Better Benefits: Reforming Teacher Pensions for a Changing Work Force
Chad Aldeman and Andrew J. RotherhamEducation SectorJuly 2010
Chad Aldeman and Andrew J. RotherhamEducation SectorJuly 2010
The only thing surprising about last week’s revelation that the fraction of New York City students passing the state’s reading and math tests had dropped by an average of 25 percentage points is that anyone was surprised at all.
Open-source technology has been slow to break into education. It’s not hard to see why: The purveyors of the tools and content that technology would revolutionize—textbook publishers, in particular—are keen to guard their distribution channels and their profits.
In a July 21 New York Times cover story, reporter Tamar Lewin rightfully noted “the surprise of many in education circles…” that 27 states had already committed to adopting the new Common Core academic stan
If given the option, would you live, work, sleep, and socialize all in the same place? According to Ron Beit, the answer is yes. That’s the choice he’ll be presenting to a cadre of teachers who will staff Teachers Village in Newark’s historic but blighted Four Corners District.
“Summer learning loss” is well documented and distressing. Millions of kids laze around during the long summer vacation and forget chunks of what they had learned by June.
Is anyone else out there disturbed by the fact that the Senate is moving forward with the $26.1 billion fiscal aid package ? containing the much-talked about Edujobs pot of money ? by cutting food stamps for poor families (to the tune of $516 annually for each family)?
Among the various hats I wear (though please don't tell Checker ?School boards are an aberration, an anachronism, an educational sinkhole. Put this dysfunctional arrangement out of its misery?? Finn) is that of member of the Board of Education.
Though it may be the heart of the summer doldrums in some places, these are bountiful education days for the reform aficionada among us ? and a great time to begin blogging for Flypaper, one of the more counterintuitively-named education blogs in the business.
Tom Sawyer watch out! An interesting article is gracing the front page of Time Magazine this week, ?The Case Against Summer Vacation? calling for increased learning over the summer months to combat the growing K-12 achievement gap.?
At most schools, playing ?spot the TFA? is pretty easy. TFA corps members do tend to stick out, but you probably can't find any at a school that doesn't teach reading till 3rd grade.
With Indiana's decision to adopt, we're up to 35 Common Core states nationwide?or more than two-thirds. But because of big states like California, Florida, and New York joining recently, the percentage of the nation's kids in those states is well past three-fourths.
?[As schools] confront more funding challenges, it will be increasingly difficult to offer a wide range of educational options parents want and demand.'' ?Tom Lasley, Executive Director of EDvention, commenting on virtual schools' ability to reach students in ways traditional education cannot
Dayton ??? the Thomas B. Fordham Institute's hometown, where I go to work every day ??? is famous not only for the Wright Brothers but also for being a school choice Mecca.