Quotable & notable
?If we want to build a good system, we cannot only rely on testing at the end of learning. Testing implies that the student has finished the educational system. The most important thing is not just to see the testing results, but to pay close attention to the educational process.
Charter schools: Let's find out what they do
Peter MeyerIn a recent post in Time Andy Rotherham asks whether it may be the ?end times for public charter schools? and he cites a number of setbacks in the charter world to whet your doubting appetites.
Charter-school hullabaloo
Daniela FairchildFirst came the recruitment of State Superintendent Deborah Gist; next came winning $75 million in Race to the Top (RTTT) funds. Rhode Island has been on a whirlwind track toward education reform over the past couple years. And?as one with boatloads of Ocean State pride (who doesn't love coffee milk, water fire, and Dels lemonade?)?it's been fun to watch.
Preempting the Naysayers
Chris IrvineWe're not opposed to criticism here at the Fordham Institute. In fact, we welcome healthy dialogue involving more than just one perspective on a given issue or topic. The release of Fordham's new Standards Central online clearinghouse, a one-stop-shop for all of the Thomas B.
Charter start-ups are 4 times as likely to succeed as district turnarounds* (Note big asterisk)
Michael J. PetrilliAn analysis released in today's Education Gadfly finds that new charter schools in disadvantaged communities are almost four times as likely to reach above-average rates of student achievement as the closest district school.
Nothing says "gifted" like "Welcome Back, Cotter"
Michael J. PetrilliIf you want to get re-elected, whatever you do, don't follow Rick's advice
Questions about a charter network in Texas
Peter MeyerPhilanthropy, Islam, accountability, and intrigue
The qualities of a good teacher: A student's perspective
One Cristo Rey student explains her peers' views on solid teaching
Want less fed in your ed?
Join us on June 15 for a discussion of Uncle Sam???s future role in edu-accountability
Are Bad Schools Immortal? The Scarcity of Turnarounds and Shutdowns in Both Charter and District Sectors
Stubbornly resistant to significant change
PODCAST: Nothing says ?gifted? like ?Welcome Back, Cotter?
After some good old-fashioned low-brow fun, Mike and Rick launch into an erudite conversation on teacher evaluations and Race to the Top, the political perils of tough-love school reform, and the correct role of education philanthropies. Amber finds benefit in gifted-education programs, and Chris tells overbearing parents to get off Facebook?and get a life. [powerpress]
Quotable & notable
?I can't imagine in America where you're going to have a White House, Republican or Democrat, or a Congress, a Republican or a Democrat, laying out what our kids have to be taught. That is unacceptable.'' ?Mitt Romney, Former Massachusetts Governor
Charter start-ups vs. district turnarounds: Attempting to settle the debate
David A. StuitCome September, Celerity Educational Group will start a new K-5 charter school, to be christened Celerity Sirius, in a neighborhood church in Compton, CA. It will open its doors just a few blocks from McKinley Elementary, a K-5 school, famous for being ground-zero in the “parent trigger” wars.
The ends of education reform
Michael J. PetrilliLaying out some "stretch" goals - those that are challenging but attainable
Something's got to give
Across metro Detroit (from the wealthy Grosse Pointe School District to the perennially struggling Detroit Public Schools), school systems are having to dip further into their general-education budgets to cover their unfunded special-education costs. This predicament has an extensive root structure, starting with Michigan’s unique special-ed funding set-up.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: An American Agenda for Education Reform
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Forget Finland, look at Ontario's governance structure
Incentives and Test-Based Accountability in Education
Janie ScullThey work, but could work even better
Diplomas Count 2011: Beyond High School, Before Baccalaureate: Meaningful Alternatives to a Four-Year Degree
Daniela FairchildPutting the "career" back in "college and career" readiness
Quotable & notable
?When school children start paying union dues, that's when I'll start representing the interests of school children.'' ?Albert Shanker, Former Teachers Union Leader
Assessment blues: Bad news on test-based incentives
Peter MeyerThe new report from the National Research Council (with its come-hither title, Incentives and Test-Based Accountability in Education) is sure to add fuel to the anti-accountability fires. It concludes, pretty shockingly, that all these tests haven't made kids any smarter.?
Don't Punish Principals for Doing More With Less
Chris IrvineIt goes without saying that school officials are doing everything in their power to cope with the quickly dwindling budgets of their districts. But a certain policy enacted by the New York City DOE leaves me scratching my head.
The ends of education reform
Michael J. PetrilliDiane Ravitch's New York Times op-ed seems to have stuck in the craw of many a reformer, including Arne Duncan himself.