Leadership
Content that enables educators, edleaders, organizations and families to increase capacity, apply a growth mindset and implement what’s next in learning on behalf of those entrusted to them.
10 Things New Grantmakers Should Know & Do
I recently met with a family foundation. I shared ten bits of advice for new grantmakers summarized here.
Detroit: Pulling Out of the Death Spiral
“The Motor City’s traditional district remains the worst-performing big-city school operator in both the Midwest and the nation,” reported RiShawn Biddle. “With 69 percent of its fourth-graders and 57 percent of eighth-graders being functionally illiterate in 2011, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Detroit has become infamous for perpetuating educational neglect and malpractice.” Biddle notes, “the district’s financial mismanagement has been even more spectacular.”
#ASCD13: Whole Child, Whole Teacher
The teaching and learning association, ASCD, gathered in Chicago this week--nearly 11,000 strong but the conference seemed swallowed by the giant McCormick Convention Center. It's not the crazy crush of SXSWedu or the ASU Summit.
Good Work: Commitment to Place
It's a blessing to work in a place you love--a place where you feel connected, grounded, rejuvenated. but I really appreciate the teachers & leaders that have deep commitment to place.
PARCC Provides Advice on Access and Test Administration
The 22 state assessment consortia PARCC issued administrative guidelines this week and they included more advice about access. Previously, PARCC issued updates the design of both the assessments and released item prototypes. District and school administrators should pay attention to the The PARCC Assessment Administration Capacity Planning Tool.
Fund Raising for Education Innovation
Last Wednesday, we led a #SXSWedu conversation about funding and fund raising in education. Yesterday we discussed the investing side of the equation. Below we tried to quickly answer 15 questions we received at the end of the session.
A Teacher’s Heart and Foundational Data
Please allow me to write honestly and drop it like it’s hot for a moment. To put it bluntly, I am afraid. You see, I have a recurring nightmare that often leaves me drenched in sweat with sky-rocketing blood pressure and my nerves shot. This dream, made unpleasant by a persistent sound of the mouse click, usually catapults me to an upright position in bed, only to stare into the darkness and whisper to myself, “Thank, goodness. It was just a dream.” Or was it?
Investing in Productivity: How to Pay For Blended Learning
We’re seeing more CapEx thinking in education (as I first pointed out in 2010). You may recall from Finance 101 that capital expenditures are funds invested to produce future benefit--positive cash flows (costs savings or net revenues) resulting in a return on investment higher than the cost of capital.
Investing in Education Innovation
Last Wednesday, we led a #SXSWedu conversation about funding and fund raising in education. The first of two blogs outlines the conversation we led on investing in innovation.
Book Review: The Leader’s Guide to 21st Century Education
Ken launched the Partnership for 21st Century Learning a decade ago to add the 4Cs--critical thinking and problem solving; communication, collaboration; and creativity and innovation--to the 3Rs. He was successful at gathering corporate support for the agenda but it was slow to be adopted by school districts preoccupied by state testing programs.