube:

Randi Weingarten - 2017 FDR Distinguished Public Service Award Honoree 

As President of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten represents 1.6 million workers in one of the most critical and challenging sectors of our economy. Like her union members—and Eleanor herself—President Weingarten believes our nation’s future depends on all Americans having access to a high-quality education.

In recognition of her work to improve America’s education system for teachers, students, and families, the Roosevelt Institute presents AFT President Randi Weingarten with the Distinguished Public Service Award.

Visit us today at http://rooseveltinstitute.org

Randi Weingarten - 2017 FDR Distinguished Public Service Award Honoree - YouTube:

FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD: "Beyond Grades: A Series on Grading and Feedback" by Author Russ Walsh - Garn Press

FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD: "Beyond Grades: A Series on Grading and Feedback" by Author Russ Walsh - Garn Press:

FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD: “Beyond Grades: A Series on Grading and Feedback” by Author Russ Walsh

FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD: Beyond Grades: A Series on Grading and Feedback by Author Russ Walsh

Garn education books value imagination, creativity, originality, and innovation. The critical question that many of our books address is “What actionable knowledge do we need to change the future now?” We are convinced that all those who work for the common good in the caring professions must be supported – especially public school teachers.

Beyond Grades: A Series on Grading and Feedback is essential reading for public school teachers who are resisting the corporatization of public education. This FREE ebook, Beyond Grades, is an adaptation from the web series on grading and feedback by author Russ Walsh.

• Beyond Grades Part One: “The Mis-Measure of Schools and School Children”
• Beyond Grades Part Two: “How Am I Doing?”
• Beyond Grades Part Three: “How is My Child Doing?”
• Beyond Grades Part Four: “How Are We Doing?”

FREE Ebook Download

Download the EPUB file for Apple iPads and other eReaders. Download the MOBI file for Amazon eReaders (Amazon Fire, Amazon Kindle etc). NOTE: Any issues please contact Garn Press.

BEYOND GRADES Free eBook: EPUB Version For APPLE IPAD and Other Readers 1.05 MB

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BEYOND GRADES Free eBook: MOBI Version For AMAZON KINDLE and FIRE 425.81 KB

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About Russ Walsh

Russ Walsh has had a forty-five year career in public education as a teacher, literacy specialist, curriculum supervisor and college instructor. He is currently the Coordinator of College Reading at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ. Russ blogs on public education, literacy instruction and teaching practice at Russ on Reading.

After beginning his career as a secondary history teacher, Russ switched gears and earned a degree in literacy and then worked for much of his career in the literacy field, including stints as an elementary reading specialist, a Reading Recovery teacher and a literacy supervisor. He has taught at every level of education from kindergarten through graduate school. His major academic interests have been in reading fluency, content literacy, instructional practice and parental involvement in education.

Russ was active for many years with the International Literacy Association (ILA) and was a member of that organization’s Parents and Reading Committee, as well as the co-founder and chair of the Parents and Reading Special Interest Group for ILA. In those roles, Russ helped organize and deliver parent programs as a part of ILA’s yearly international conference. He has presented hundreds of workshops and papers for parents and teachers at local, regional, national and international conferences.

(RELATED) A Parent’s Guide to Public Education in the 21st Century: Navigating Education Reform to Get the Best Education for My Child

Russ Walsh is the author of A Parent’s Guide to Public Education in the 21st Century, on SALE, paperback book 20% off on Amazon, $15.95.

Book: A Parent’s Guide to Public Education in the 21st Century
Author: Russ Walsh
Garn Press (248 pp.)
Paperback on Sale on Amazon 20% off
$15.95 paperback, $9.99 e-book, $2.99 through Kindle Matchbook Program
ISBN: 978-1-942146-33-9
Paperback Available: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound 
eBook Available: AmazonFREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD: "Beyond Grades: A Series on Grading and Feedback" by Author Russ Walsh - Garn Press:

What to know before using school ratings tools from real estate companies - The Washington Post

What to know before using school ratings tools from real estate companies - The Washington Post:

What to know before using school ratings tools from real estate companies

Jack Schneider is an assistant professor of education at the College of the Holy Cross, Mass., the director of research for the Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment, and the author of the soon-to-be-published “Beyond Test Scores: A Better Way to Measure School Quality.” His earlier books are “Excellence For All: How a New Breed of Reformers Is Transforming America’s Public Schools” and “From the Ivory Tower to the Schoolhouse: How Scholarship Becomes Common Knowledge in Education.”

Schneider co-hosts the education policy podcast Have You Heard, and has written several posts for this blog, including one titled, “If Only Teachers Were Smarter …” He can be found on Twitter: @Edu_Historian

This post is thematically related to his new book.

By Jack Schneider

I like where I live, in New England’s most densely populated city.  My wife likes it, too, as does our daughter, who attends the public school across the street.  Each morning, when we walk her to school, we feel lucky to live where we do, and happy about the education she’s getting.  And when we interact with other families at the school — families that represent the many colors, creeds, and conditions of America — we worry a little less that the nation is coming apart at the seams.

But we wouldn’t have moved here if we had given any consideration to the school rating tools available from real estate companies like Zillow and Trulia.  We wouldn’t have even looked at what their websites deem an “average” school, earning only a 6 on a 10-point scale.  Instead, we’d be scrambling to make our mortgage payment in one of the region’s leafy suburbs.

Just because we ignored the ratings doesn’t mean we ignored the basic question of school quality.  Before we put our bid in, I visited the school and took a tour; I talked with the What to know before using school ratings tools from real estate companies - The Washington Post:

UPDATED x2: Snyder administration officials facing manslaughter charges over #FlintWaterCrisis but Snyder himself can’t be sued | Eclectablog

UPDATED x2: Snyder administration officials facing manslaughter charges over #FlintWaterCrisis but Snyder himself can’t be sued | Eclectablog:

UPDATED x2: Snyder administration officials facing manslaughter charges over #FlintWaterCrisis but Snyder himself can’t be sued

Big news out of Flint this morning. Attorney General Bill Schuette has filed charges against two current and two former Snyder administration officials and one former Flint official. Michigan Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyon is being charged with felony charges of involuntary manslaughter and misconduct in office. Four others, including former Emergency Manager Darnell Earley, are also facing manslaughter charges. In addition, Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Eden Wells has been charged with obstruction of justice and lying to a police officer.

You may think this has to do with lead in Flint’s drinking water. However, these charges are over the officials’ handling of the Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak in Flint in 2014 and 2015:

Both are charged in connection with the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the Flint area that led to 12 deaths after the city’s water supply was switched to the Flint River in April 2014. […]

Lyon, 49, of Marshall is accused of causing the death of Robert Skidmore on Dec. 15, 2015 by failing to alert the public about a foreseeable outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. It’s a 15-year felony.

“Defendant Lyon was aware of Genesee County’s Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at least by Jan. 28, 2015 and did not notify the public until a year later,” the charging documents allege.

Lyon “exhibited gross negligence when he failed to alert the public about the deadly outbreak and by taking steps to suppress information illustrating obvious and apparent harms that were likely to result in serious injury.”

On the misconduct in office charge, a five-year felony, Lyon is accused of instructing an 

UPDATED x2: Snyder administration officials facing manslaughter charges over #FlintWaterCrisis but Snyder himself can’t be sued | Eclectablog:

21st Century Reforms Need to Look Back in Time | DCGEducator: Doing The Right Thing

21st Century Reforms Need to Look Back in Time | DCGEducator: Doing The Right Thing:

21st Century Reforms Need to Look Back in Time

As the demands to “change” education to “fit the 21st century” paradigm swirl about us, I want to ask you to do something for me. I want you to close your eyes and think back to your third grade class.

For all of the “new”, innovative “21st century education” ideas being tossed around, what I see being proposed doesn’t seem to be adding anything to the mix. A lot of money is being spent, a lot of books and materials are being created, but I’m having a hard time seeing any benefit.

When I think back to my third grade class, I remember sitting in rows and quietly walking in pairs. I remember learning the times table. I remember being given, (and doing) homework in every subject, reading books in class and carrying them back and forth from school to home, and I remember learning to spell words correctly.

I have two degrees and 40 years of teaching experience on my ledger and I live in the 21st century. Since people frequently engage my services to edit their work, teach writing and speaking techniques, prepare for the S.A.T., etc., I’d have to argue that many, if not most of the non-21st century techniques and skills I possess work very well, in the 21st century!

My 1960’s -70’s education taught me discipline. It taught me responsibility. I was given a book for each subject and it was my responsibility to cover it, bring it to school and home, to come prepared with paper, a pen and a pencil, prepared to take notes and ask questions when I didn’t understand.

It taught me that I didn’t have to like you to learn from you, and that sometimes there actually are people who know more than you.

It taught me that for all of the changes the “experts” purport are so vital and 21st Century Reforms Need to Look Back in Time | DCGEducator: Doing The Right Thing:

I want to report a case of child abuse. No, thousands of cases. |

I want to report a case of child abuse. No, thousands of cases. |:

I want to report a case of child abuse. No, thousands of cases.

I want to report a case of child abuse.

Well, no.  Not just one case.

Thousands of cases. Maybe tens of thousands. One for every child in New Jersey who attended class Monday and Tuesday in near 100 degree heat without air conditioning. Who will still be in school next week when the heat returns–and in September.

And child abuse is a crime.

All these children were entrusted to the care of public managers and officials–from school principals to the New Jersey state education commissioner–who probably didn’t think much about the problem.

Didn’t think of it because they were working in air conditioned offices. They were aided and abetted by legislators who, while ready to spend hundreds of millions of dollars–maybe $750 million– to renovate the Statehouse (which already has air conditioned chambers, committee rooms, and offices), won’t provide the schools with the money they need to air conditioned their classrooms.

The worst aider and abettor, of course, is Chris Christie, the governor who wasted $24 million in 2013 for a special US Senate election designed, in part, to I want to report a case of child abuse. No, thousands of cases. |:

A Favorite Subject Returns to Schools: Recess - WSJ

A Favorite Subject Returns to Schools: Recess - WSJ:

A Favorite Subject Returns to Schools: Recess

After playtime was dropped amid focus on academic performance, educators now take playground breaks seriously

Three kindergarten girls looked close to taking a spill as they sat on the high back of a playground bench at Oak Point Elementary. Feet away, several administrators didn’t make a move to stop them because at this school outside Dallas, playtime is revered.

“As long as they’re safe, we allow kids to be kids,” said Daniel Gallagher, assistant superintendent for educational services in the Little Elm Independent School District.

That’s the mantra in this small school district, where schoolchildren are transitioning from one daily 30-minute recess to one hour a day, taken in 15-minute increments. School officials say children are better focused with more unstructured breaks and do better in school.

School districts throughout the country are reassessing recess—with some bringing back the pastime or expanding it, citing academic and health benefits.

The Minneapolis school board on Tuesday approved a proposal to require 30 minutes of daily recess in elementary schools, moving away from just recommending 20 minutes daily. And in Florida, parents are hoping the governor will soon sign an education bill that includes a required 20 minutes of daily recess for elementary-school students in traditional public schools. 

In the past year, the state of Rhode Island and school districts in Dallas, Portland, Ore., the Jefferson Parish Public School System in Louisiana, and the Orange County and A Favorite Subject Returns to Schools: Recess - WSJ:

PBS Explains Why It Ran a Pro-Privatization Series | Diane Ravitch's blog

PBS Explains Why It Ran a Pro-Privatization Series | Diane Ravitch's blog:

PBS Explains Why It Ran a Pro-Privatization Series

Valerie Strauss contacted PBS to ask why the public TV Network ran a one-sided three-hour documentary that lambastes public schools and celebrates vouchers, charters, and for-profit schools.

PBS gave its response.

It likes to air diverse views (clearly without fact-checking).

It pays no attention to where the money comes from, even it is dark money funneled through Donors Trust, which bundles contributions from the Koch brothers and DeVos foundations.

Since PBS welcomes diverse views, be sure to contact your local public television station and urge them to run my rebuttal, which aired on WNET, the NYC PBS station.

Since PBS likes diverse views, urge them to air “Backpack Full of Cash,” produced by award-winning Stone Lantern Films, who’s four-part series, “School,” was aired on PBS in 2000. “Backpack” demonstrates the vicious corporate assault on public schools and the harm done to children by the privatization movement.

Don’t agonize, organize.PBS Explains Why It Ran a Pro-Privatization Series | Diane Ravitch's blog:

L.A. Unified moves closer to a unified enrollment system - LA Times

L.A. Unified moves closer to a unified enrollment system - LA Times:

L.A. Unified moves closer to a unified enrollment system

Pressed by L.A. schools Supt. Michelle King, the Board of Education on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to create an enrollment system that will allow students and families to apply to just about any schools they choose at the same time, through one online application.

The $24-million project is central to King’s strategy for increasing district enrollment. Reversing years of declining enrollment is key to her plan to keep Los Angeles Unified financially solvent while improving district academics.

“It’s a one-stop shop,” said King, who said parents have told the district that the current variety of enrollment processes is “too confusing.”

“The idea was that we have to bring everything together in one space at one time so that all parents can have access and knowledge about what’s happening in our district,” King said.

Tuesday’s vote was crucial if the district was going to have any elements of the new system up and ready in time for fall. A tool for searching the location of schools and descriptions of their programs already had been pushed back to 2018.

King had wanted the board to approve the project last month, but she wasn’t sure then that she had enough votes for approval.

What is expected to be ready by next October will be modest.

During a six-week window, parents should be able to fill out a single online application to apply to three options for the 2018-19 school year: magnet programs, dual-language programs and a small permit program that allows minority students to attend a school in another part of the district if their enrollment would promote the goal of racial integration. Other district options are supposed to be added over the following two years.

Some of L.A. Unified’s most popular programs are magnets, which were originally L.A. Unified moves closer to a unified enrollment system - LA Times:

Nothing planned. | Fred Klonsky

Nothing planned. | Fred Klonsky:

Nothing planned.

Graphic: Leigh Klonsky

Today

I turn 69.

I have nothing planned to mark the day.

When I retired five years ago

people asked me, “How will you fill your days

when you have nothing else planned?”

A problem solved.

Trump.

Fighting pension theft.

I walk the dog.

All that keeps me busy enough.

“But Trump’s a Nothing planned. | Fred Klonsky:

DeVos says some charter school ‘reformers’ have become ‘just another breed of bureaucrats’ | EdSource

DeVos says some charter school ‘reformers’ have become ‘just another breed of bureaucrats’ | EdSource:

DeVos says some charter school 'reformers' have become 'just another breed of bureaucrats'

In a speech to over 4,000 charter school educators and advocates, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos praised their work, but in the same breath leveled sharp criticisms at the charter school movement.

Speaking Monday to the annual convention of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools in Washington D.C., she said a quarter century ago, when charter schools were getting off the ground, charter school leaders embraced “creativity, innovation and flexibility.”

But along the way, she said, the movement has departed from some of its founding principles.

“Somewhere along the way, in the intervening 26 years and through the process of expansion, we’ve taken the colorful collage of charters and drawn our own set of lines around it to box others out, to mitigate risk, to play it safe,” she said. “This is not what we set out to do, and, more importantly, it doesn’t help kids.”

“Charters’ success should be celebrated, but it’s equally important not to ‘become the man,'” she said. “I thought it was a tough but fair criticism when a friend recently wrote in an article that many who call themselves ‘reformers’ have instead become just another breed of bureaucrats – a new education establishment.”

The label of the “education establishment” has typically been used  by “school choice” advocates like DeVos to describe teachers unions and other public school leaders who have not fully embraced charter schools, or in DeVos’ case, private DeVos says some charter school ‘reformers’ have become ‘just another breed of bureaucrats’ | EdSource:

Troubling Trends for California’s State Teachers Retirement Fund (CalSTRS) | Crazy Normal - the Classroom Exposé

Troubling Trends for California’s State Teachers Retirement Fund (CalSTRS) | Crazy Normal - the Classroom Exposé:

Troubling Trends for California’s State Teachers Retirement Fund (CalSTRS)

Guest Post by Neil Murphy

Recently, I reviewed the STRS Connections On-Line Newsletter and discerned some troubling trends.

Trend Number One (Contributions vs. Benefits Paid):

Contributions from STRS members (teachers), the State and school districts equaled $8,288.519 for 2016.  Benefits paid to retirees equaled $13,148.558 for 2016.  Contributions are not keeping up with benefits paid to retirees.

Trend Number Two (investment assumption):

STRS used to project a 7.5% rate of return on its investments; in the recent past it downgraded its rate of return to 7.25%; now it is 7.00%.  Because of the recent downgrade, the State just increased its contribution rate by 0.5%; this will not make taxpayers happy.  Also, new teachers, hired after January 1st, 2013, will see a 1% increase in their contribution rate probably beginning in the year 2018.

Trend Number Three (Global Equity):

The investment portfolio of STRS is diverse.  STRS invests in real estate, private equity, global equity, etc.  However, 54.8% of its investment portfolio is tied up in global equity.  This probably explains why STRS just downgraded its rate of investment to 7.0%.  Here are some issues that I have with Global Equity Stocks:

BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) were hailed as the new super economic engines.  Newspaper article after article promoted the idea that these four countries would change the global economy so that it would move in an upward trend.  This was true for a while.  Unfortunately, Brazil’s economy has become anemic due to its vast political troubles (government scandal after scandal).  China’s growth has slowed dramatically.  Russia’s economy has been underperforming somewhat in part due to the economic sanctions placed on it; plus, its economy is too reliant on oil.

The European Union is still struggling.  Spain, Italy, Greece and other European countries are seeing debt choking the breath right out of their economies.  Germany is still performing extremely well, but France’s economy is sputtering.

Japan’s economy has not been strong since the early 1990s.  Moreover, Japan is going to have some serious economic issues in the near future.  Japan’s population is aging and Japan has negative population growth.  There won’t be enough workers to pay for the retirees.  Plus, the Japanese have the longest life span of any other group of people.  Overall, Japan’s economy is headed for disaster.

Based on the economies of other countries, it is my prediction that STRS won’t even reach its 7.0% forecast.  I wouldn’t be surprised if STRS reduces its rate of return from 7.0% to 6.75% within the next ten years.

Trend Number Four (U.S. Economy):

The $20 trillion debt and growing cannot be ignored. The U.S. cannot keep increasing the debt ceiling every year.  Once the U.S. stops increasing the debt ceiling, then the pain of the $20 trillion debt will settle in.  Taxes Troubling Trends for California’s State Teachers Retirement Fund (CalSTRS) | Crazy Normal - the Classroom Exposé:

The Edu-Tech Billionaires Promote “Personalized” Learning That Lacks the Personal Touch | janresseger

The Edu-Tech Billionaires Promote “Personalized” Learning That Lacks the Personal Touch | janresseger:

The Edu-Tech Billionaires Promote “Personalized” Learning That Lacks the Personal Touch

I was relieved when I read the Los Angeles Times‘ editorial a couple of weeks ago about the newfound humility of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as regards its education philanthropy. Recounting the history of billions spent on failed projects like the small-schools initiative, the initiative to evaluate teachers and reward the best with merit pay, and the investment to develop, publicize and spread the Common Core standards, the LA Times editorial board writes: “Tucked away in a letter from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation last week, along with proud notes about the foundation’s efforts to fight smoking and tropical diseases and its other accomplishments, was a section on education. Its tone was unmistakably chastened. ‘We’re facing the fact that it is a real struggle to make systemwide change,’ wrote the foundation’s CEO, Sue Desmond-Hellman… ‘It is really tough to create more great public schools.'”

The only problem is that it isn’t quite true that Gates has disappeared from the world of education “reform.” Gone are the days, of course, when Arne Duncan hired Jim Shelton, right out of the Gates Foundation to lead the Office of Innovation at the U.S. Department of Education. But the Billionaire Boys continue to work behind the scenes.

Today the focus is “personalized learning,” the Orwellian name its proponents are calling computer-driven learning.  And, no surprise, Jim Shelton has come back to lead the philanthropically-driven effort, but this time he’s working with the Gates Foundation from a perch as head of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, what Benjamin Herold at Education Weekcalls “the philanthropic and investment arm of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, pediatrician Priscilla Chan.” “The head of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s education The Edu-Tech Billionaires Promote “Personalized” Learning That Lacks the Personal Touch | janresseger: