[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Voucher advocates are in an absolute tizzy over a recent paper from the pro-education-reform Thomas B. Fordham Institute. It is truly a thing of beauty. Jay P. Greene is not amused. He is […]
high stakes testing
Posted inBook Review, Uncategorized
Must Reads For The Ed Reform Advocate #1: Test and Punish – A Book Review
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Test and Punish: How The Texas Education Model Gave America Accountability Without Equity Author: John Kuhn Publisher: Park Place Publications, Austin, TX I first encountered John Kuhn’s name about a year […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Opinion, School Improvement
Despite What You Have Heard: American Students are Not 'Falling Behind'
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] This week saw the publication of the  PISA scores – the Programme for International Student Assessment, conducted every three years by the OECD (the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development) – which […]
Posted inCommon Core, Current Events in Education, Featured, Opinion
The Common Core – Finding a New, Common Path
Embattled Secretary of State Arne Duncan recently dealt with renewed policy blowback after he made a backhand comment about parents who were opposed to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). He told a gathering of state superintendents that white suburban mothers are complaining suddenly because “their child isn’t as brilliant as they thought they were, […]
Posted inFeatured, Opinion, Uncategorized
Testing Pressure Should Not Define Young Lives
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Consider this test question given to children in September of their Second Grade year in Chicago Public Schools two years ago: A boy has to read a book that is 162 […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Uncategorized
Diane Ravitch Defends Teachers on the Daily Show
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Diane Ravitch was a guest of Jon Stewart on the October 30 Daily Show. She appeared for a ten minute interview to discuss her new book, Reign of Error: the Hoax […]
Posted inCommon Core, Elementary School, From the Front Lines, High School, Kindergarten, Literacy, Uncategorized
Take the Test and Sit, Sit, Sit, Sit
An interesting graphic came across my screen this week. The purpose was to call attention to the hours spent testing elementary students by comparing them to the tests for college or graduate school: Standardized testing is not new to schools in the State of Connecticut. Many schools will be using the Smarter Balance Assessment (SBAC) […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines
NYC Regents Exam Scoring: Technology Does Not Win the Day
These past two weeks I had the opportunity to score the essays for the New York State English Regents. For those of who are not familiar, the Regents are cumulative standardized exams that all high school students must pass in order to graduate in New York State. There are Regents for every subject area. I […]