DID YOU MISS DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG TODAY? A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

DID YOU MISS DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG TODAY? 

A site to discuss better education for all

New York: Billionaires Get Richer During Pandemic

by dianeravitch / 51min

A group called Americans for Tax Fairness has tracked the remarkable increase in the wealth of billionaires during the rise of the pandemic. Shouldn’t billionaires pay higher taxes to help the children of their state? What profiteth a man to gain additional billions if the society he lives in is overrun with starving, unfed, uneducated children? WASHINGTON—New York has 118 billionaires who collec

California: Billionaires See Vast Increase in Wealth During Pandemic

by dianeravitch / 51min

A group called Americans for Tax Fairness reported that the state’s billionaires saw a dramatic increase in their wealth during the pandemic. Shouldn’t billionaires pay higher taxes to help the children of their state? What profiteth a man to gain additional billions if the society he lives in is overrun with starving, unfed, uneducated children? California’s 154 Billionaires Saw Net Worth Jump $

When Did Trump and DeVos Fall Out of Love with Distance Learning?

24by dianeravitch / 1h

As we have seen in recent weeks, Trump and Betsy DeVos want public schools to reopen for full-time, in-person instruction. Yesterday, in an interview with Chris Wallace of FOX News, Trump reiterated that he will stop federal funding of any schools that don’t comply. He said that children don’t get the virus and they don’t die from the virus. He said nothing about the vulnerability of educators. W

Teacher: This Is How I Will Teach when School Reopens

500+by dianeravitch / 2h

Mamie Krupczak Allegretti teaches French. She described how her teaching will change when school reopens during the pandemic. The lesson I draw from her note is that the most pressing issue facing our nation is not opening the schools but getting the disease under control so it is safe to return to school. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I am actually going to teach if we go back to school in

Public Education Partners: Ohio Is Not Ready for a Safe Reopening

by dianeravitch / 3h

Public Education Partners is the leading volunteer advocacy group for public schools in Ohio. They issued this statement last night. We are public education experts. Public Education Partners (PEP) is a statewide, grassroots public education advocacy group whose mission is to preserve, protect, and strengthen Ohio’s public schools. Public Education Partners is an integral part of education policy

Missouri Governor: Of Course Kids Will Get COVID!

39by dianeravitch / 4h

The most horrifying statement of the week: In a radio interview, Governor Mike Parson stressed the importance of getting schools open regardless of the risks: “These kids have got to get back to school,” Parson told Cox. “They’re at the lowest risk possible. And if they do get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they’re not going to the hospitals. They’re not going

Portland, Oregon: Trump’s Military Invades and Occupies an American City

34by dianeravitch / 6h

What’s happening in Portland should frighten us all. Trump sent in military force to rout peaceful demonstrators over the objections of the mayor and the governor. The men in uniforms used tear gas and carried weapons to disperse crowds. The uniforms bore no identification. They arrested people and shoved them into unmarked cars. Those who were carried away never learned of any charges against th

TIME: What the U.S. Can Learn from 3 Countries About Reopening

93by dianeravitch / 20h

TIME Magazine just published a story about school reopening in Denmark, South Korea, and Israel, with lessons for the U.S. Lesson #1 from Denmark: Get the virus under control before reopening schools. Unlike Denmark, the United States is bungling that, and the virus is spreading in the south and west. Perhaps states that have taken the necessary steps and flattened the curve can begin to reopen,

Florida: Educators Sue to Block Unsafe Reopening

300+by dianeravitch / 22h

This just in: July 20, 2020 CONTACT: Joni Branch, (850) 201-3223 or (850) 544-7055 Florida educators file lawsuit to protect health and well-being of students, educators and communities TALLAHASSEE — Along with educators and parents, the Florida Education Association (FEA) filed suit Monday against Gov. Ron DeSantis, Commissioner Richard Corcoran, the Florida Department of Education, the Florida

Trump’s Disastrous Abdication of Leadership Role in Confronting Pandemic

25by dianeravitch / 1d

The New York Times published an in-depth report about the failure of the Trump administration to respond to the pandemic with a coherent policy. The administration abdicated any responsibility and handed the problems over to the governors. As you will read, the Trump team relied on Dr. Deborah Birx, who gave them the upbeat reports they wanted to hear. Each morning at 8 as the coronavirus crisis

No-Excuses Charter Chain Fires Principal for Caring About Children and Teachers

63by dianeravitch / 1d

Emily Hoefling was principal of Leadership Prep Canarsie in Brooklyn, which is part of the Uncommon Schools charter chain. She was fired because she dared to express views that ran counter to the authoritarian culture of the chain. Yes, she writes, it is an authoritarian regime, and it always was. When she led a professional development session, she encouraged teachers to express their views. Tha

Los Angeles: Charter Operator Pleads Guilty to Stealing $3 Million

100+by dianeravitch / 1d

This just in from federal officials: Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, July 17, 2020 Former Head of Community Preparatory Academy Admits Stealing Over $3 Million and Spending $220,000 on Disney Expenses LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors today filed criminal theft and tax fraud charges against the former executive director of

New Study: Children As Young As 10 Can Spread the Virus

47by dianeravitch / 1d

The New York Times reports on a new study from South Korea that finds that children as young as 10 can spread the coronavirus. Will the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC revise their guidelines based on this new information? A large new study from South Korea offers an answer: Children 

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Russ on Reading: The First Question to Ask of a Vulnerable Reader

Russ on Reading: The First Question to Ask of a Vulnerable Reader

The First Question to Ask of a Vulnerable Reader

When I was six years old, I was given my very first "big boy" two wheel bicycle for Christamas. I loved it. I can still see it all shiny and red and huge by the Christmas tree. As soon as my Dad would let me, I took it out the side door into the driveway, leapt aboard (it was too big for my six-year-old legs)  aimed it down the steep drive, and rode it directly into the telephone pole in front of the house. I was banged up a little, the bike was fine and I quickly scrambled back on the bike and rode it, a bit unsteadily, up and down the sidewalk until I was comfortable and able to keep my balance without too much wobbling. I really wanted to master riding that bike. I rode it everyday after that until I was 16.

When my student, Ryan, was six years old, he came to me for reading instruction. Ryan had been identified by his kindergarten teacher as a possible candidate for Reading Recovery instruction. His first grade teacher confirmed the recommendation after doing an initial assessment of Ryan's literacy ability during the first weeks of school. I administered an observational survey, which confirmed the  recommendations of the teachers, and so Ryan joined me for one-on-one Reading Recovery instruction.

Ryan and I met daily for 20 weeks. During that time, Ryan made some progress towards being a reader, but the progress was not what I would have hoped and certainly did not help Ryan achieve the goal of being a self- CONTINUE READING: Russ on Reading: The First Question to Ask of a Vulnerable Reader

NANCY BAILEY: Poor Air Quality in Schools: During Covid-19 and Before!

Poor Air Quality in Schools: During Covid-19 and Before!

Poor Air Quality in Schools: During Covid-19 and Before!

For years this country has ignored school infrastructure due to attempts to privatize public education. This includes indoor air quality (IAQ). It has been a part of the overall disinvestment in America’s public schools.

We’re told by the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and others, that schools should ensure clean air during Covid-19. There’s a disconnect between those who talk about coronavirus safety who work outside of schools and those who work in schools. Those writing these recommendations, no matter how well-meaning, don’t understand the reality school officials and teachers face.

They don’t seem to remember that bad air quality leading to asthma and allergies has been a longtime problem for children in school. It has been the source of learning difficulties. It’s hard to learn to read when you don’t feel well.

Why didn’t the leaders of the richest nation in the world improve the air quality in public schools before the coronavirus?

Remember when Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said not to invest in buildings? 

She said:

If we really want to help students, then we need to focus everything about education CONTINUE READING: Poor Air Quality in Schools: During Covid-19 and Before!