Merryl Tisch: More Innovation, Less Political Bullying
I will post a longer article based on my interview with Merryl Tisch, Chancellor, New York State Education Board, Board of Regents in a few days. Here are some of her quotes: Q: What is your vision for online education and technology innovation within mainstream education in the next…
DC Updates: Tony, Supts, Dog With Bone, Talent
Deputy Secretary Tony Miller got a rowdy but appreciative reception at the Education Industry Association last night.  Education service providers asked Tony why education is the only department that shuns private sector involvement  (e.g., Energy investments).  The answers–you can work for districts and it’s historical–didn’t satisfy the…
3 Pivot Points to a Performance-Based Education System
In education, there’s a lot up in the air right now: standards, testing, employment practices, budgets, student technology, online learning, and federal policy. It’s conceivable that if we took advantage of the uncertainty, a few places could emerge with a better and cheaper education system.  Here’s three pivot points that…
Bad Proxies for Good Teachers
Read Rotherham’s Atlantic article on Teach For America (TFA) and what it takes to be a good teacher. It’s a great summary of what the field, TFA in particular, has learned recently about the attributes of good teachers. However, it’s frustrating that we remain so unsophisticated about the predictive…
Hysteria Around Turnarounds
The NYTimes ran a story with this misleading headline and byline A Vote to Fire All Teachers at a Failing High School CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. — A plan to dismiss the entire faculty and staff of the only public high school in this small city…
Advance Innovative Education Finalist for Prize
February 24th marks the date that Advance Innovative Education will compete with 10 other social entrepreneurial enterprises for recognition and a statewide competition focused on promoting innovative and entrepreneurial solutions to some of Louisiana’s greatest challenges including low performing schools, basic health and nutrition, and poverty. This is the culmination…
One Solution to Middle School: Eliminate Them
National Journal is exploring the ‘forgotten middle’ grades this week. Â I’m not a fan of middle schools and find the growing urban trend toward K-8 or 6-12 configurations to be promising. K-12 charter networks like Aspire confirm this trend by creating paired elementary and secondary schools. Giant urban…
Are Edupreneurs Born or Developed?
Fred Wilson’s Friday post explores whether entrepreneurs are born with requisite attributes or whether at least some of can be developed: I also believe that there are “unique and defining characteristics of entrepreneurs.” Here are some of the ones I observe most frequently: 1) A stubborn…
The Weight 2
On a sunset walk after a spectacular day on Poverty Bay with blue sky and fresh snow on the Olympics, I thought of three personal stories that illustrate the weight of leadership. 1. The afternoon I was appointed superintendent, I had coffee at the mall and watched hundreds of…
The Weight of Leadership
Winston Churchill took office the day the Germans invaded the low countries of Europe. Perhaps born a warrior and an idealist, Churchill in some ways relished the epic nature of conflict but never took it lightly. A recent HBO film, Into the Storm, explored Churchill’s leadership and life during…