This link takes you to a report from non-partisan research organization Connecticut Voices for Children detailing CT's NCLB waiver. It's essential reading for all teachers and parents who want to understand what is happening to education in CT.
http://www.ctvoices.org/sites/default/files/edu12nclbwaiverchartrev.pdf
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Test them, test them and then…test them again: The Federal Waiver is NOT the solution. - Wait, What?
Test them, test them and then…test them again: The Federal Waiver is NOT the solution. - Wait, What?: "Part II of the waiver that Governor Malloy and Commissioner Pryor are bragging about actually prevents the use of “classroom-based assessment of student learning such as local tests, essays, projects, performances, or presentations.” In addition, qualitative information observed in schools by experts or participants” cannot be used as part of the school evaluation system.
So instead of providing greater flexibility in determining how to measure success, the waiver provides “greater flexibility” on spending – as long as we become even more reliant on standardized tests.
Furthermore, the Governor and Commissioner failed to explain that the waiver is the very vehicle for instituting the controversial and detrimental Commissioner’s Network system.
When Connecticut’s children, teachers and education system are wasting even more time on standardized tests, they’ll know who to thank – the participants of today’s press conference."
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So instead of providing greater flexibility in determining how to measure success, the waiver provides “greater flexibility” on spending – as long as we become even more reliant on standardized tests.
Furthermore, the Governor and Commissioner failed to explain that the waiver is the very vehicle for instituting the controversial and detrimental Commissioner’s Network system.
When Connecticut’s children, teachers and education system are wasting even more time on standardized tests, they’ll know who to thank – the participants of today’s press conference."
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Monday, May 28, 2012
Romney’s education vision - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post
Romney’s education vision - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: "Romney’s education vision is based on an ideology that demonizes unions and views the market as the driver of education reform. His program is not based on quality research or best practices; indeed, it doesn't mention the one reform that has been shown over years to be effective, early childhood education.
It also inores the role that outside-school factors play in how well a student does in the classroom. School reformers and politicians can talk all they want about how a great teacher can overcome the effects of living in poverty and turmoil, but, systemically, they can’t. A hungry or tired or sick student just won’t do as well as one who isn’t. You only have to look at the most successful schools — traditional public and public charter and private — to know this to be true.
Even though Romney has in the past praised the president’s education policies — they both, for example, support the expansion of charter schools — his white paper sharply criticizes Obama and works hard to draw distinctions between them."
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It also inores the role that outside-school factors play in how well a student does in the classroom. School reformers and politicians can talk all they want about how a great teacher can overcome the effects of living in poverty and turmoil, but, systemically, they can’t. A hungry or tired or sick student just won’t do as well as one who isn’t. You only have to look at the most successful schools — traditional public and public charter and private — to know this to be true.
Even though Romney has in the past praised the president’s education policies — they both, for example, support the expansion of charter schools — his white paper sharply criticizes Obama and works hard to draw distinctions between them."
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Amazon Dumps ALEC
Amazon is the latest company which, because of pressure from the people, has withdrawn support for ALEC.
Education reform bill misses key opportunities highlighted by Sheff case - Courant.com
Education reform bill misses key opportunities highlighted by Sheff case - Courant.com: "Other troubled systems would clearly benefit from the solutions being applied in Hartford. One or two "turnaround schools" will not do anything for students in Bridgeport, for example, where the words "equal educational opportunity" ring hollow. This was the opportune time for the legislature to apply the lessons learned from Sheff statewide as part of achievement gap remedial measures.
Instead, 1,000 segregated preschool slots were created without an overall plan to ensure that the gains made by our youngest students wouldn't be lost when they entered kindergarten in their poor-performing neighborhood schools. Why was there no discussion about attaching these pre-K opportunities to interdistrict options?
The same is true for charter schools. Rather than creating a parallel, segregated system, the legislature had a chance to embrace charter schools as part of an interdistrict remedy by changing statutes to allow these schools to receive the same construction and transportation reimbursements as the magnets."
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Instead, 1,000 segregated preschool slots were created without an overall plan to ensure that the gains made by our youngest students wouldn't be lost when they entered kindergarten in their poor-performing neighborhood schools. Why was there no discussion about attaching these pre-K opportunities to interdistrict options?
The same is true for charter schools. Rather than creating a parallel, segregated system, the legislature had a chance to embrace charter schools as part of an interdistrict remedy by changing statutes to allow these schools to receive the same construction and transportation reimbursements as the magnets."
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How Did Wisconsin Become the Most Politically Divisive Place in America? - NYTimes.com
Here is another example of how conservative groups are using issues which sound like they are helping the disadvantaged only to bankrupt the system. This is the new strategy--just engage us until we can't afford it any more. Make it impossible for us to fight their initiatives by concealing it as a civil rights fight or, in this case, a fight for special needs kids.
How Did Wisconsin Become the Most Politically Divisive Place in America? - NYTimes.com:
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How Did Wisconsin Become the Most Politically Divisive Place in America? - NYTimes.com:
Of the 36 sponsors and co-sponsors of Litjens’s bill, 25 were ALEC members. Mark Pocan is one of the few ALEC members who did not co-sponsor the bill. A liberal Democrat from Madison, Pocan became a member of ALEC several years ago. He told me he wanted to draw attention to the organization’s unseen effect on Wisconsin’s legislation. In his floor speech that night, Pocan described an ALEC conference in New Orleans that he attended last summer. “I remember going to a workshop and hearing a little bit about a bill they did in Florida and some other states to dismantle public education,” Pocan said. “There was a proposal to provide special-needs scholarships. Lo and behold, all of a sudden I come back to Wisconsin, and what gets introduced? A bill to do just that.”
The next day, Pocan outlined a strategy ALEC advises its members to use: “You have to introduce a 14-point platform,” he said, “so that you can make it harder for them to focus and for the press to cover 14 different planks.” He pointed to several bills introduced in the past two sessions, including one that allows more children to enroll in virtual charter schools. “It sounds good,” Pocan said. “Kids could access virtual schools for home schooling. But again,” he emphasized, the real purpose is “taking apart public schools, drip by drip.”
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Sunday, May 27, 2012
Do Our Public Schools Threaten National Security? by Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books
Ravitch looks at the report from Joel Klein & Condoleezza Rice which states that our public education system is a threat to national security. Ravitch challenges both the assertion that our public school system is broke (it's not) and that private corporations are the solution (they aren't):
Do Our Public Schools Threaten National Security? by Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books:
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Do Our Public Schools Threaten National Security? by Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books:
What marks this report as different from its predecessors, however, is its profound indifference to the role of public education in a democratic society, and its certainty that private organizations will succeed where the public schools have failed. Previous hand-wringing reports sought to improve public schooling; this one suggests that public schools themselves are the problem, and the sooner they are handed over to private operators, the sooner we will see widespread innovation and improved academic achievement.
The report is a mishmash of misleading statistics and incoherent arguments, intended to exaggerate the failure of public education. Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, introduces the report with this claim: “It will come as no surprise to most readers that America’s primary and secondary schools are widely seen as failing.” Many scholars of education would disagree with this conclusion; they would probably respond that the United States has many excellent public schools and that the lowest-performing schools are overwhelmingly concentrated in districts with high levels of poverty and racial isolation. Haass then writes, “High school graduation rates, while improving, are still far too low, and there are steep gaps in achievement between middle class and poor students.” He does not seem aware that, according to the latest federal data, high school graduation rates are at their highest point in history for students of all races and income levels. Certainly they should be higher, but the actual data do not suggest a crisis.
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"UP With Chris Hayes" on Education
A couple of clips regarding the current state of education reform.
This clip deals with the effects of segregation in our schools.
This clip deals with the effects of segregation in our schools.
This clip discusses Romney's thoughts on education & education reform.
This American Life--The Rise & Fall of School Reform
Some time ago, This American Life ran a show on school reform. Give a listen:
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Romney Considering Big School Choice Expansion
Romney Considering Big School Choice Expansion - Politics K-12 - Education Week
This link takes you to a brief overview of Romney's education plans. It is important to note that much of what is listed looks like Pryor's original bill.
Also interesting is Romney's list of advisors. On the list: Rod Paige, Bush's secretary of ed who brought us NCLB.
This link takes you to a brief overview of Romney's education plans. It is important to note that much of what is listed looks like Pryor's original bill.
Also interesting is Romney's list of advisors. On the list: Rod Paige, Bush's secretary of ed who brought us NCLB.
We Are Wisconsin--The Film
It's important to remember that this is a national struggle to preserve the rights of workers. Remember that the Wisconsin recall is taking place on June 5th.
"Who’s Killing Philly Public Schools?": Daniel Denvir on Plan for School Closings, Privatization
"Who’s Killing Philly Public Schools?": Daniel Denvir on Plan for School Closings, Privatization: "We continue to look at the cost of public education, this time here in the United States. On Wednesday, thousands took part in education protests in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and other Pennsylvania cities, condemning planned spending cuts. In Philadelphia, school officials have proposed a controversial plan to close more than 60 schools in the next five years and potentially privatize those remaining. On Thursday, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney visited a Philadelphia charter school one day after he gave his first major policy speech on schools. We speak to Daniel Denvir, reporter for the Philadelphia City Paper. [includes rush transcript]"
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Progressive Group Expands Anti-Walker Ad Buy | TPM Livewire
Progressive Group Expands Anti-Walker Ad Buy | TPM Livewire: "The Progressive Change Campaign Committee is expanding its ad buy for an ad that went up last week urging Wisconsin voters to vote against Gov. Scott Walker in the recall election. PCCC is adding $30,000 to an their previous ad buy of the same amount, allowing them to expand from the Madison TV market to now include Green Bay. The one-minute spot will run in both markets on cable and broadcast, including hits on “The Colbert Report” and the Sunday shows.
The PCCC expects the ad buy to continue to grow depending on online fundraising. The ad, called “Remember. Recall.,” features Wisconsinites from the protests at the capital last winter explaining why they want to recall Walker. The recall election is set for June 5, when Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett will try to unseat Walker."
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The PCCC expects the ad buy to continue to grow depending on online fundraising. The ad, called “Remember. Recall.,” features Wisconsinites from the protests at the capital last winter explaining why they want to recall Walker. The recall election is set for June 5, when Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett will try to unseat Walker."
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Educators to watch: Linda Darling-Hammond
In Praise of Linda Darling-Hammond | Diane Ravitch's blog
One of the wisest and sanest voices in the nation on the subject of teacher quality, teaching quality and teacher evaluation is Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University. Linda has been involved for many years in studying these issues and working directly with teachers to improve practice. During the presidential campaign of 2008, she was Barack Obama’s spokesman and chief adviser on education, but was elbowed aside by supporters of Arne Duncan when the campaign ended. The Wall Street hedge fund managers who call themselves Democrats for Education Reform (they use the term “Democrats” to disguise the reactionary quality of their goals) recommended Duncan to the newly elected president, and you know who emerged on top.
The Philadelphia Story
The Philadelphia Story | Diane Ravitch's blog
s. Of course, this is treating public schools as if they were just any old business, selling auto parts or paper products, which they are not. Public education is not a product; it is not even a service. It is an essential part of our social fabric, a democratic institution that must be preserved and strengthened.
Business consultants don’t understand this. They look at public schools, and they don’t see teachers and children. They see an investment opportunity. They see a cash flow. They make calculations about return on investment. They see a deficit, and they think bankruptcy, reorganization, sell off the healthy parts, and kill the weak ones.
Getting Back on Track
While the CEA and AFT were effective at mobilizing forces to stave off the draconian reforms proposed by Malloy and Pryor, it is time to reflect on how we might have avoided this fight in the first place.
The fact of the matter is that we as teachers have allowed others to define us and define the work we do. We have also stood by and watched as policies instituted by people motivated by profit trapped schools in a downward spiral resulting in the present education achievement gap.
This has left a vacuum where those same people whose short-sighted policies broke the system have now stepped in to claim the mantle of Fighters for Civil-Rights.
This has to stop.
Members of the two major teacher's unions in CT have begun discussing how to more effectively organize at the local level and get back to our grassroots. This group is going to focus not only on issues dealing directly with improving education, but will also focus on other issues which affect the whole child such as:
The fact of the matter is that we as teachers have allowed others to define us and define the work we do. We have also stood by and watched as policies instituted by people motivated by profit trapped schools in a downward spiral resulting in the present education achievement gap.
This has left a vacuum where those same people whose short-sighted policies broke the system have now stepped in to claim the mantle of Fighters for Civil-Rights.
This has to stop.
Members of the two major teacher's unions in CT have begun discussing how to more effectively organize at the local level and get back to our grassroots. This group is going to focus not only on issues dealing directly with improving education, but will also focus on other issues which affect the whole child such as:
- Health & nutritional issues
- Economic policy
- Family support issues
- and a variety of social justice issues
We are going to be looking to forge relationships with other groups such as Parents Across America and other unions. If we are going to effective counter the power of the billionaires looking for more profit, we are going to need to stand together.
To find more information about this group, read our statement.
Return often to find more information on the real way to improve education, and how you can get involved.
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