New York City’s United Federation of Teachers (UFT) recently published a report in which it said the area’s charter schools don’t serve at least the district-wide average of neediest students, despite serving an overwhelmingly poor population.
"I'm told that Michelle Rhee, who moments ago wrapped up a 'Reporter Roundtable' here at the Fordham offices (I knew I noticed a soft glow emanating from our conference room), defended her plan to pay students for right behavior by pulling out the KIPP Card... Why, Rhee wondered, is her plan to pay D.C. students in cash any different from KIPP's program?
"Clearly, it's struck a chord and it's worth unpacking: Why do so many teachers lean so heavily, when criticized, on the ‘you've never yourself been a teacher' argument?..." Read it here.
"I hope the College Board catches the flack it deserves for its decision to (starting in 2010) show colleges only the SAT scores that the students who earn them choose to reveal--i.e., if Johnny takes the test 10 times, Johnny gets to show State U.
"Interesting to note that liberals Kevin Drum and Matt Yglesias have both blogged recently about how socioeconomic and racial integration (the 2008 kind of integration, which seeks to overcome housing patterns; not the 1950s kind, which sought to overcome de jure separation of black and white) won't work...." Read it
When U.S. Senator George Voinovich retires at the end of his current term in 2010 it will signal the end of progressive Republican education reform in Ohio.
Today marks the 23rd week of our Pick the next Deputy-Assistant-to-the-Assistant-Associate-Deputy-Secretary-for-School Safety contest! It looks like President Obama is holding out as long as possible before appointing one lucky American to this post, which means he basks in our continuing patience as we continue to lose it.
[Wednesday] is a European showdown: Spain and Germany [go] head to head to determine who will face Netherlands on Sunday for the final…We turn our comparison to Iker Casillas of Spain and Philipp Lahm of Germany to compare what their educational lives (on average) looked like, given their countries of origin…Read it
Martin West and Ludger Woessmann have published a fascinating study in the winter edition of Education Next.
When I first read this article, I was skeptical. Giving bonuses to teachers and principals at failing schools? Doesn't that undermine the whole concept of merit pay-as in, rewards for meritorious performance?
Don’t let the title of this blog post confuse you: I still think the Obey amendment is an abomination…[But] what if there is a silver lining for cutting RTT’s funds?…Read it here.
As Andy reported last Friday, the DC Council has sent a letter to Secretary Duncan urging him to reconsider the fate of the DC Opportunity Scholarship program.
The unemployment rate dipped last month…[e]xcept the employer doing almost all of the hiring was…the government…That’s part of the point that David Brooks was m
The lady with a mission has a soft side. This morning's Washington Post featured an editorial from DC Chancellor of Schools herself. I couldn't help but hear a sharply defensive tone throughout and be somewhat mystified by the whole thing.
The recent NCLB regulations focus on high school graduation rates. Mark Schneider (as in former Bushie and now at AIR Mark Schneider), however, wants to know the stats on college graduation rates.
You can find whatever your heart desires on the internet, and that’s in part thanks to something called open source. It’s a bit of an amorphous term, but that hasn’t stopped this Utah virtual charter school from diving in to this potentially revolutionizing movement. Open source is just as its name implies--open.
As Eric just reported, Loudoun County is playing games with its stimulus dollars. Specifically, it's asking schools to return county dollars and replacing them with federal dollars, presumably to help plug holes in other areas of the county's budget.
"A few weeks ago, we commented on L.A.'s less-than-tactful capital expansion plan. It's only getting worse...." Read it here.
"...Wow, Jay, stereotype much? After we get a good chuckle from imagining General Patton reading to some wee babes on his knees, let's talk about how Mathews has illuminated an actual problem: most teachers really are women...." Read it here.
"'We Need Someone Like Michelle Rhee' proclaims an editorial headline in the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo...." Read it here.
Alex Johnston is Chief Executive Officer of the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN). As ConnCAN's first employee, Alex launched what is now regarded as one of the nation's leading state-level education reform organizations.
Bill Jackson is the founder and CEO of GreatSchools, an independent, nonprofit organization that improves education by inspiring parents to get involved. GreatSchools provides parents with information and tools so they can choose the best school for their children, support their children's education, and improve schools in their communities.
For those of you who pegged me as the Nasonex bee, Charlotte the spider, or Gregor Samsa, what can I say? You were a tad off. Flyspecking is written by Checker's aunt's cousin's pet tarantula, who happens to be a ninth year PhD student in the social commentary department at the University of Entomology.
I spent yesterday guest-lecturing at a reputable education school about the role of the federal government in education. These last-semester teaching candidates appeared bright and interested, yet I walked away feeling as if they knew far too little about the policy issues surrounding the profession they were about to enter.
Education Week posted a blog recently with a link to the slew of comments offered up by folks in response the U.S.
I am in no way keen on the “research” produced by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) but I have to admit that they have raised an important issue in their latest report that merits attention--that is, if you can stomach the rhetoric it’s clothed in.
There's a lot of political lip-service of late given to ridding schools of bad teachers. But be aware if you're looking to do so in Dallas.
"Once in awhile, I take the time to sniff around and find an education study worth talking about in this blog.
I had the pleasure of attending Fordham-Ohio’s conference on standards on Monday.
I just heaved a big sigh reading Jay Mathews headline today: "Merit Pay Could Ruin Teacher Teamwork." As a former evaluator of a Teacher Incentive Fund state program, I spent quite a bit of time researching PBPs, including how th
