Teaching as leadership
Though viewpoints on how to reform American public education are numerous and discordant, they tend to converge on one key premise: teachers matter. A lot.
The new politics of education
Gadfly occasionally grumbles about the Obama Administration’s policies and actions, but it’s hard to find fault with the
Sharing is improving
New teamwork is visible in New Orleans and it’s not on the football field. Ten NOLA charter schools will participate in a collaborative effort led by the Achievement Network (ANet).
Finn on Ravitch
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Diane Ravitch’s important new book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System, has already
Marie Antoinette goes to CPAC
How to eat your cake while claiming it’s disgusting, unhealthy, and philosophically bankrupt, too? Republican governors are quickly becoming savvy gourmands, as they attempt to balance their rhetorical opposition to federal stimulus funding with their growing reliance on it to fill gaping budget holes, a.k.a.
Vampire of Nazareth?
An unnamed communications “staffer” in Utah’s Alpine School District is hoping a fire he (she?) ignited is soon extinguished by the nearby Great Salt Lake. The luckless employee posted a link to an essay which presumably elaborated on the district’s mission to “educate all students to ensure the future of our democracy.” So, what’s the problem?
Wake me up before you go, go
On Tuesday, North Carolina’s Wake County school board narrowly (5-4) decided to replace its four-decade-old policy of integrating schools via busing. The latest iteration of that policy, now one decade old, aimed to ensure a middle-class majority at each school in the system; the district was able to do this because it was big and relatively affluent.
Checker and Diane: Same diagnosis, different prescription
Michael J. PetrilliIn today's thoughtful article on Diane Ravitch's "school reform u-turn," the New York Times' Sam Dillon writes about her longtime (and continuing) friendship with Checker
Quotable and notable
"It's a bill that actually finally for the first time will reward teachers who actually demonstrate they are achieving student achievement in the classroom." ??? Sen. John Thrasher, merit pay bill sponsor
The agony of victory
Michael J. PetrilliWe're days away from learning the names of the Race to the Top finalists. Most governors will be thrilled if they make it through the first round. But what about Charlie Crist of Florida and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana? [quote]
3 more RTT predictions
Here are three more predictions I have about RTT finalists: No Rural States: Some of the weakest applications I've seen are from rural states. They way they are thinking about reform doesn't mix so well with RTT priorities. Whether that implicates the RTT application or the rural-state mindset is an open question.
Marc Madness
Marc Porter Magee, top-notch education reformer from ConnCan, all-around good guy, and husband of Fordhamite Kathleen Porter Magee, is producing some short, fun??videos
Weak interventions
In this Gadfly piece where I criticized the School Improvement Fund, I predicted with sadness that most states and districts would take the easy way out and (instead of closing and replacing failing schools) use the weakest intervention model possible, the "transformation" option.
Quotable and notable
???If a school continues to fail its students year after year, if it doesn't show signs of improvement, then there's got to be a sense of accountability.??? ???President Barack Obama
Mulligan!
Michael J. PetrilliPresident Obama is teaming up with General Colin Powell right now to talk dropout reduction. I've got no beef with that.
More Catholic closures
Yesterday, the Baltimore Sun had a front-page story about more upcoming closures of Catholic schools in the city. Despite their strong service of disadvantaged kids, these schools are suffering under an unsustainable financial model.
Collision of religion, charters, vouchers, and accountability
This story is worth keeping an eye on. We've been able to hold off a major and messy policy debate about the intersection of vouchers, charters, private schools, accountability, and choice. Court cases like this though can force the conversation.
RTT predictions
Ed Week's Michele McNeil and Lesli Maxwell have made some predictions about RTT finalists. Tom Carroll did likewise. (Finalists should be announced by ED later this week.)
State RTT stuff
CT, which has one of the weakest RTT applications I've read, is considering policy changes to improve its chances the second time around.
Human capital in Boston
This Gadfly story about human capital in Boston is worth lingering attention. Apart from the drama related to the report's release, it shows how policies and contracts can clearly--and tragically--inhibit a city's ability to improve the quality of its teaching corps.
Education news nuggets
If you thought the only ed story out of Rhode Island was Central Falls, think again.??
Quotable and notable
???It is a fundamental principle of the free market that when you infuse competition into any equation, you make it better.?? We are lacking any substantial competition in education.??? ???Virginia Del. C. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah
Caprice Young - Fordham's newest board member
Chester E. Finn, Jr.The Board of Trustees of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute has elected Caprice Young as its newest member. An exceptional education reformer with extraordinarily wide-ranging experience, Ms.