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(Saving) face time
Aphorist Dorothy Parker once observed, "Los Angeles is 72 suburbs in search of a city." Similarly diffuse and divided is Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's latest plan to take over L.A. Unified.
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Say good-"Bayou" to the status quo
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal wants to cut the red tape keeping local schools and districts from achieving greater student success with his new four-year waiver proposal--but he’s attaching one big string. Under his plan, basically any state law or regulation that does not concern federal requirements, student safety, accountability, or graduation rules is on the table. The twist?
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School-business partnership awards
The National School and Business Partnerships Award supports and recognizes efforts between schools and businesses to improve the academic, social, or physical well-being of students. Six exemplary school-business partnerships will receive $10,000 each.
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Windsurfing was so 2004
This week, Mike and Rick discuss Race to the Top’s round 2 winners, Fordham’s latest report on cities’ education “reform-friendliness,” and the sensational LA Times story on value-added data. Then Amber gives us the scoop on the ACT’s latest stats and Rate that Reform picks academics over aesthetics.
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Wine, cheese, and NCLB
*/ table.MsoNormalTable { } --> Are you flummoxed by the nuances of the federal No Child Left Behind Act? Don't you wish there was an easy-to-understand guide to help you navigate your way through that convoluted legislation? Well, wish no more.
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With liberty and justice for all
A scant thirty-one words, the Pledge of Allegiance both unifies and divides. Take a trip through the Pledge’s history in a dandy new book by Peter Meyer—a Bernard Lee Schwartz Policy Fellow here at Fordham.
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With the Best of Intentions: Lessons Learned from K-12 Philanthropy
Education philanthropy types may want to check out "With the Best of Intentions: Lessons Learned from K-12 Philanthropy," an upcoming conference at the American Enterprise Institute. Heavy-hitters abound, including representatives from the Carnegie Corporation, Gates, Brookings, Annie E. Casey, and a little-known funder named Fordham.
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Wolverine Future Schools
Michigan Future Schools is now accepting applications to open college-prep high schools in Detroit. High-quality EMOs, take note!
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Won't you be our neighbor?
Mike and Janie discuss Fordham’s new paper on Common Core implementation and governance, and get into the sort-of good, the oh-so-bad, and the ugly truth of teachers unions. Amber shows how great Montgomery County is, and Amanda admires the Maine outdoors.
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Words from Hess
Rick Hess--director of education policy at the American Enterprise Institute, and Education Gadfly Show co-host-has some words of wisdom for us.
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Work at HGSE
Cambridge calling your name? The Harvard Graduate School of Education is tapping the job market. Currently open are three positions: Project Manager, Senior Program Manager, and Research Analyst/Statistical Programmer.
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Work for a bigwig in the Big Apple
Gotham Schools’ new job board is already boasting some eye-catching postings for New Yorkers. And the site’s even sweeter for those looking to hire. Be one of the first forty to post a job, and the listing is free. Access the job board here.
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Work for NCTQ
The National Council on Teacher Quality is hiring. Open positions include one project manager slot and several research analyst openings. Find more information here; inquiries should be directed to Pat Giles at [email protected].
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Work for PIE-Net
The Policy Innovators in Education Network (PIE-Net) is seeking a Director of Communications and Public Affairs. This media guru would work with the Executive Director to improve the Network’s internal communications and expand PIE-Net’s membership and visibility.
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Work in sunny Florida
Are you crazy about citrus and sunshine? The Florida Schools of Excellence Commission--an independent, state-level commission whose focus is the development and support of charter schools--seeks an executive director. See here for more information.
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Work with lawyers!
*/ table.MsoNormalTable { } --> Do you enjoy collaborating with attorneys about legislation and writing policy papers for clients? Do you understand the federal education budget and appropriations process? Do you? If so, you may be a perfect fit as a legislative associate for a federal education law firm.
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"World Cup" productivity levels
You won't want to miss this week's debate between Mike and Stafford about teachers cheating, corporate sponsorship in schools, and praise-worthy union leaders. Then Amber explains positive news about ProComp, while Janie sends BP a bill for lost tax-based school dollars.
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Worst SIG-winning schools get $31 million; similar charters would be shuttered
Ohio has one of the most stringent academic “death penalties” in the country for our charter schools… Of course the same rules don’t apply to district schools, which have virtually unlimited opportunity to remain open and seek improvement, regardless of whether they actually do…. Thirty-nine district schools in Ohio were awarded SIG funds.
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Yes you CAN
Connecticut-based reform organization ConnCAN is seeking a Chief Operating Officer. This person will lead and serve the ConnCAN team, managing its various arms, and mentoring, supporting, and overseeing its staff.
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You call that a protest?
On this week's show, Mike and Rick debate whether Nancy Grasmick should run Baltimore's failing schools, why Robert Gordon wants to fire new teachers, and whether street protests teach students democracy in action. Plus, an interview with the author of this week's editorial, Nina Shokraii Rees.
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You <em>can go home again
Welcome back to Marci Kanstoroom, Fordham's onetime research director, who has returned on a part-time basis as senior research editor. We're ecstatic.
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You Da Bomb
The vice principal at a San Diego tech-themed magnet middle school must not have been very hip, rad, phat, or da bomb diggity in the 90s. The slang-challenged fellow recently confused a student’s science project that was da bomb for being…a bomb.
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You're invited!
Join us at the National Press Club on May 16th at 9 a.m., when we'll host a panel discussion about Fordham's recently-released report The Autonomy Gap. Experts will discuss the pitfalls and promise of effective school leadership.
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You're invited (to a May 16th panel event on The Autonomy Gap)
Want to know what principals think about having more accountability demands placed upon them, yet no more autonomy to achieve the desired results? Then join us at the Press Club on May 16th from 9:30 to 11 to hear Hartford school superintendent Steven Adamowski (author of The Autonomy Gap) and a panel of observers and principals explain.
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Youth Leadership Foundation Benefit Event
The Youth Leadership Foundation serves disadvantaged boys and girls from Washington's inner city through academic enrichment and character development. YLF is hosting its third annual benefit event at Maggiano's in Washington, D.C., on April 21st from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person before April 14 or $40 per person at the door, and a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible.
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You + Us = Event
If you hadn’t caught wind, Fordham recently published a slimvolume on our experiences as a charter school authorizer in Ohio. What did we learn?
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You've won the Lottery!
For free tickets to see “The Lottery,” that is. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is sponsoring a free screening this Friday, June 25, in Washington D.C. at 7:45 pm. NAPCS President Nelson Smith and “The Lottery” director Madeleine Sackler will speak afterwards.
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Yuan a podcast?
This week, Mike and Rick demand more pledging, less union meddling, and longer speeches from Bill Gates. Our interview with Graham Down about liberal arts curricula is real, and it's spectacular, and Education News of the Weird is all about One Teacher's Left Behind. Fish rot from the head, we're told.
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Zero tolerance
This week, Mike and Rick mock Malcolm Gladwell (and not because of his hair), praise the Washington Post's Jay Mathews, and demand the right to sleep. We've got an interview with scholar Hillel Fradkin, who talks about teaching 9/11 in schools. And Education News of the Weird is protected by both the First Amendment and Larry Flynt.
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Zipping through Thailand
Rick and Amber are back, and what a show it is. First Rick and Mike discuss Diane Ravitch’s new book, the Central Falls firings, and whether Governors Crist and Jindal are in a pickle. Then, Amber gives us the scoop on Boston teacher hiring, firing, and retention stats and Rate that Reform crosses the pond.