Quotable & notable
?And Johnny still can't read. Even his diploma. I don't see what there is about the last 50 years of failure that's worth enshrining in marble, and a shock to the system might be just what the system needs. We can hardly make matters worse.'' *
Checker Finn: Public (education) enemy #1
Jeb Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education (FEE) kicks off its annual summit today out in San Francisco.
Podcast: Rick dresses for a protest
Mike takes back the driver's seat, with Rick, once-again, in his sidecar. Together, they offer up substantive takes on Harkin's new ESEA bill, Jerry Brown's API veto, and the role of for-profits in education; chat with Amber about controlled-choice programs; and go on a sting operation with Chris. Then they ride off into the sunset. [powerpress]
Traditional pensions: cui bono?
Chris TessoneYounger teachers in Illinois, whose pensions were slashed last year by the legislature, should start asking whose benefits they're really paying for. The new Tier 2 pension only costs about 5 percent of salary...yet teachers are paying 9.4% of their salaries into the Teacher Retirement System.
Quotable & notable
?We are moving into a partnership mode with states, rather than telling states you've got to do this and this and this'' * ?Tom Harkin, Senator from Iowa and head of the Senate education committee
Learn about High Flyers on the radio, online, or in person
Listen live this evening at 5:35 p.m.
A progressive school finds some accountability religion
Peter MeyerI was prepared for a rant against all things reform when I started reading the New York Times Q & A interview with Maria Velez-Clarke, the principal of the Children's Workshop School in Manhattan's East Village, about the school's C-grade from the City.?
Quotable & notable
?At the end of the day it might be all talk, but I think there are a lot of families that value diversity.'' * ?Madely Rodriguez, P.S. 29 parent
Even done well, differentiated instruction won't work without a curriculum
Peter MeyerI have always been suspicious of differentiated instruction if only because, like its kissin' cousin customized learning, it sounds too good to be true.?
New study on student discipline: black kids take it on the chin
Peter MeyerThe wonderful hubris of the new National Education Policy Center study on Discipline Policies, Successful Schools, and Racial Justice, is not the assertion that discipline data should be an essential metric in gauging a school's success ? which it should ?
Tackling the retirement time bomb
Chris TessoneTeacher pension systems around the country are falling into crisis due to poor investment returns, unfunded increases in benefits, and poor governance and management.
Quotable & notable
?What can the state department do for higher performing districts? Get out of the way.'' * ? Stefan Pryor, Connecticut's new education commissioner
Amber Winkler joins Fordham's executive team
Chester E. Finn, Jr.On behalf of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, I am happy to announce that today our board elected?Dr.
Quotable & notable
?A child who is suspended from school is more than likely waving a red flag for needing intervention and support. Metaphorically speaking, this is a time you want to put your arms around a student, rather than push them away.'' *
Amber changes her name to Waterfall
Janie and Daniela go two-for-two. This week they unpack Duncan's teacher-prep plan, quality control in digital learning, and the parallels between football and education. Amber boots out ineffective teachers and Chris calls out of turn. [powerpress]
Upon further review...Paul Gross' critique of the NRC Science Framework
Guest blogger Ze'ev Wurman, an executive with Monolithic 3D, a Silicon Valley startup, has participated in developing California's education standards and assessments in mathematics since the mid-1990s.
The best education change agent: deadlines
Peter MeyerI happened on a small story in the Times on Sunday, called ?Deadlines Get Results,?
Education news nuggets
I wonder if surfing and break-dancing are forms of vigorous physical activity under
Quotable & notable
?The culture of bullying won't end until people across the country take action and show children and teens that they care'' * ? Julie Hertzog, Director of Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights Center's National Bullying Prevention Center
High Flyers in the news and on the air
Differentiation, tracking, and the needs of high-achievers are hot topics these days, thanks in part to Fordham's recent study Do High Flyers Maintain Their Altitude? Performance Trends of Top Students.
Review of the National Research Council's Framework for K-12 Science Education
Paul GrossRepresentatives from twenty states are hard at work developing Next Generation Science Standards—and using as their starting point the National Research Council's recently released Framework for K-12 Science Education. This review of that framework, by Paul R. Gross, applauds its content but warns that it could wind up sending standards writers off track. This appraisal find much to praise in the Framework but also raises important concerns about a document that may significantly shape K-12 science education in the U.S. for years to come. Download to learn more.
Computers in the classroom: the disconnect between K-12 and higher education
Quotable & notable
?It's the old business of if you want your test scores to go up, don't test the lower-scoring students'' * ? Doug McRae, Retired testing consultant
Is a single-minded focus on "college for all" the enemy?
Michael J. PetrilliI've been traveling a bunch the past few weeks, making it harder to blog. (Though there's always time to tweet!) So I'm a little late to the party on the recent report from Complete College America, Time is the Enemy.