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Waltz on over to Walton
The Walton Foundation seeks an education program officer. This position is one of a ten-person team that oversees grantees under the Foundation’s Systemic K-12 Education Reform Focus Area.
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Wave that thing
This week, Mike and Rick discuss why some kids shouldn't go to college, the Reading First study is flawed, and Randi Weingarten lies so much. Jeff Kuhner is outraged about L.A., and Education News of the Weird has bite. Click here to listen through our website and peruse past editions.
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Way to go, Terry!
Congratulations to Terry Ryan, Fordham's VP for Ohio programs and policy, who is part of the NewSchools-Aspen Institute Fellows Class of 2008 (he passed his entrance exam with flying colors). Learn more here about all the 2008 Fellows.
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Webcast: Are Education Schools Amenable to Reform?
Virtually join Fordham—and an inspired group of panelists—today from 3:30 to 5:00 PM for our event “Are Education Schools Amenable to Reform?”
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(Web)casting the achievement gap in another light
Our book launch event for former Education Secretary Rod Paige’s new treatise The Black-White Achievement Gap: Why Closing It Is the Greatest Civil Rights Issue of Our Time is at capacity.
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We catch Rick wearing Paris's purse
This week on the Education Gadfly Show, Mike Petrilli and Rick Hess explain why everyone’s wrong about Race to the Top, go tit-for-tat over the L.A. Times, and ponder life in D.C. after Michelle Rhee. Then Amber Winkler disses Education Next and Kyle Kennedy explores a different kind of tracking.
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Weight--there's more!
In case you missed the fascinating debate on weighted student funding between John Podesta, Rod Paige, Arlene Ackerman, and Michael Rebell, video is available online via the Center for American Progress. John Merrow's questions and the panelists' feisty remarks made it a real barn-burner (we're serious) worth checking out.
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Welcome Fordham Fellows
Hurrah, the Fordham Fellows are here. Who are they? Eight extremely talented individuals at the start of their education policy careers--most of them former teachers. They will spend the next four months working in some of Washington's premier education think tanks and advocacy groups.
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We'll vouch for our voucher speakers
Who could tell you whether, "With charter schools ascendant, is there still a future for vouchers?" Simple: our panelists for this event! Join us for the wisdom of Kevin Carey (Education Sector), John F.
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We love standards
So, too, does the American Federation of Teachers, the newest edition of the magazine of which, American Educator, devotes pages to covering the topic. Find the articles here.
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We name names
This week, Mike and Rick chat about illegal immigrants, rich suburbanites, and Bobby (formerly Piyush) Jindal. Amber brings us a Research Minute, and Education News of the Weird is a swing state. Click here to listen through our website and peruse past editions.
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We need a research assistant
Fordham seeks a research assistant for our Washington, D.C., office to help us launch a new organization advocating for improved curricula in schools. It's an exciting opportunity for a bright, talented self-starter. For more information, see here.
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We're moving
Fordham is moving. Our new address, beginning December 19, 2005, will be: 1701 K Street, NWSuite 1000 Washington, DC 20006Our phone and fax numbers will remain the same.
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We won't say we told you so, but. . . .
Last week, Gadfly editorialized that "Putting most of the available energy, political capital, brain power and money into 'helping' districts engage in chartering rather than devoting those (limited) assets to advancing the frontier of independent charter schools: removing caps on their numbers and enrollments, creatin
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What did Klein learn? Not much, apparently
I love Joel Klein. He made New York City a magnet for reform-minded entrepreneurs, sent forth more than a few excellent leaders to other big city school systems, and is never afraid to speak his truth.
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What does the "firefighter case" mean for teacher testing?
A month ago, I wondered what Sonia Sotomayor might think about teacher tests, as the more rigorous ones typically have a "disparate impact" on minorities; African-American and Hispanic candidates fail them at much higher rates than whites do.
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What goes up must come down
Here’s a piece of unsurprising news: More students are failing Advanced Placement exams. We could have told you this last spring, when we surveyed AP teachers about the push to offer the program’s rigorous content to more students.
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What Iraqi mountain?
This week, Mike and Rick blast the Times Magazine for its naiveté, puzzle over the effect of crack dealers on math scores, and bemoan the error of testing companies' ways. We have an interview with education columnist Linda Seebach, who puts Gadfly in his place, and Education News of the Weird is probably in the Axis of Evil.
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What next?
Education Next's Summer 2006 edition is out, and it contains some gems. Paul Peterson and The Education Gadfly Show's Rick Hess investigate a possible "Race to the Bottom," Laura LoGerfo gives teachers another reason to believe they make a difference, and Eva Moskowitz bemoans teacher (and custodian) union contracts.
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What's next in Ed Next
The new issue of Education Next is now available, and it's packed with goodies. Readers will learn how teacher pension plans encourage the most-experienced educators to retire early, why voters don't hold school boards accountable, why single-sex schools are a fine idea, and much more.
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What world is this?
"I read stuff like this and think it's some kind of joke. That teachers in Los Angeles are required to spend one hour of the school day protesting outside school, or else, according to union president A.J.
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When Eduwonk is away
...New York City's education personalities will play. In case you've missed the latest goings-on at eduwonk, Chris Cerf, deputy chancellor of the NYC Ed Department, and Randi Weingarten, UFT president, have lately been blogging away. (Weingarten's first post was nearly 2,000 words!) Check out the fun here.
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Wherein we sweep behind elephants
Rick and Mike bring the heat this week as they discuss extending the school year, the Congressional teacher-jobs bailout that simply won’t die, and Michelle Rhee’s D.C. teacher layoffs.
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Which American cities are reform-friendly?
In this short video, Mike interviews AEI’s Rick Hess about Fordham’s new report: America’s Best (and Worst) Cities for School Reform. What was the study’s underlying question? And what did we find? Rick explains.
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Whither bong hits?
Common Good is hosting a forum on school discipline and its educational and legal implications. It takes place on October 31, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (lunch provided), at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The panels are packed, and UFT President Randi Weingarten will give the keynote address.
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Whither yearbooks?
This week, Mike and guest host Kevin Carey, of Education Sector, chat about girls and boys, colleges, and AP. Jeff Kuhner is outraged about Bill Ayers, and Education News of the Weird doesn't look quite right. Click here to listen through our website and peruse past editions.
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Who dat?
It’s the Arne Duncan edition, as Mike and Rick discuss his new budget, new plan for NCLB, and (not so) new but so true comments on NOLA. Then Amber gives us the lowdown on the new “Hope, Fears and Reality” report and Rate that Reform stands up for dictionaries.
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Who is Jim Lehrer?
Rick is back (and remains a cave dweller). To celebrate, he and Mike give us a doozy of a podcast this week. First up, they discuss Arne Duncan's rise to cabinet-fame, the pseudo-scandal over DC's charter schools, and Oregon's decision to drop new math standards.
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Who wants to be a pundit?
This week, Mike and Rick chat about Hillary Clinton, Antonio Villaraigosa, and D.C. parents. We have an interview with Professor Dan Goldhaber, and Education News of the Weird is sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. Click here to listen through our website and view past editions.
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Who wears short shorts?
(Mike does.) This week, Mike and guest co-host Kevin Carey talk teacher quality, Baltimore, and unions. Amber tells us whether women can add, and Education News of the Weird is like prison. Click here to listen through our website and peruse past editions.