Does Louisiana Really Lead The Nation In 8th Grade Math Gains? | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

Does Louisiana Really Lead The Nation In 8th Grade Math Gains? | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

Does Louisiana Really Lead The Nation In 8th Grade Math Gains?

The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores for the 2019 tests were released on October 30th.  Unlike state tests for which the cutoff scores can be manipulated for political purposes, the NAEP does seem to be somewhat unbiased.  So the NAEP, sometimes called ‘The Nation’s Report Card’ does offer an interesting amount of data that I believe is worthy of analysis.

Often the NAEP results are, intentionally or unintentionally, interpreted to see if it is possible to find some kind of correlation between the education policies a state has enacted and the corresponding NAEP results.  In Obama’s 2014 State Of The Union address, he mentioned that D.C. and Tennessee were improving — as evidenced surely by their NAEP gains from 2011 to 2013 — to show that his Race To The Top recommendations, which were followed closely by those two regions, were working.

So when the 2019 results came out the other day, things looked bad for the reformers.  From 2017 to 2019, the average scale score for 4th grade reading was down 1 point, 8th grade reading was down 3 points, 4th grade math was up 1 point, and 8th grade math was down 1 point.  Though it is not clear to the public whether or not one ‘point’ is a lot or a CONTINUE READING: Does Louisiana Really Lead The Nation In 8th Grade Math Gains? | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

A Conservative Push to Make Trans Kids and School Sports the Next Battleground in the Culture War - The New York Times

A Conservative Push to Make Trans Kids and School Sports the Next Battleground in the Culture War - The New York Times

A Conservative Push to Make Trans Kids and School Sports the Next Battleground in the Culture War
The Kentucky governor’s race has turned into a kind of testing ground to see how transgender issues could rally support for President Trump.

ARLINGTON, Va. — From the 12th floor of a glass office tower in the Washington suburbs, a campaign to sway the governor’s race in Kentucky on Tuesday is being waged with an alarmist claim that has little to do with the race itself: If Democrats have their way, soon boys will be able to compete against girls in school sports.

This scenario, presented in a pair of ads that are appearing on computer screens and smartphones across Kentucky, is the work of a little-known group funded by anonymous donors called the American Principles Project, which in recent years has focused on fighting more familiar clashes in the culture wars over same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

The group is limiting its work to Kentucky for now, but strategists say it has bigger ambitions. It is effectively running a pilot program for the 2020 election that will help it determine how it could use the debate over transgender rights to rally conservative voters in support of President Trump.

The results could inform what type of campaigns social conservatives run in the future — and answer whether the delicate and deeply personal questions around gender identity are the next major wedge issue in American politics or, as recent experience suggests, something that most voters and politicians would rather not see politicized.

Terry Schilling, executive director of the American Principles Project, said conservative groups that focus on social issues other than abortion have been shying away from politics — and losing ground in recent years. “What we’re doing is trying to show Republicans how to win on these key issues,” he said.

Through online ads and text messages sent using phone numbers with local area codes, the group is trying to reach some 400,000 Kentuckians, many of whom identity as social conservatives but are not seen as reliable voters for the Republican candidate, Gov. Matt Bevin.

In one ad, called “Wrestler,” two high-school-age girls are shown facing off. “All any athlete wants is a fair shot in competition,” a female announcer says. The camera focuses in on the referee as he CONTINUE READING: A Conservative Push to Make Trans Kids and School Sports the Next Battleground in the Culture War - The New York Times

Wendy Lecker: Dalio’s secret pet project - StamfordAdvocate

Wendy Lecker: Dalio’s secret pet project - StamfordAdvocate

Wendy Lecker: Dalio’s secret pet project

Ray Dalio is well known in Connecticut as head of a profitable hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates — whose profits have been fueled in part by generous state tax breaks and subsidies. His Dalio Foundation has been involved in Connecticut charter and public schools, with mixed reviews from the communities involved.

Dalio’s newest venture is the Partnership for Connecticut. Using his influence, he had a law passed creating a nonprofit corporation in which his foundation contributes $100 million, the state contributes $100 million and together they attempt to raise another $100 million. The laudable but vague goals of this partnership include “strengthening public education” and “promoting upward mobility” in underserved communities. The contributions, while generous, represent a small fraction of what is needed to meaningfully address even one of several goals of the law.

According to the law, the membership of this corporation consists of directors appointed by the Dalio Foundation and the governor, the governor and members of the General Assembly. No one from the law’s targeted underserved communities leads this effort.

Controversially, the Partnership insists on being exempt from Connecticut transparency and ethics rules. Supporters maintain that “innovation” is required to solve entrenched problems like poverty and struggling public schools, and addressing these sensitive issues can only be done in private.

When it comes to public education, the issues have already been addressed in a public forum- the CCJEF trial. The trial judge made thousands of public findings of fact in his 2016 decision in Connecticut’s school funding case, all based on evidence presented during the months-long public trial.

Among his findings are that Connecticut’s poorest districts have significantly lower levels of children who attend high quality preschool, and that preschool provides significant lasting benefits, particularly for poor children, such as: reduced grade repetition and special education identification rates, decreased behavioral problems, higher graduation and employment rates, higher lifetime earnings, reductions in involvement with the criminal justice system, reductions in the probability of being on welfare, and improved health measures.

The evidence at trial also proved that, despite higher need, Connecticut’s poorest districts could not afford an adequate supply of guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, reading interventionists, special education teachers, and CONTINUE READING: Wendy Lecker: Dalio’s secret pet project - StamfordAdvocate

enrique baloyra: White House approves LGBTQ discrimination - YouTube #LicenseToDiscriminate

White House approves LGBTQ discrimination - YouTube

White House approves LGBTQ discrimination 

 #LicenseToDiscriminate 

enrique baloyra

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced on Friday his department got the go-ahead from the White House to roll back longstanding protections for LGBTQ people, effective immediately.
Since 1964, The Civil Rights Act has banned discrimination based on race, gender, or religious beliefs. After efforts to extend these protections to people based on their sexual orientation stalled in Congress, the Obama administration issued a policy barring federal contractors from engaging in these practices.
HHS has a $90.5 billion budget this year.
Some Christian groups in states like South Carolina, Texas, Michigan, and Pennsylvania argue it’s against their religious beliefs to work with the gays. And that it’s not fair they should be excluded from federal contracts just because they discriminate against LGBTQ people.
And the White House agrees.
Child welfare contracts, like adoption and foster care services — worth over $7 billion annually — will immediately stop protecting gay and lesbian parents.
HIV prevention and youth homelessness programs will also feel the impact.
The chief policy officer of the Family Equality Council says, “Religious freedom is important — we protect it in the First Amendment — but it does not extend to harming others.”
The ACLU tweeted, “Religious liberty is not a license to discriminate.”
Child advocacy groups denounced the plan, pointing out there are 123,000 children currently awaiting adoption. “Less that half of these children will find their forever families within a year, yet the administration is acting to make even fewer families available.”
“This rule will openly encourage discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, AND religion in *all* HHS programs.
“This is taxpayer-funded discrimination. Religion is NOT a #LicenseToDiscriminate.” https://twitter.com/LambdaLegal/statu...
Of course the irony in how the current occupant of the White House campaigned on protecting the LGBTQ community from Islamic terrorists isn’t lost, as his administration recently allowed the escape of hundreds of ISIS fighters held by Kurdish forces.
Right from the start, his administration banned transgender people from serving in the military.
His education secretary argues that taxpayer-funded schools should be allowed to fire teachers based on whom they love.
And just last month, the president spoke at the Family Values Summit, a conference where the nation’s most influential bigots and homophobes spend four days decrying the “gay agenda.”
Whatever that is.
He’s not an ally.

White House approves LGBTQ discrimination - YouTube

White House approves LGBTQ discrimination - YouTube

Seattle Schools Community Forum: District Getting Tough on Non-Vaccinated Students

Seattle Schools Community Forum: District Getting Tough on Non-Vaccinated Students

District Getting Tough on Non-Vaccinated Students

From KUOW:

Seattle Public Schools said it is missing immunization records for about one in ten students.

The district sent letters to about 5,700 students’ families Oct. 28th notifying them that they will be barred from school beginning Jan. 8th if they still lack proof of the required immunizations, exemptions, or evidence that they are in the process of getting vaccinated.

District spokesperson Tim Robinson said after this week's pre-exclusion letter went out, translated into several languages, many families have followed up to update their records. The district advised families that 29 school-based health centers offer vaccinations, as well as primary health care providers and local pharmacies.

The letter also linked to exemption forms on the state health department website. Earlier this year, the state legislature removed the personal exemption for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, leaving only religious or medical exemptions as options for that immunization. Personal or philosophical exemptions are still allowed for other vaccines.

Other districts seem to be moving faster on this issue but with Seattle being the CONTINUE READING: Seattle Schools Community Forum: District Getting Tough on Non-Vaccinated Students

The Really Scary Thing about Queen Betsy | I Love You but You're Going to Hell

The Really Scary Thing about Queen Betsy | I Love You but You're Going to Hell

The Really Scary Thing about Queen Betsy

I know it’s too late for Halloween, but here’s something scary to think about: As Jack Schneider argued this week at the History of Education Society annual meeting, the reason Betsy DeVos flubs so many basic questions in interviews is not because she is dim. It is not because she is a tony socialite out of her depth, or as Stephen Colbert described her, “one of the garden-party guests from Get Out.” No, the reason Queen Betsy makes so many prominent mistakes is far more frightening for people who care about public education.

Given recent revelations from Trump’s White House, it’s easy to forget what used to seem shocking, but back in 2018 Queen Betsy astounded America with her vast ignorance about educational questions. A lot of commentators concluded that she embodied ineptitude.

Exhibit A was her interview with Lesley Stahl on 60 Minutes:

DEVOS: Well, in places where there have been — where there is — a lot of choice that’s been introduced — Florida, for example, the — studies show that when there’s a large number of students that opt to go to a different school or different schools, the traditional public schools actually — the results get better, as well.

STAHL: Now, has that happened in Michigan? We’re in Michigan. This is your home state.

DeVOS: Michi — Yes, well, there’s lots of great options  CONTINUE READING: The Really Scary Thing about Queen Betsy | I Love You but You're Going to Hell

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: It's November Already Edition (11/3)

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: It's November Already Edition (11/3)

ICYMI: It's November Already Edition (11/3)

One storm front pushes through and all of a sudden it's much less like summer and much more like winter. But when it's cold outside, that's a good time to hunker down inside and read. Remember to share, folks.

Schools and Surveillance  

Buzzfeed offers a package of pieces about some of the creepy surveillance going on out there (for our own good, of course). It's all plenty alarming.

Education Technology Running Rampant  

As always, the view form China is scary. I can tell you that the headband thing was apparently scrapped later in the week, but still... Alan Singer has some thoughts.

Bus Struck In Sinkhole  

Not remotely education related, but in western PA we love ourselves a good sinkhole story.

My Tour of Achievement First    

Senator Sam Bell took a tour of an Achievement First charter school and came away...well, not favorably impressed, that's for sure.

What's Blockchain Actually Good For?  

Wired takes a look at the promises of blockchain. It was going to fix everything. including carrying your digital credential profile. So far, it looks as if one more technowonder has seriously overpromised beyond what it can actually do.

The Haunted Third Grade Classrooms Children Fear  

Nancy Bailey with a look at the bad policy that is third grade reading retention. Spoiler alert: it still doesn't work.

The Big Lie About the Science of Reading: 2019 Edition    

Paul Thomas breaks down some of the baloney surrounding the "science" of reading, with a special look at the new NAEP scores.

Stop Devaluing the Wisdom of Teachers  

Joseph Murphy at EdWeek points out that researchers don't have a monopoly on "evidence," and maybe classroom teachers actually know a thing or two about teaching.

NOLA Book Cooking  

Mercedes Schneider (she's indispensable) has been following the story of the administrator who told teachers to fix their grades. It's not pretty.

Why Democrats Are Rethinking School Choice  

From Have You Heard comes a great interview with Jon Valant. Thoughtful, nuanced stuff about the tides affecting the charter movement.

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: It's November Already Edition (11/3)

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION

AND DON'T FORGET PETER GREENE ON FORBES CLICK HERE 

Why Market Forces Will Not Provide Charter School Accountability

by Peter Greene / 1d

It has been a rough day at my house. The IRS is auditing me and needs me to send them money now. My computer has a virus. My Microsoft Windows is expired and will shut down soon. And if I don’t re-enter my personal information, my email, Netflix, and bank accounts will all be shut down. The only good news is that I still have a chance to buy great insurance, and I’m still waiting to hear back fro

NOV 01

DeVos Honored By Prominent Dominionist Group

64by Peter Greene / 2d

Dominionism argues that the US should be a literal Christian nation, its government run by Christians. It comes in varying degrees of severity , with varying amounts of nationalism mixed in. One of the major proponents of American (i.e. US) dominionism was D. James Kennedy , a minister and broadcaster in Florida. Sample quote : To be a true Christian citizen means to "take dominion over all thing

OCT 31

Solnit, Books, Rand, and Young Readers

35by Peter Greene / 3d

If you are not a regular follower of Brain Pickings , you should be. Thoughtful and erudite and really, really human, the site has for over a decade presented Maria Popova's essays spun off the works of others. I've met many authors I was glad to know on her site. This post focuses on author Rebecca Solnit and A Velocity of Being , a collection of 121 illustrated letters written to young readers.

OCT 30

DeVosian NAEP Nonsense

200+by Peter Greene / 3d

I wasn't going to write about NAEP for any number of reasons, but then I happened t o look at Betsy DeVos's comments on this year's results and, well, this whole blood pressure thing happened. So to get my numbers back down, I'm going to talk through the nonsense she issued forth, notable for its disconnection from reality, its devotion to public education bashing, and, most of all, its bizarre di

PA: A Chance To Improve Teacher Evaluation

by Peter Greene / 4d

No sooner had I written about t aking back teacher evaluation , then a note crossed my desk about SB 751 and HB 1607. Pennsylvania's teacher evaluation system is currently pretty lousy. There is nominal commitment to the Danielson model, a time-consuming pre- and post- observation process that involves a big bunch of online paperwork and Q & A answering, a cumbersome process involving Student Lear

For This Blog, Another Mile Marker

25by Peter Greene / 4d

Some time in the last couple of days, this blog hit the 8 million views mark. I mention this mostly to make one point-- if you wonder whether or not anybody else cares about this stuff, the answer is yes-- a whole bunch of people. It has been one of the most common reactions I've had here-- "I thought I was crazy, that I was the only person who could see what was happening." So, again, I say, you

OCT 29

CAP Wants The Feds To Boost Charters

21by Peter Greene / 4d

The Center for American Progress is supposedly a left-tilted thinky tank, but when it comes to education, they really love corporate reform . Here on this blog, I literally ran out of ways to title sa post "CAP is still working hard to push common core" (seriously-- just use the search bar in that upper left corner). CAP became a little rudderless when Hillary Clinton's candidacy failed; till then

OCT 27

ICYMI: Nearly Spooky Edition (10/26)

by Peter Greene / 7d

Here's the reading for the week. Remember to pass it on. School Choice Has Not Cured Philadelphia's Ailing System The Inquirer takes a look at choice in Philly and the various problems it hasn't fixed. The History of Privatization Talking Points Memo takes a look a privatization across a series of articles, including public education. Teach For America Will Not Save Us Larry Lee blogs about one of

OCT 26

Taking Back Teacher Evaluations

200+by Peter Greene / 7d

There's a slowly-rising tide of writing out there focusing on principals and evaluations, quietly returning focus to the idea of making evaluations meaningful. It's a welcome change, because the status quo for the past over-a-

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