Quality Control?
Quentin SuffrenSchools routinely blame socio-economic factors when their charges under-perform. And too many critics nod in agreement. Not those at The Education Trust, whose new study Teaching Inequality points the finger at districts that routinely pair economically disadvantaged students with inexperienced or out-of-field teachers.
Diplomas Count: An Essential Guide to Graduation Policy and Rates
The Graduation Project 2006Education Week/ Editorial Projects in EducationJune 22, 2006
A National Dialogue: Commission Report: Draft
Chester E. Finn, Jr.The Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher EducationJune 22, 2006
High cut scores
While chattering education reformers bicker about standards, accountability, and how to spend Warren Buffet's billions, Japanologist Boyé Lafayette De Mente is busy attacking the achievement gap the old fashioned way: by cutting off its head with a Samurai sword.
Charter schoolyard politics
New York has seen much mud-slinging and blame-shifting this week as the charter crowd seeks to explain why the legislature had the chutzpah to complete work on the state budget without raising the statewide charter-school cap from 100 to 150 schools, as urged by both Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki.
Coleman crackles
When buying fireworks this weekend, don't forget to throw a box of birthday candles into your shopping basket. It's the 40th anniversary of the Coleman Report, which was released Fourth of July weekend 1966 to "deafening silence." Why the tepid initial response?
Facing backward on his horse, Kozol rides again
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Once upon a time, Jonathan Kozol played a formative and constructive role in my career.
For school equality, try mobility
Rod PaigeDumb liberal ideas in education are a dime a dozen, and during my time as superintendent of Houston's schools and as the United States secretary of education I battled against all sorts of progressivist lunacy, from whole-language reading to fuzzy math to lifetime teacher tenure.
More on Gore
Thank you for your thoughts on Al Gore's film and the lack of multimedia tools in education.
Why Kids Can't Read: Challenging the Status Quo in Education
Martin A. Davis, Jr.Rowman & Littlefield EducationEdited by Phyllis Blaunstein and Reid Lyon2006
Bombing history in the Beehive State
After reading your latest report, The State of State World History Standards 2006, I was disheartened but not surprised by the failing grade my state, Utah, received. Our youngest child just graduated with honors from high school.
High School Reform and Work: Facing Labor Market Realities
Paul E. BartonEducational Testing ServiceJune 2006
Hawkeye hijinks
The U.S. Department of Education recently laid the smack down on Iowa, threatening to severely limit its federal funding if it didn't make new elementary school teachers pass a standardized test, as required by NCLB's "highly qualified teachers" provision. Pinned to the mat, state education officials will require all teacher candidates to take and pass the Praxis II beginning in 2007.
D.C. coopetition
Gadfly's hometown has suddenly turned into education reform nirvana. Last week we reported that competition from charter schools spurred the District of Columbia Public Schools and its teachers union to sign a reform-minded contract. Now comes news that the D.C.
Fluff piece
When third-grader Nathaniel Barrios asked at home for a Fluffernutter sandwich (a sandwich of peanut butter and Marshmallow Fluff), his father, Massachusetts State Senator Jarrett T. Barrios, was flabbergasted.
Accountability stew
Governor Jeb Bush is breaking out the fricasseed alligator tail to celebrate the recent announcement that a record 75 percent of Florida schools received As or Bs under the state's "A+" accountability system. Hold on, say the feds-NCLB data show that nearly three-quarters of Sunshine State schools didn't make AYP, including 1,233 that earned As or Bs according to the state's rating system.
Al Gore, master teacher
Michael J. PetrilliAs hurricanes spawn tornadoes so has An Inconvenient Truth spawned articles about Al Gore: his political ambitions, his resilience, his newfound charisma, his biomass.
Voucher villains - or vitriol?
Listen to Ohio's media and we'll forgive you for thinking the Buckeye State's new voucher program is going down in flames. After all, newspapers are giving lots of ink to low initial student sign-ups for the program-so far 2,600 of the 14,000 available vouchers have been spoken for (there will be another sign-up period in late July and early August).
Parents Vouch for Better Education
Kristina Phillips-SchwartzMany Ohio newspapers are reporting that the state’s new voucher program, EdChoice, which students begin benefiting from this fall, is faring poorly.
From One Librarian to Another
On June 5, the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries announced grant awards of up to $5,000 for 206 schools across the nation to develop or expand their library collections. Two of the seven charter school recipients were Ohio’s very own Dayton View Academy and the Early Childhood Development Center in Cleveland.
Challenged Index: Why Newsweek's List of America's 100 Best High Schools Doesn't Make the Grade
Quentin SuffrenAndrew J. Rotherham and Sara MeadEducation Sector, February, 2006 This report takes a hard look at what it means to make Newsweek’s recent list of best high schools in America.
Charter School of Hard Knocks
Terry RyanThe state’s first “conversion” charter school, Dayton’s World of Wonder (WOW), apparently decided it had been out in the cold for too long.
Tougher Diploma Requirements Marching Down the Aisle
Even as 2006’s high school graduates donned cap and gown this spring, school officials and teachers were wondering how many fewer outfits would be required next year.
Who's Proficient Now?
Quentin SuffrenAccording to preliminary test results for the 2005–06 school year, more Ohio students are reaching “proficiency” on state exams than ever before. So schools are doing a better job, right? Wrong.
Why American Students Do Not Learn to Read Very Well: The Unintended Consequences of Title II and Teacher Testing
Martin A. Davis, Jr.Sandra StotskyThird Education Group ReviewVol. 2, No. 2, 2006
Key Issues in Studying Charter Schools and Achievement: A Review and Suggestions for National Guidelines
Michael J. PetrilliThe Charter School Achievement Consensus Panel; Julian Betts and Paul T. Hill, Principal DraftersCenter on Reinventing Public EducationMay 2006
Teaching Inequality: How Poor and Minority Students Are Shortchanged on Teacher Quality
Heather G. Peske and Kati HaycockThe Education TrustJune 2006