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Maryland's inter-generational income transfer scheme
As a Maryland resident I have to decide how to vote on the state's Question 2 next week, whic
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School Finance Redesign Project panel at National Press Club
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Final thoughts--School Finance Redesign Project
We've just returned from the School Finance Redesign Project Panel (and were caught in the rain, no less!) Here are some final thoughts: Great ideas... not so practical. I'll give you two examples.
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The Marmalard factor
I really enjoy Andy Rotherham as a colleague and friend (you know, the way Joe Biden loves Joh
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Portfoliogate continued
Don Soifer of the Lexington Institute provides some interesting background on the portfolio issue, and why this wonky topic matters.
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It's Friday, the sub is in
Today's Friday, which means there's a pretty good chance your child is being taught by a substitute teacher.
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Educators for McCain?
Not everyone votes their pocketbook, but if they did, these education leaders would be pulling the lever for John McCain. That's because each one makes $250,000 or more per year: Joel Klein, New York City Chancellor???????????????????????????????? $250,000 (as of 2005) John Wilson, NEA Executive Director?????????????????????????????? $258,000 (as of 2005)
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Would the Obama administration be anti-TFA?
If you think that parsing Obama's portfolio policy is difficult, what to make of the conflicting signals over Teach For America?
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What to do about No Child Left Behind law?
That's one heck of a tough question that the next president - whether McCain or Obama - will eventually have to answer. Fordham's Mike Petrilli is trying to help out with a few suggestions.
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No campaign education advisor left behind
If many recent polls are to be believed, Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States. And this week we got an important glimpse into the dynamics of his education team that might preview what we can expect in the four years to come.
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School politics
There may be no Greek columns to back-drop these stump speeches, but they're still promising big change. In fact, the school corridors and cafeteria tables only serve to emphasize the issues of the day: class trips and cafeteria food. That's right, election fever has hit southern Florida elementary schools--election fever for school council elections.
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Check it out
It's no secret that Gadfly and his friends harbor some doubts about the programs now popping up in various cities that pay students for improved attendance, behavior, and grades. But now that these initiatives are in motion, we might as well learn something from them.
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OECD Economic Surveys: Australia
Chapter 3, "Enhancing Educational Performance"Organisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentOctober 10, 2008
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Counting on the Future: International Benchmarks in Mathematics for American School Districts
Gary W. Phillips and John DosseyAmerican Institutes of ResearchOctober 2008
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Electric shock
It may not have the ring of "The Hammer" but Michelle Rhee's latest appellation is perhaps better suited. As today's rockstar of education reformers and the bane of change-resistant teachers' unions, she certainly has become the country's "Lightning Rod" for all things education.
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Half a LEAPfrog
Ending social promotion is a good idea, but merely forcing students to repeat grades--same stuff, same classrooms, often same teachers--has been shown to be an inadequate alternative. Which is why Jefferson Parish, Louisiana deserves kudos for devising a promising "third way": grade 4.5, the destination for fourth-graders who fail to pass the state's LEAP test.
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Civics lesson
Lawsuits, Columbine...Election Day? That seems to be the thought process for many a school district contemplating November 4th and worried that their schools can't safely serve as polling stations and learning environments at the same time. That's why Illinois's Indian Prairie school system cancelled classes for the day.
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Politics trumps the law and what's right for children
School accountability is a hot button topic in Ohio and across the United States. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) made school accountability a federal matter when, in 2001, Congress and President Bush reached across the political divide to set ambitious goals and accountability standards for all schools and children.
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Charters fight against constant guerilla warfare to survive
Charter-school supporters are calling a Toledo effort to require every new school to have a cafeteria, gym, and other facilities the latest skirmish in an on-going guerrilla war against charters.
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National report: don't stretch the test
Two very important questions face educators in determining when an Ohio high-school senior should become an Ohio high-school graduate. First, how much does that student know? And, second, exactly how should that question be answered?
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Delisle to take over ODE in interesting times
When Deborah Delisle takes the reins at the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) she will face a long list of challenges, not the least of which is getting to know a very large set of new bosses.
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Implementing Graduation Counts: State Progress to Date, 2008
The National Governors AssociationSeptember 2008
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Breaking news: Obama campaign wants to dump NCLB testing, use portfolios instead
I had the honor of appearing on the Diane Rehm Show this morning, along with D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, Lisa Graham Keegan of the McCain campaign, Melody Barnes of the Obama campaign, Greg Toppo of USA Today, and Rick Kahlenberg of the Century Foundation.