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Next it'll be new cars
More on yesterday's announcement that D.C. test scores are up. A Washington Post article today says that some principals are attributing their schools' successes to Michelle Rhee.
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Ah, the vaunted "pot of federal money"
While offering advice on how Obama can defend accusations of socialist tendencies, Matt Miller expounds upon the idea of merit pay in the pages of today's Wall Street Journal. Miller writes:
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An excellent question
Editorializing about the recent test score gains in Washington, D.C., under new schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, the Washington Times asks : Why did the city ever let Arlene Ackerman go--the last superintendent to improve so much?
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Unconvential wisdom
"A group of Toronto researchers have compiled a body of evidence showing that bookworms have exceptionally strong people skills."
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Unequivocal
That's a fair way to describe presidential candidate Ralph Nader's opposition to No Child Left Behind, as presented in this Washington Post
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5, 6, 7, 8, everybody regulate!
That's my synopsis of this E.J. Dionne column about our current economic tribulations.
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The NEA's backward strategy on vouchers
Catching up on the news out of the National Education Association conference earlier this month, I noticed that the union's "representative assembly," in its infinite wisdom, voted against accepting private school teachers and staff as members.
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Details, details
Karl Priest comments on Liam's recent post: If you thing evolution is "modern science" you need a healthy dose of reality?
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Holy unions
Great article in today's Wall Street Journal about the Catholic church vs. Catholic school unions.
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No-school school
We love charters. They're a great idea. But even great ideas can go wrong, and when I read this great idea gone wrong, I thought it was a joke.
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Welcome, Melody
According to New York Sun reporter Elizabeth Green, Flypaper is among two-dozen education blogs being monitored by the city ed department's new "Truth Squad," composed of press secretary David Cantor, five of his deputies, and a deputy communications director, Melody Meyer. Ms.
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No, they didn't pay me to write this
While we're on the topic, Checker had this to say of the New York City ed department's new Truth Squad (from the same New York Sun article):
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Algebra in California
From the Los Angeles Times: "California mandates testing every eighth-grader in algebra--ready or not"
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Beer smear
Re Coby's post: It's worth noting that if frat houses throughout the country substitute video game beer pong for the real kind, then it stands to reason that fewer drunken antics will ensue. And why all this beer bashing, anyhow?
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Compelled to volunteer
Re my post about a national service academy, Jonah Goldberg makes some fine, related points in the Los Angeles Times by arguing against what he calls "national service mania." His piece
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Party liners?
That's how this Investor's Business Daily (IBD) article describes Senators Barack Obama and John McCain when it comes to education. While both senators have tried to build an independent image on other issues, on education they are staunch partisans.
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Re: Party liners?
Mike writes??that merit pay and charter schools are "anathema to the teachers unions." They're not at all anathema to the Democratic Party, though.
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A victory for the good guys
The rigorous-math crowd continues its string of victories in California with this decision to test all eighth graders in algebra.
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Re: Re: Party liners
Yes, Liam, some Democrats like charter schools and merit pay. But the base of the Democratic Party (the teachers unions) doesn't. And most politicians are careful not to alienate their core supporters. (Except on The West Wing.)
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Department of misleading headlines*
Kindergarteners urged to learn key languages WASHINGTON, DC (A.P.) -- Speaking to the National Association of Kindergarten Students (NAKS) today, presidential hopeful Barack Obama called on five-year-olds to embrace change and challenge themselves with languages from around the world. "Si se puede," said Obama. "Si se puede."
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Reading First death match
Check out the war of words happening at USAToday.com in response to its editorial (and a ridiculous
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Why math matters
Chinese students are, overall, far more advanced in mathematics than their American peers. Which is probably why they can create Segway armies.
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Adult beverages
Eduwonkette introduced her readers to some new blogs yesterday, including one chronicling the day-to-day life of "Mimi" the teacher. I know we've had some contentious back-and-forths about teachers on this site, but I think everyone can find some humor in this story from Mimi's site.
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Would you like some cheese with that whine?
Recently chastened, I offer this less controversial fare:
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Tidying up around the office
Some days our blog exhausts me. Not writing for it--I'm usually too busy--just reading it and thinking how I would have said something differently myself or would have bitten my tongue and said nothing at all.
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Has Student Achievement Increased Since 2002?: State Test Score Trends Through 2006-2007
Nancy Kober, Naomi Chudowsky, Victor ChudowskyCenter on Education PolicyJune 2008