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A genuine appeal
It's often the case that this blog inspires the most audience participation (via comments) on issues directly relative to teachers.
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No excuses schools and brussel sprouts
Liam takes to the pages of the Washington Times to explain why paying children cash to behave in school is nothing more than bribery. In a vegetable inspired analogy, he explains:
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The Annenberg files
Barack Obama has long nurtured an interest in education, reports Sam Dillon in Wednesday's New York Times. Much of it grew out of his work with school-reform personalities (including the infamous Bill Ayers) and efforts in the Windy City.
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A slight convergence
Near Dayton on Tuesday, Senator Barack Obama spoke at some length about public schools and his plans to improve them. Amongst his dozen or so proposals for new federal programs and initiatives, he inserted a call to double funding for charter schools. "Charter schools that are successful will get the support they need to grow; charters that aren't will get shut down," he said.
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Downward slide Down Under
A cautionary tale emerges from Australia for those who, like many of Gadfly's best friends, favor national standards and curricula. It seems that a former Communist Party member has been appointed to oversee development of a history lesson plan for the entire nation.
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Perusing the platforms
Got the post-convention blues? Miss the fiery speeches, carefully chosen interlude music, and confetti? The Democratic and Republican education platforms are no spit-licked cowlick, sure, but reading them may nonetheless help ease your angst. Or your insomnia.
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Reflections on 9/11
On this day of reflection we're reminded of the importance of educating American students about their great country and the threats to it.
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School Vouchers and Student Achievement: Recent Evidence, Remaining Questions
Cecilia Rouse and Lisa BarrowAugust 2008
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Piling on
The Heritage Foundation's Dan Lips writes today, on National Review Online (where "Education Week" continues), more about the Republican eschewal of No Child Left Behind.
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Carrots come in different colors
Greg Forster thinks (at least I think he thinks) that the difference between rewards and bribes is purely semantic. But semantic distinctions are born to relate and describe real distinctions and degrees, no? Otherwise, we'd have but one word (briwards, maybe) for the concept in question.
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Eager to learn?
"Indiana girl clocked at 118 m.p.h. held on DUI" She allegedly told cops she was late for school.
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More damage for a damaged brand
"No Child Left Behind Award-Winning Teacher Arrested on Allegations of Student Sex Abuse"
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Howard Fuller and Harriet Tubman vs. Rick Hess and Sol Stern
I'm in Scottsdale, Arizona today (projected high: 99 degrees) for an education reform summit hosted by the State Policy Network, the Alliance for School Choice, and the Friedman Foundation.
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On the trail
Checker goes in search of those elusive words, No Child Left Behind, and returns empty-handed.
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Obama talks education
Earlier, Barack Obama was talking about schools??in Dayton, Ohio. (He??did so in??Dayton because it's Fordham's hometown, no doubt.) AP and Campaign K-12 cover his speech.
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Obama takes off the gloves
The Obama campaign has released a new advertisement??that hits John McCain on education:
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Double standards
Joanne Jacobs??takes aim at the disparities between charter and traditional public school performance standards. She writes,
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How's your number sense?
Did you routinely win the estimate-the-weight-of-a-pumpkin contests at the state fair? Always know how to sneak on an already too crowded train? You may be stupendous at math!
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She's smarter than a fifth grader (thank goodness)
My doubts were unfounded. Kathy Cox, the state superintendent of Georgia, is officially smarter than a fifth grader and is $1 million richer to prove it. The money will go to three special needs schools in her home state.
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Obama's proposals: crowd-pleasing distractions
Today's much ballyhooed Obama education speech (delivered near my hometown of Dayton) and accompanying "fact sheet" contained more than a few good ideas about where U.S. education should go in the years ahead. But as an exercise in specifying what would actually happen??to U.S.
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Re: Obama talks education
A post from guest blogger and Fordham writer and researcher??Emmy Partin.??
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Back to school
It's "Education Week" over at National Review Online. Mike and Amber get in on the fun.
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To the moon!
Paul Tough's New York Times article, which Mike referenced, is really something. It's fascinating to watch stale education ideas rejuvenated, and to hear their proponents tout their supposed freshness.
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Do two left turns make a right?
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Hoo-ree for Rhee's 'Plan B'
I failed to fulfill my promise to write a post about Michelle Rhee's appearance before our reporter roundtable on Friday, and now the Washington Post's B
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Reader contest winner: Mia Munn
Thanks for all of you who wrote in with ideas for Mike Lach about how he can reinvigorate Chicago's social sciences curriculum.