Commentary
Ed Next Book Club: Checker Finn’s Troublemaker
School reformers are a dime a dozen these days, with education policy a suddenly sexy field and more than a few people willing to challenge the status quo.
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The lessons of “The Accountability Plateau”
“Consequential accountability,” à la No Child Left Behind and the high-stakes state testing systems that preceded it, corresponded with a significant one-time boost in student achievement, particularly in primary and middle school math.
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Accountability & Testing
The Accountability Plateau
After more than ten years under NCLB, that law’s legacy continues to be fiercely contested. This analysis of NAEP scores—focusing on Texas and on the entire nation—by former NCES commissioner Mark Schneider finds that solid gains in math achievement coincided with the advent of "consequential accountability," first in the trailblazing Lone Star State and a few other pioneer states, then across the land with the implementation of NCLB. But Schneider warns that the recent plateau in Texas math scores may foreshadow a coming stagnation in the country’s performance. Has the testing-and-accountability movement as we know it run out of steam? How else might we rekindle our nation’s education progress?
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Take five
This week's NewSchools Venture Fund gabfest left Mike and Rick all talked out. The Gadfly Show will return next week at its usual place and time.
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Take no prisoners
Through December 1st, Fordham's Eric Osberg will be engaged in a fierce, online, written debate on edspresso.com over weighted student funding (what, you haven't read our WSF report?). Witness the carnage here.
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Taking a look at national standards
Our next event is only a week away, and though it’s currently at capacity, we will have a live webcast of all the proceedings. Don’t miss “National Education Standards circa 2009” on our website, November 4 from 3:30 to 5 pm.
Commentary
Talented leaders wanted for mentorships with urban superintendents
The new Broad Residency in Urban Education offers a small group of talented leaders from the private and nonprofit sectors a chance to do hands-on work as managers in urban school districts across the U.S. In addition to a mentorship under an urban superintendent, Broad Residents will receive executive-level training and $80,000 per year.
Commentary
Talking in paragraphs
This week, Mike and Rick discuss Fordham's new voucher paper, the future of private school choice as a viable ed policy strategy, and whether students should be able to check off more than one box when listing their race. Then Amber explains the new RAND study of charter schools and Rate that Reform is infected with March Madness.
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Tasty puffins
This week, Mike and Education Sector's Sara Mead chat about Bush-Bloomberg opacity, schisms between ed reformers, and how not to offend atheists. We have an interview with Checker Finn, the original Education Gadfly, who talks about Buckeyes, and Education News of the Weird is a gem in the rough with an albatross on its back. All in under 20 minutes.
Commentary
Teacher quality in living color
The Joyce Foundation just brought out a swell interactive guide to all things teacher-quality—from recruiting and defining quality teachers to improving and rewarding them. This one-stop shop houses relevant research, a guidebook and a TQ toolkit. Find it here.
Commentary
Teachers union may dominate L.A. school board again
In 1999 Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan and billionaire Eli Broad helped elect a new reform-minded school board for the L.A Unified school district. The teachers unions have fought back, though, and on March 4, two union-backed candidates defeated reformist incumbents supported by Riordan and Broad (and their political action committee, the Coalition for Kids) for seats on the school board.
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Teach for America seeks VP for research and evaluation
Teach For America is seeking a Vice President of Research and Evaluation to join its Management Team as head of internal and external evaluation efforts. Candidates must possess a strong background in research and evaluation, and preferably a PhD.
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Teaching industry goes retro?
The large-scale arrival of women in the U.S. workforce has brought serious change to many industries, certainly including education. The Economist peeks at the social consequences of this transition, specifically how these changes have affected decisions on motherhood. Previously, one of the few paths open to women was teaching.
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Teaching the value of a dollar
On October 26, 2010 from 12:30 to 2:00PM, Fordham will host “Cost-Cutting Strategies and Opportunities for Schools and Districts,” with panelists Michael Casserly, J. Wm. Covington, Frederick M. Hess, and Karen Hawley Miles. RSVP here, and join us for a wallet-bending conversation.
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Teach some kids, catch some waves
Teach California Charters is a new initiative identifying talented individuals to teach in some of California's most rigorous charter schools.
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Ten-Hut! School reformer Leslye Arsht to the DOD
StandardsWork's co-founder Leslye Arsht has been named Deputy Under Secretary for Military Community and Family Policy at the U.S. Department of Defense. Among her many new responsibilities is overseeing DOD's Education Activity, which serves 100,000 students in 223 schools in 13 foreign countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
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Tennessee needs you
The Tennessee Charter Schools Association is looking for an executive director. The ideal candidate will possess at least an undergraduate degree and will be responsible for various duties related to organizational development, advocacy and public engagement, and technical assistance.
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Testing, testing
Curious about tests? Then pop over to AEI on September 22 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. for a panel entitled, "What Educational Testing Can and Cannot Do." The ever knowledgeable Rick Hess will moderate. (He might even wear long pants.) To register, go here.
Commentary
Textualists
This week, Mike and Rick talk about how to pay educators, test four-year-olds, and train middle school teachers. Education Week's Mark Walsh stops by to discuss Bong Hits 4 Jesus, and Education News of the Weird is melting, melting! Click here to listen through our website and view past editions.
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Thanks for being you
This week, Mike and Rick talk NCLB, NYC, and WASL. Jeff Kuhner is taking some time off to cool down, and Education News of the Weird is about bad lunches and the Good Book. Click here to listen through our website and peruse past editions.
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That Jamie Lynn
This week, Mike and Rick talk incentive pay in Dallas, Head Start, and the power of unions. Fordham's Jeff Kuhner talks about the 2008 presidential contest, but Education News of the Weird was tied up at the time. Click here to listen through our website and peruse past editions.
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That new-studio smell
This week, Mike and Rick talk about why America doesn't need more college grads, why choice isn't enough, and why cracking down on corruption is sometimes good and sometimes bad. Education News of the Weird legislates morality--at least for calendars. Click here to listen through our website and peruse past editions.
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The 21st century skills debate continues
Please join Common Core in welcoming Diane Ravitch (Research Professor of Education, New York University), E.D. Hirsch, Jr.
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The 65 percent solution - silver bullet or fool's gold?
As the race for governor in Ohio heats up, so too has the interest in candidate Ken Blackwell's "65 Cent Solution," which would require every Ohio school district to spend at least 65 cents of each education dollar on "classroom instruction." The proposal clearly has political appeal.
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The accountability illusion
Take away all the jargon, emotion, envy, confusion, and embarrassment and much of the No Child Left Behind debate comes down to this: Which schools are good, which are bad, and does NCLB do a decent job of telling the difference?
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The big screen, free
Every once and a while, Gadfly sticks in a VHS (we’re old fashioned) and relaxes with a cold cup of flower nectar; then he shares his thoughts with you. Remember our review last summer of “The Cartel,” that exposé of the New Jersey education system?
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The Bill of Rights goes presidential
The Arlington, VA-based Bill of Rights Institute is currently looking for a new President. This person would be passionate about educating young people about the words and ideas of America’s Founders, and the liberties and principles contained in the founding documents.
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The budget's trial balloons
It’s a shame that President Obama’s 2011 budget request is likely to be roundly ignored by Congress, because it’s a pretty decent blueprint for the direction in which the federal government should head on education.
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The Checker grimace
This week, we welcome guest co-host Checker, as he and Andy (now a regular!) discuss the passing of Don Fisher, Arne Duncan’s eight-month-late comments on No Child Left Behind, and Andy’s recent reportage of D.C.’s Catholic to charter conversions.
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The Dorsal Q. Fin Stories
Having written more than his share of low-sales non-fiction, and having just completed his derivative memoir, Rubblemaker: Life as a Destructive Force, after returning from his 43rd trip to Equatorial regions, C.E. Finn has turned toward derivative fiction.