EdTech
Personalized Learning
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…
Personalized Learning
SIGs likely to cause heat
After spending time with district leaders in NY & LA this week, I was struck by the impending challenge of integrating district accountability and improvement efforts with federal School Improvement Grants. The feds have signaled that $3.5 billion in SIGs will require alignment with four strategies (transformation, turnaround,…
Personalized Learning
No physics teacher? Emerging solutions
You’re a rural principal and you don’t have a physics teacher. What do you do? Eduwonk posed this prompt yesterday. The simple solution is to offer an online course. There are solid offerings in most states (but it does depend on state policies; there are a…
Personalized Learning
State charter associations can play key role
I think charter associations can/must play an important role.  The best associations eliminate caps and barriers advocate for equitable funding and access to public facilities promote charter quality provide value added services I think there’s more opportunity for charter associations to provide ‘freemium’ services with fee based premium services for application support,…
Personalized Learning
Early hybrids show the way: the PLC story
Clay Christensen talks about innovation occuring at the margin–often the choice between something and nothing. Â That’s certainly true in education where we’ve seen innovation start in alternative or special education. Neil Shorthouse co-founded Communities in Schools, the most respected dropout prevention network in America. Â After three decades of working…
Personalized Learning
Reflections on Excellence in Action: 2009
Gov. Bush puts on a good conference. As you can see from the text of his keynote (Wednesday’s blog) he’s on fire about the transformative power of learning technology. Michelle Rhee rocked the house with an honest assessment of performance in DC schools and her plans…
Personalized Learning
Jeb Bush was great at his national summit
Gov Bush keynoted the Excellence in Action 2009 summit. Â While moderating a conversation with the Governor, I had the opportunity to tell the audience that he was the best education governor of the last decade. Â His leadership on data,…
Personalized Learning
Platforms for change
It's time to look at platforms that will change education, especially blended learning models that increase peer-to-peer learning and a good mix of online and tech.
Personalized Learning
Radical choice
EdSector is holding an interesting online chat about online learning and the implications for choice.  We’re trapped in the mindset of ‘this school or that school.’  That’s all going to change (relatively) fast. We’re headed for radical choice–not just school choice but choice to the lesson level. We’ll…
Personalized Learning
Are data systems worth the risk/cost?
National Journal asked “are state data systems worth the risk?” The terminal outcomes of K-12 aren’t only test scores and graduation rates, they should include college completion and employment. Â We can’t really measure K-12 effectiveness without the ability to know where high school leavers/graduates go. Our college dropout…