Friday, September 27, 2013

What is the True Crisis in Education?


"If there is a crisis in American education, Ms. Ravitch writes, it is only 'because of persistent, orchestrated attacks' on teachers and principals. 'These attacks,' she writes, 'create a false sense of crisis and serve the interests of those who want to privatize the public schools.'"

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Let me tell you what I think everyone needs to know: American public education is a huge success. Test scores have never been higher than they are today for white children, black children, Hispanic children and Asian children. High school graduation rates have never been higher than they are today for all of those groups. Our schools are not failing; they are very successful.

Listen to Diane Ravich discuss the problem. Click Here.

Monday, September 16, 2013

More on School Grading

Now that the Utah Legislature-inspired school grading system has been exposed for the joke that it is and lawmakers are spinning, ducking and finger-pointing to avoid accountability for their own ineptitude, it's time to debunk the myth that a similar system was adopted by Florida.
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Grading Plan Full of Flaws

The school grading program, created by SB271 S3 (2013 Session) is a one-size-fits-all system that dishonors students, their schools and the dedicated educators who serve them. Consider four of several concerns:
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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Grading The System

All Utahns should be prepared to use the grades as ammunition to demand that their representatives take positive, constructive steps to help failing schools fix deficiencies on which the school-grading system has, in the words of legislators, "shone a bright light." And, in many cases, that means increasing money available to school districts, something legislators have perennially resisted.
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