So far to go on the new edu-employment bargain
DC Chancellor Rhee is still getting beat up for a 5% layoff that partially considered performance. As she explained in a thoughtful note to staff: When we learned of the shortfall and realized that some school positions would be cut, according to DC law for a reduction…
Ted Sizer asked us all the think
Ted Sizer asked us to think deeply about accepted norms in American Education.  His books and a series of school visits starting in 1999 shaped my views about secondary school reform. The NYTimes summarized his seminal contribution: The Essential Schools movement sprang from Professor Sizer’s seminal book…
The Quiet Revolution
The success of Obama’s first term education agenda will be sealed with the announcement of phase 1 Race to the Top winners in March. All indications are that the Obama administration will hold firm on its landscape changing competitive grant program. Only a handful of states will receive grants in…
Travel questions
A few travel questions from this week’s excursions: why is the print on hotel shampoo bottles so small? (ever put lotion on your head?) why do middle seaters think they get the armrest? why are NYC taxis the only ones that take credit cards? how did we navigate before Google…
Advocating for online options
We’re building a advocacy initiative for online and blended learning. Â some of the goals include paint pictures of the future of learning promote quality options for kids/families guide state and local policy development encourage investment in innovation Tell me if I missed something obvious and if there are groups that…
SES helps kids trapped in failing schools, not school fix
The MN Daily Planet makes a careening series of attacks on Supplemental Educational Services (SES).  The primary criticism is that tutoring some of the low income students didn’t fix the schools.  SES was not designed primarily as a school improvement strategy; it is an effort to quickly and directly counter…
Frequent conversation as teacher evaluation
The National Journal launched a discussion of teacher evaluation today. Â Here’s my take. We need to improve observation and value-added data to dramatically improve teacher evaluation. Â The best observation system I’ve seen is KC KS where teaching is a public act and where teachers receive frequent feedback on…
Rhee-engaged
Last week was the first time I’ve seen Michelle Rhee since taking on DC schools.  She is a compelling speaker with an honest data-driven message about what needs to happen to make things better for kids. She’s facing a firestorm about a recent layoff that included 229 of the city’s…
Charter applications tougher but better?
As the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) prepares to meet in Salt Lake City next week, it’s an appropriate time to reflect on the art of authorizing. I’ve had the opportunity to observe four charter school applications over the last year and a half–that’s how long it takes…
Progress in Georgia on charters & dropouts
Georgia wins Most Improved charter policy set this year. But the new law creating room for more charters and funding parity is already under attack. While visiting with Tony Roberts and the Georgia Charter School Association, we discussed the need for restart capacity. I think charter restarts…