An example of the ongoing battle in some states about how much autonomy should be given to Charter Schools recently occurred in Maryland. The soon to be opened Frederick Classical Charter School (FCCS) hoped to hire 9 new teachers that fit its model of classical education. In Maryland, however, the local school system is the Read more about When Charter Schools aren’t Given Real Autonomy[…]
While criticism of the Common Core State Standards has largely come from expected conservative sources, such as the Republican National Committee, which this blog discussed here, other conservative voices have spoken up in support of Common Core. In an opinion piece, entitled “GOP fear of Common Core education standards unfounded”, in The Washington Post that Read more about Conservative support for Common Core[…]
While models such as Teach for America have taken some flack in recent years for their lack of adequate preparation and lack of a long term model, no one disagrees with the goal of the program: to help struggling students in struggling schools, usually urban ones, find greater academic success. The Blue Engine Program, which Read more about [Blue] Engine for Growth[…]
Since 2009, more than 35 states have made policy changes to their system of teacher evaluations. Many factors have driven the increase of teacher evaluation overhauls, including federal grant programs such as Race to the Top and the Teacher Incentive Fund, as well as the administration’s No Child Left Behind waivers. Recently, a network of Read more about Map Provides Context for Reforms of Teacher Evaluation Systems[…]
The National Center for Education Statistics recently released The Condition of Education 2013. The 42 indicators presented in The Condition of Education 2013 provide a progress report on education in America and include findings on the demographics of American schools, U.S. resources for schooling, and outcomes associated with education. Report findings include: As of 2012, Read more about NCES Releases The Condition of Education 2013[…]
Originally signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) technically expired in 2007. On several occasions over the last few years, various attempts have been made by both political parties in Congress to rewrite the law, but they ultimately fell short. Since 2012, President Read more about The ESEA Rewrites in the Works[…]
Value-added methodology is being applied to the evaluation of teachers in tested grades and subjects, but the vast majority of the research on value-added measures focuses on elementary schools only. Secondary grades differ from elementary grades in ways that are meaningful for the validity and reliability of value-added measures for secondary teachers. In a new Read more about Does Value-Added Work Better in Elementary than Secondary Grades?[…]
A new set of science standards to complement the Common Core has been touted as crucial reform to a crucial subject, but the Thomas B. Fordham Institute has recently urged states considering the “Next Generation Science Standards” to “exercise caution and patience.” Chester Finn and Kathleen Porter-Magee at the Common Core Watch, part of the Read more about Caution on Next Generation Science Standards[…]
Nearly every state is revamping its teacher evaluation system, with most states requiring evaluations that employ a mixture of student performance and observation of teachers. While there has been much forward movement, there has been just as much concern, especially over the fairness of the new evaluations for teachers in non-tested grades and subjects. In Read more about June Issue Brief: Teacher Evaluation[…]
America Achieves has released a new series of short videos designed to show what great schools and districts are doing around the country, in hopes that more schools and districts might follow their lead. America Achieves, an organization that “helps communities and states leverage policy, practice, and leadership to build high-quality educational systems and prepare Read more about Spotlight on Promising Practices[…]
Education Secretary Arne Duncan recently gave a speech to the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California. His remarks addressed the issue of testing, specifically with Common Core implementation becoming ever more imminent. Here are some excerpts from the speech: Introduction: With federal support, 44 states plus DC are part of two Read more about Choosing the Right Battles: Secretary Duncan’s speech at AERA[…]
As arguments about Common Core abound, Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Federation of Teachers, recently called for a moratorium on “the stakes associated with Common Core assessments until the standards are properly implemented and field-tested.” Here is more from the AFT press release: Weingarten delivered this call in a speech sponsored by the Read more about AFT Weighs In on Common Core[…]
Public Impact has released a new report emphasizing the potential of the combination of good teachers with technology. If school districts can incentivize good teachers who make skillful use of technology, they will achieve what Education Secretary Arne Duncan has called the “best combination.” Hiring the right teachers is the start, but from there, teachers Read more about Schools Need State Policymakers’ Help to Enable a Better Blend[…]
A new report from four researchers associated with Columbia University suggests that arcane rules, not any sort of objective and standardized measure of AYP (adequate yearly progress), drive outcomes under NCLB. Matt Di Carlo at the Shanker Blog posted recently about this important new report: “Fifty Ways to Leave a Child Behind: Idiosyncrasies and Discrepancies Read more about Reflecting on NCLB: Are States playing by the same rules?[…]
Teach For America (TFA) announced the winners of its annual Social Innovation Award, including education advocate-turned-filmmaker Kelly Amis, who was one of the first 500 college graduates to be accepted into this national teacher recruitment program. Amis will receive a $50,000 grant from TFA’s Social Entrepreneurship Initiative to support TEACHED, an innovative series of short Read more about TEACHED films bolstered by $50,000 grant from TFA[…]
The Carnegie Corporation of New York has committed $15 million to “catalyze district-based new school design work” that will focus on individualized learning. To support this effort, they have also recently published a report, Opportunity by Design: New High School Models for Student Success. This report calls for a focus on how schools use teaching, Read more about Carnegie Corporation: Rethinking school design to meet demands of new standards[…]