Commentary
Performance Management in Portfolio School Districts
Center on Reinventing Public EducationRobin J. Lake & Paul T. HillAugust 2009
Commentary
A compassionate history
Where does "compassionate conservatism" fit into the political conversation? Steven Teles explains its intellectual and political past, present, and future in this piece for National Affairs, a promising new policy journal. The idea is much misunderstood, possibly because of its association with Bush 43, but it lurks behind many areas of domestic policy.
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Violent statistics
The Chicago Public Schools see approximately 30 students killed and many more involved in some kind of school violence each year; that's why they've embarked on a $30 million initiative to lower those numbers, particularly the toll of fatalities.
Commentary
Party like it's...2009
Woe to British teachers imbibing alcohol in their downtime. The General Teacher Council, a government regulatory body for state-school (in American-speak, public-school) teachers, has approved a new code of conduct for educators. Translation? No boozing and partying on the weekends.
Commentary
My final thoughts on President Obama's speech
By this point everyone has weighed in on President Obama's speech to America's students (the Fordham team included; see????here, here,
Commentary
Is a financial day of reckoning for schools here yet?
There's a lot to chew over in yesterday's New York Times article by Sam Dillon, "Schools Aided by Stimulus Money Still Facing Cuts," (including the implications for our home st
Commentary
Let the Debate Begin: Education Policy Priorities for 2010 and Beyond
Ohioans of every background and political inclination agree that our state needs a system of public education that attains three critical goals: 1) maximizes the talent of every child; 2) is as strong as any in the world in overall achievement; and 3) closes the persistent performance gaps between rich and poor, black and white and brown.
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Governance
From Schoolhouse to Courthouse
From Schoolhouse to Courthouse: The Judiciary's Role in American Education examines the role of the courts in modern American K-12 education. From race to speech, from religion to school funding, few aspects of education policy have escaped the courtroom. In this book, experts describe just what the impact of judicial involvement has been. Published jointly by Fordham and Brookings Institution Press.
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Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
Unschooling: the worst education idea... ever?
The worst education idea of the year turns out not to be a new idea at all. "Unschooling" has roots in Rousseau, in Summerhill, in John Holt and Ivan Illich and any number of other progressive/romantic/libertarian nihilists.
Commentary
Pep talk. Period.
Ok, so I just finished listening to President Obama's address to the nation's schoolchildren and found it--despite all of the??hoopla--to be pretty harmless. Mind you, I did not take the time to glance at the accompanying lesson plans (Rick did, though).
Commentary
MPR discussion of Obama speech
Fordham's Andy Smarick will be a guest this morning, from 10am to 11am (EST), on Minnesota Public Radio. He'll be discussing President Obama's speech to America's students. Ed Week's Dakarai Aarons is scheduled to be a guest on the show as well.
Commentary
Courts and education
It's here! From Schoolhouse to Courthouse is a new book from Brookings Institution Press and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. It examines the role of the courts in modern American K-12 education - from race to speech, from religion to school funding, from discipline to special education. It's all in there.
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Quote and Notable
Quotable: "It's unfair to require a public school, regardless what kind, to have to rely only on philanthropy or alternative financing to create a building that is adequate for kids."-Jeanne Allen, president of the Center for Education Reform
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The speech saga
As Amy noted, the upcoming White House speech to America's students has caused quite a furor. ????Two of the harder hitting (but still reasonable) criticisms can be found here and here.
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RE: Obama goes back to school
Amy wrote yesterday of the hubbub surrounding President Obama's back-to-school speech on September 8. Out of all the ways Obama could use his bully pulpit, telling kids to stay in school and work hard is one of the best.
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All your questions will be answered...
On Monday, when the full Obama back-to-school speech is posted in advance on whitehouse.gov. I think this whole discussion has gotten out of control, but hey it's Friday so here's one more conspiracy theory to stir this already-boiling pot: Releasing the speech on a holiday? Not a coincidence...
Commentary
Today's 'Quotable & Notable'
Quotable: "The thing that concerned me most about it was it seemed like a direct channel from the president of the United States into the classroom, to my child...I don't want our schools turned over to some socialist movement."-??Brett Curtiss, parent
Commentary
Stimulus stuff
Though Flypaper is my beloved blogging home and gets all of my music-related musings, I write about the education components of the stimulus over at AEI's
Commentary
Say yup to YEP
Are you young? Involved in education? A professional? That makes you a Young Education Professional (YEP)! And you're invited to an event next week, featuring a few of us middle-aged education professionals; information below. WHAT: The Original YEP Generation Panel: Ten Years Later
Commentary
Obama goes back to school
Obama's back-to-school speech set for Tuesday is causing quite the hub-bub!
Commentary
Americans Speak Out: Are Educators and Policy Makers Listening?--The 41st Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward Public Schools
William J. Bushaw and John A. McNeePhi Delta KappanSeptember 2009
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King of the jungle
Much has been said and written in memoriam about the Lion of the Senate. Since education policy was one of Senator Ted Kennedy's primary interests, we will add our voices to that chorus.
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Cleaning house
"Should a thousand bad teachers stay put so that one innocent teacher is protected?" That's what Steven Brill would like to know in his excellent New Yorker piece. The issue is due process: How much is too much and how little too little for the incompetent, miscreant, and excessed educators who remain on the payroll but not in a classroom?
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Continuing the constitutional conversation
Imagination. Statesmanship. Courage. Adaptation. This is the call of Checker Finn, and it is directed right at the United States Department of Education.
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Flying past the competition
Bart Sutherin is a total helicopter parent. Really. He flew his son, ninth grader Joseph Sutherin, to his first day of school this year in a rented bird. Unfortunately, neither Joseph nor his father thought to alert school district officials or the local sheriff's office to their plan. And the unexpected chopper was reported to the FAA, which is now investigating the incident.
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One of you, please get out of the bed
In the world of education policy and education reform, recent months have seen the relationship between government and private philanthropy grow entirely too intimate.
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Standardizing education advertising
As the school year starts, many an urban district has been disappointed by slack first-day enrollments.
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Stating the facts
While many school districts have experienced temporary state takeover--Philadelphia, Chicago, and Cleveland come to mind--New Orleans may be the first to permanently remain under state control.
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National Journal blog considers school improvement
Checker is a regular contributor to the National Journal education experts blog. The question asked this week is about turnarounds, so he was nice enough to give me the floor. Check out my brief thoughts here. There are also comments from Secretary Duncan, the NEA president, Deborah Meier, and more.