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Saturday, August 17, 2013

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-17-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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A Review of My New Book
Sara Mosle reviewed my book in The Atlantic, which is unusual because it won’t be published for another month. I have read Sara’s work over the years and always found her thoughtful. She is now teaching in a charter school. There are a few things I don’t agree with here, starting with the claim that I was the “architect” of the corporate reform movement. I had nothing to do with the writing of No

Andrea Gabor: The Important Differences Between KIPP and Rafe Esquith
Rafe Esquith teaches fifth grade at Hobart Elementary School in Los Angeles and has achieved considerable fame for his methods. Every year his students put on a play by Shakespeare. Esquith is noted for emphasizing the arts and the love of learning. He is also re organized as a model by the founders of the KIPP charter chain. In this post, Andrea Gabor reviews Esquith’s latest book–”Real Talk for

James Meredith: Public Schools Are Being “Destroyed by Greed, Fraud, and Lies”
CIVIL RIGHTS HERO CALLS FOR EMERGENCY NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION   Just Awarded Harvard’s Highest Education Honor, James Meredith Challenges Parents and Teachers to Demand Answers to 21 Questions and Take Back Control of Public Schools   Upcoming 50Th Anniversary Tie-In: August 18, 2013   On the 50th anniversary of his historic graduation from the University of Mississippi on Aug
What Chris Cerf Did Not Admit About Democracy Prep
Jersey Jazzman has done his usual thorough job of researching the New Jersey Department of Education’s job of importing Democracy Prep to Camden. Here is his conclusion (but read what leads up to his conclusion): Democracy Prep’s practices includes more spending per pupil, a rigid “no-excuses” culture, high rates of attrition, and segregation by poverty, special need, and English proficiency. This
Another of Jeb Bush’s “Chiefs for Change” Steps Down
Stephen Bowen, state commissioner of education in Maine, announced that he was resigning his post to take a job as “director of innovation” for the DC Council on Chief State School Officers. He is the second member of Jeb Bush’s Chiefs for Change to resign in the past few weeks. Tony Bennett of Florida w the other; he resigned when news broke about rigging the A-F grading system to raise the grade
Louisiana Replaces Failed Charters with More Charters
Veteran educator Mike Deshotels writes here about Louisiana’s relentless drive to privatize public education. At a recent meeting of the state board of education, packed with Bobby Jindal extremists thanks to out-of-state money in the last board election, the board continued to approve more charters to replace failing charters. Deshotels writes: When questioned, State Superintendent John White “ha

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 8-17-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGWhat Chris Cerf Did Not Admit About Democracy PrepJersey Jazzman has done his usual thorough job of researching the New Jersey Department of Education’s job of importing Democracy Prep to Camden. Here is his conclusion (but read what leads up to his conclusion): Democracy Prep’s practices includes more spending per pupil,

Diane in the Evening 8-16-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Most Voucher Applicants in Wisconsin Attend Private SchoolsAt the behest of Governor Scott Walker, the Wisconsin legislature expanded the voucher program statewide, even though it did not raise test scores in Milwaukee over the past 22 years. As critics of the program feared, 75% of those who applied for vouchers are are not curren