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Diane Ravitch on "The Massachusetts Miracle and the Teachers Union"
Guest blogger Diane Ravitch responds to Mike Petrilli's recent post, "The Massachusetts Miracle and the Teachers Union"
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The Massachusetts Miracle and teachers unions: The debate continues
Yesterday I argued that Diane Ravitch is wrong to say that Massachusetts proves teachers unions to be a non-factor in education reform.
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The losses continue
Sadly, new data from NCES shows the loss of faith-based urban schools continues.
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Peering into the classroom
Two fifth-grade students work on math in the common area (filled with desks for testing) at KIPP Journey Academy , a charter school sponsored by Fordham in Columbus.
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Open hearts, open minds, fair-minded words
That's what President Obama called for yesterday, in relation to the emotionally heated abortion debate. But it's a good principle for the education "war of ideas" too. Both opponents and proponents of "school reform" tend to vilify the other side with caricatures.
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What does the Massachusetts Miracle teach us about teachers unions?
A few weeks ago I was at a conference when Diane Ravitch made the point that if teachers unions are such obstacles to reform, how can we explain Massachusetts, a "strong uni
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On Sara Mead's thoughts about preschool
Sara Mead's thoughtful blog post responding to my Washington Post op ed is several hundred words longer than my original piece.??Mead is smart and perceptive, however, in addition to wor
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People matter
There was a time during my government days when we were working on the budget and trying to navigate a sticky situation regarding DC's education funding and the Opportunity Scholarship Program. Representing DC in the talks was Dan Tangherlini, DC's city administrator. He turned out to be extremely smart and cagey, the????savviest????negotiator I had ever come across.
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Obama budget sails into luke warm waters
A week ago (i.e., in a timely fashion), Andy commented on President Obama's budget request for education. I'm still catching up on the old Reform-o-Meter front, so let's get to work.
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Ground Zero
Secretary Duncan visits Detroit, calls it Ground Zero for education reform, and pushes for mayoral control and major change. ????Kudos to Mr. Duncan.
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We read these docs so you don't have to
I've already expressed concern about how much reform we're likely to get out of the ARRA--possibly not much at all because of problems with the law. ????Stay tuned for more on this.
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Taking another look at preschool
Checker argues in this morning's Washington Post that universal preschool as currently conceived should be reexamined.
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Checker calls for lower expectations
About government, that is. Check out his Forbes.com piece, "Our Government, For Better Or Worse." Here's his thesis:
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Detroit
Big news out of Detroit. ????Emergency financial manager Robert Bobb is making some tough but desperately needed changes--closing????nearly 30 failing schools.
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Teacher shortage short-circuited
With money tight, the New York City Department of Education has issued an interdiction on hiring new teachers from outside. Instead, principals looking to fill faculty gaps will have to look within the system, in particular to teachers who were previously "excessed" as a result of unsatisfactory performance or downsizing.
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Work hard, take it easy
Who doesn't count down the days to the end of school? For high school students in Mesquite, Texas, that day may be sooner than they think--provided they pass all their classes and the state tests. District leaders are proposing a deal for students: pass your classes and TAKS and you can get out of school a week early.
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Expecting too much from government
(Don't read this if you're easily depressed. It's about the limits of government.)Ever since I came into contact with government, both state and federal, and especially in the four decades since first going to work in it, I've been struck by the reality gap between what many Americans expect of it and what it's actually good at doing.
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A loaded euphemism
Ah, the unexpected consequences of budget woes. Low on funds, the Warwick High (PA) class of 2010 couldn't afford silver picture frames and gold money clips--pricey prom mementos from years past when class coffers were, ahem, loaded.
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Parent power
Steve Barr, labeled "The Instigator" by last week's New Yorker, is living up to his new sobriquet. He's launched (or instigated, if you will) a Parent Revolution to give voice to frustrated parents, put pressure on the LA Unified School District, and counterbalance the power of that city's teacher union.
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Pro-voucher viceroy
Could New York learn a thing or two from Milwaukee? Definitely, if the newly-relocated Archbishop has anything to say about it.
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Achieving Excellence at Scale: State Support for High-Performing Charter School Expansion
National Governors AssociationApril 2009
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Grade doctoring
It might be the worst Canadian import since Celine Dion: Ken O'Connor's dubious notions about "standards-based" grading. This Toronto-based consultant, who dubs himself "The Grade Doctor," argues that students shouldn't be dinged for missing deadlines, assignments or tests or, for that matter, cheating.
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Smart Options: Investing the Recovery Funds for Student Success
Coalition for Student SuccessApril 2009
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The neutralizer
I apologize that the Reform-o-Meter has been slacking as of late. I have suffered from a nasty cold for the last two weeks, which has cut into my productivity, blogging and otherwise. But the Administration marches on and so must our analysis of it.
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OCR and OSP
Diane Piche is headed to the Dept of Ed to be DAS in the Office of Civil Rights. ????Diane is sharp, experienced, and a big ed reformer. ????Congratulations.
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Speaking truth to power
The US Senate held a hearing on the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program today. Watch the video here.
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The Fiscal Impact of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, 2009 Update
This report, issued by the University of Arkansas' School Choice Demonstration Project (see here), examines the taxpayer burden of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) (see here).
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The governor needs all the help he can get but falls short with Arne
Politically, everybody got a little something from last Friday's education rally at Ohio State University. Gov. Ted Strickland got media attention and the presence of a national education rock star to boost his education plan. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan-the rock star-got to talk about his education vision without directly endorsing the governor's school reform plan.
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about the importance of classroom instruction
Jim Cowardin commented on the recent Gadfly story concerning Paul Hill's testimony to the Ohio Senate Education Committee.
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School funds should follow the child
"Money should follow the child, not the school building," said Ohio Senate President Bill Harris last week. In one simple sentence, the senate president captured the complexity of the debate around Gov. Strickland's school-funding plan in the way that only a veteran political leader could. There is much here to unpack.