Topics

New legislation on DC OSP

Yesterday, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program.

59 is the new 30, unless you are a teacher

Thomas Friedman wrote of golfer Tom Watson's run at this year's British Open,

Today's 'Quotable and Notable'

Quotable "[That disproves] another myth - that private schools do not serve students with special needs." --Terry Stoops of the John Locke Foundation, discussing their recent report that seeks to dispel myths about private schools in North Carolina.

Fun Fact Friday! - US education expenditure and other countries' GDP

Education Change Agent: Bill Jackson, Founder and CEO GreatSchools

Bill Jackson is the founder and CEO of GreatSchools, an independent, nonprofit organization that improves education by inspiring parents to get involved.

Don't change the innovation eligibility

Though this Ed Week article is ostensibly about the Department's desire to expand the list of districts eligible to apply for the $650 million innovation grant program, it includes a much more news-worthy and troubling story line.

More from the to-read pile

If you're interested in the replication of great schools--one of the key innovations of the charter mechanism--check out this informative paper by the folks at the Center on Educational Governance.

DPC and education

As both Russo and Politics K-12 reported, Mary Ellen McGuire is apparently headed to the White House to work for the Domestic Policy Council on education. This has me a bit curious.

Today's 'Quotable and Notable'

Quotable "It's encouraging that even before a penny has been doled out, this aggressive stance is forcing states to rethink traditional approaches to education." --Washington Post editorial, describing Obama's demands for accountability and an increase in charter schools.

Speaking of...Race to the Top

The great graduation-rate debate

President Obama's attention to high school dropout rates has brought an already-contentious issue to the national scene. The U.S. can hardly be expected to compete in a global economy with so many of its young people failing to make it to and through their senior years, or so the argument goes.

Swishing the dirt around

Detroit's schools are in a pickle and state-appointed emergency financial manager Robert Bobb is ready to extricate them from the brine.

Obama, failing to learn from Bush's lessons?

It appears increasingly likely that President Obama and Secretary Duncan are at risk of doing to charter schooling, merit pay, and school "turnarounds" what the Bush administration did to educational accountability. That's not meant as a compliment.

Patrolling the Apple store

Violent video games are no new addition to the world of electronic entertainment; it seems hardly a jump, skip, or hop, then, to find iPhone apps with those same violent tendencies. But not all material is acceptable for target practice. RetardedArts, developer of the iPhone app "Zombie School," was a bit slow on this realization.

Single-minded and criticism-shy

Gadfly would be the first to admit he's gotten his wings a bit sticky over at Flypaper; the best blogging is provocative, which sometimes provokes angry reactions. Michele Kerr, a recent graduate of the Stanford Teacher Education Program, learned that lesson the hard way.

Is There a Plateau Effect in Test Scores?

Naomi Chudowsky and Victor ChudowskyCenter on Education PolicyJuly 2009

District of Columbia Public Schools: Important Steps Taken to Continue Reform Efforts, But Enhanced Planning Could Improve Implementation and Sustainability

Government Accountability OfficeJune 2009

If a reformer can make it here...

Gadfly couldn't be more pleased that Hunter College ed school dean David Steiner will be moving to Albany in October as the new New York state education commissioner. Steiner brings ample reform credentials to the table.

Today's 'Quotable and Notable'

Quotable

New report: "The Great Graduation-Rate Debate"

Graduation rates. We all know that defining and measuring them has been the source of much contentious discussion in recent years.

The Nation's Report Card: Arts 2008

Institute for Education SciencesJune 2009

The Schools Teachers Leave: Teacher Mobility in Chicago Public Schools

Consortium on Chicago School ResearchJune 2009Chicago is the third largest city in the country and the hometown of our nation's president and as such, has naturally been playing a much larger role in the political realm. The educational research world must have noticed because Chicago and the Chicago Public School System have also had a large presence in several recent reports.

The Widget Effect

The New Teachers Project, with authors Daniel Weisber, Susan Sexton, Jennifer Mulhern, and David KeelingJune 2009

Tackling the STEM Crisis: Five Steps Your State Can Take to Improve the Quality and Quantity of its K-12 Math and Science Teachers

National Council on Teacher Quality and National Math and Science InitiativeJune 2009Qualified science and math teachers are in short supply and this report explains how state laws and regulations can encourage individuals to teach in the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Building a High-Quality Education Workforce: A Governor's Guide to Human Capital Development

National Governor's Association, Center for Best PracticesMay 2009Teacher quality has been a major topic in Ohio politics of late. One of the latest installments of Gov. Ted Strickland's Conversations on Education video series features Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut speaking about teacher quality provisions within the governor's proposed education plan.

Fixing Tenure: A Proposal for Assuring Teacher Effectiveness and Due Process

Center for American Progress, with author Joan Baratz-Snowden from the Education Study CenterJune 2009

Stimulating Excellence: Unleashing the Power of Innovation in Education

Center for American Progress, American Enterprise Institute, New Profit Inc., and Public ImpactMay 2009

Moving Beyond AYP: High School Performance Indicators

Alliance for Excellent Education, with author Lyndsay M. PinkusJune 2009

Is the Emphasis on Proficiency Shortchanging Higher- and Lower-Achieving Students?

Center on Education PolicyJune 2009