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Earning its name at last
Will alternative certification finally be alternative? In New York State, at least, the answer is yes.
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Musical chairs
The feds want serious change for their “School Improvement Grants” bucks, but several of Iowa’s thirty-five lowest-rated schools aren’t buying it. The state received $18.7 million in turnaround funds to help the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools, which could win $50,000 to $2 million each.
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Act your age, not your shoe size
Bullies have been stealing other students’ lunch money for years. But students at one New York elementary school face a new adversary: their teacher.
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How to trim the fat in more ways than one
Like districts nationwide, our hometown Dayton Public Schools is making tough decisions in order to close a yawning budget gap. And it's hit upon a smart idea that's a two-fer: it will save almost $1 million a year, and it addresses the childhood obesity epidemic.
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Can rocks look around?
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="375" caption="Rocks in a window can't enjoy the view - or can they?"][/caption]
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Should private ESL schools have transparent achievement results?
My wife Luana, who's Brazilian, enrolled Monday in Kaplan's intensive English as Second Language (ESL) program, at their campus here on M St. in DC. Yesterday, when she arrived for her first real class, the teacher was maintaining the classroom in complete silence. No hello, no introductions, no icebreaker games, just silence.
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Education news nuggets
We've got to do more than simply have the illusion of good teaching (and this is something we can't outsource).
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Quotable and notable
"This is one of the criteria to be in the Race to the Top game. So, if we're going to be in the game, let's be in the game." ??? Fran Millar, Georgia House Education Committee Vice Chair
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Quotable and notable
?This is one of the criteria to be in the Race to the Top game. So, if we're going to be in the game, let's be in the game.? ? Fran Millar, Georgia House Education Committee Vice Chair
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Will the timing of Race to the Top force compromises?
Ohio has pledged a minimum funding level to districts and charter schools that sign onto the state's round-two RttT application in an effort to increase buy in from LEAs.
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Education news nuggets
Even if it's not statewide, there's an example of a functional Florida local education agency (LEA) already using merit pay.
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Education news nuggets
Even if it's not statewide, there's an example of a functional Florida local education agency (LEA) already using merit pay.
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MD's vision on failing schools
Seldom do stakeholder committees convened by state departments of education put forward truly bold recommendations. Instead, their reports are too often full of requests for more money and status quo-friendly ???reforms.???
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MD's vision on failing schools
Seldom do stakeholder committees convened by state departments of education put forward truly bold recommendations. Instead, their reports are too often full of requests for more money and status quo-friendly ?reforms.?
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Odds and ends
Very important legal??developments in Detroit Charters, special education, and New Orleans
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Odds and ends
Very important legal?developments in Detroit Charters, special education, and New Orleans
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Quotable and notable
"In a lot of respects, what the Regents have done is the ghost of Christmas future. Education schools are on the verge of losing their franchise." ??? Arthur Levine, President, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Fund
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Quotable and notable
?In a lot of respects, what the Regents have done is the ghost of Christmas future. Education schools are on the verge of losing their franchise.? ? Arthur Levine, President, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Fund
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Training advice from DFER
The admirable Democrats for Education Reform has launched a smart and important collection of papers they're calling Race Smarter briefs.
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Will Jindal provide GOP educational leadership?
My enormous disappointment with Florida Governor Charlie Crist's decision last week on SB6 raises a very important question, especially for those of us on the right:??Who's the leading Republican office-holder today on K-12 education issues?
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Education news nuggets
Forget Billy Mays- Public-Mad Mike Petrilli is the new pitch man for Teacher-B-Gone Safety System???.
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This week's Gadfly, just for you
Last Chance! Take the Education Gadfly Redesign Survey and make the Gadfly even better! We're still on the hunt for your feedback. Got ten minutes? Take our survey.
Commentary
This week's Gadfly, just for you
Last Chance! Take the Education Gadfly Redesign Survey and make the Gadfly even better! We're still on the hunt for your feedback. Got ten minutes? Take our survey.
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Quotable and notable
???Together, we and the UFT are saying enough is enough.?? No more rubber rooms.?? They aren't good for anyone.?? Not for teachers, not for students, not for schools.??? ???Joel Klein, New York City Schools Chancellor
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Quotable and notable
?Together, we and the UFT are saying enough is enough.? No more rubber rooms.? They aren't good for anyone.? Not for teachers, not for students, not for schools.? ?Joel Klein, New York City Schools Chancellor
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Florida
Today is a useful reminder of just how powerful teachers unions can be--even in "right to work" states. I predict that Crist's decision will energize reformers in Florida and throughout the country, and a politician's position on tenure reform will become a litmus test, just as support for charter schools has been.
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Florida
Today is a useful reminder of just how powerful teachers unions can be?even in ?right to work? states. I predict that Crist's decision will energize reformers in Florida and throughout the country, and a politician's position on tenure reform will become a litmus test, just as support for charter schools has been.
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Crist's squandered opportunity
Today's decision by Florida Governor Charlie Crist to veto valuable teacher reform legislation is the most disappointing education policy decision by a major Republican officeholder in recent memory.
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Crist's squandered opportunity
Today's decision by Florida Governor Charlie Crist to veto valuable teacher reform legislation is the most disappointing education policy decision by a major Republican officeholder in recent memory.