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Interesting tidbits
Good thoughts from the Hassels on how to manage the distribution of quality that results from charter start-ups. ??(And they continue our??Montague-Capulet turnaround battle here.)
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Testing one laptop per child in Uruguay
Nearly all the 380,000 primary school students in Uruguay have received a simple laptop in the past year, but will it actually help the students learn more? The first test comes later this month, when students take online exams in a variety of subjects.
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Charter Schools
Michael Gove: Attempting a revolution
We commented on the new British Tory plan for education in last week's Gadfly.
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Today's Quotable and Notable
Notable: 388 Number of employees being laid off by Washington, DC public schools in the face of recent budget cuts, according to a statement released Friday. The number includes 229 teachers, or roughly 5% of all DCPS faculty.
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Did you know? At least one justification for national standards
If you need evidence for national--or "common"--standards, look no further than the wide variation in the definition of "proficient" across the country today.??
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From the (dusty) to-read pile
If you're like me, you spend most of your limited reading time on the latest reports and articles. My book project, however, has given me a reason to go back and read some of the classics of the field, and I'm much better for it.
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Jobs program
It really is quite startling how our public schools, especially their central offices, have expanded personnel rolls over the last half century or so.
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Juggling at the SEED school in Washington DC
Speaking of Sweating the Small Stuff , as Amy does , and as I catch up on my reading, I commend Sunday's NYT Maga
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Quiz: The courts and education - How much do you know?
What city's school district first filed suit againt the No Child Left Behind act? About how many education-related decisions are rendered each year by state and federal judges? Take our online quiz and test your knowledge of the U.S. courts' involvement in education.
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Today's Quotable and Notable
Quotable: "By no means are we saying that we're in nirvana; there's a long way to go. But as a nation, if we ask schools to narrow the achievement gap and that's what the schools are doing, we should give them credit for it."
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The UK tries charters?
It’s been a long time coming, but the British Tories have a new idea in education. And with the ruling party falling out of favor (or favour), these conservatives may just spark a revolution, if they can get it done. Instead of trying to change the calcified system, they’ll bring in fresh blood, by funding up to 500 privately-run schools with public dollars.
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To turnaround or not to turnaround?
That is the question. So far three tactics have dominated: closing failing schools completely and relocating their students; reconstituting schools with new faculties and staff; or handing the reins of schools over to independent charter operators. Denver tried the first two years ago.
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Durbin's possible 180
Has he, mortal enemy of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, seen the error of his ways? Or as the Wall Street Journal puts it, “Do you believe in political miracles?” Earlier this year, Senator Dick Durbin, of which we speak, inserted language into the fiscal year 2009-2010 Congressional budget that cuts the program from next year’s expenditures.
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A great philanthropist
Plenty of philanthropists like to think they make a palpable difference in the real world, but often that turns out to be wishful thinking. It’s even rarer that they make an important positive difference during their own lifetimes.
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Rhee-markable
The media just can’t get enough of Michelle Rhee. Not only must we know middle-of-the-night Blackberry habits, but we also want to know about her love life and how she likes her manicures.
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Hope and Despair in the American City: Why there are no bad schools in Raleigh
Gerald GrantHarvard University Press2009
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Durbin signals OSP reauthorization?
At yesterday's congressional hearing on education in the nation's capital, Sen. Richard Durbin, long among the most strident opponents of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, signaled his possible willingness to help reauthorize the program. The WSJ comments here.
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Wise investment? Lottery tickets
The Hassels have a new post up on Eduwonk about turnarounds. I'm generally a big fan of this talented duo and have been for years.
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Bloomberg: More charters!
NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg came out today with a fantastic plan to expand and improve charter schooling in the Big Apple. In a visit to the city's oldest charter, hizzoner argued for a cap lift, authorizing power for the city, multi-campus charters, facilities aid, and much more.
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America's Top Models -- upcoming event
CATO is hosting an event this Friday that will seek to answer the question: Can the Nation's Best Charter Schools Be Brought to Scale?
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Scrambling the Nest Egg: How well do teachers understand their pensions and what do they think about alternative pension structures?
Michael DeArmond & Dan GolhaberNational Center on Performance IncentivesFebruary 2009
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Pity those who have to implement accountability systems for 21st century skills
There has been much ink spent on the debate around 21st century skills.
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Did you know?
Inspired by the “Graph of the Week” offered up by our friends at the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio, we’ll be rolling out regular graphics on the Flypaper blog to illustrate interesting trends and facts about public education, especially as the
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Could education tax credits help alleviate school funding woes?
The justification behind tax credits is straightforward – to stimulate investment in a particular area by providing incentives that reduce the tax liability of individuals and/or corporations.
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Getting academic standards right in the Buckeye State
What, exactly, will Ohio use for academic content standards for its students, schools, and teachers, and how, exactly, will the state hold them to account for results? Getting the standards right – specifying the knowledge and skills that teachers should teach and children should learn – is at the heart of just about everything else that matters in K-12 education.
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A review of 'From Schoolhouse to Courthouse'
On his School Law blog this week, Ed Week's Mark Walsh reviews the new book ???From Schoolhouse to Courthouse ???--published earlier this month by Fordham and Brookings Instituti
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Today's Quotable & Notable
Quotable: "If I was not able to get him into Accotink Academy, my child right now would probably be dead or in jail." - Barbara Elmore, Washington, DC Parent
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Don Fisher
Sad new out of San Francisco today. Education philanthropist Don Fisher passed away at the age of 81.