One of Arne Duncan’s significant initiatives is the so-called “turnaround strategy,” which usually requires dramatic action, like closing the school, firing the principal, and firing all or most of the staff. This is the Shock Doctrine at work.
The strategy is disruptive and destroys careers, but Duncan continues to defend it.
The Obama administration’s favorite D.C. think tank–the Center for American Progress–reviewed the turnaround strategy and declared it a great success. CAP has regularly applauded all of Duncan’s initiatives. The president of CAP is John Podesta, who headed Obama’s transition team. He is presently chairman of Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Carmel Martin, previously an assistant secretary in the US DOE under Duncan is now executive vice-president for policy at CAP.
The National Education Policy Center, known for its reviews of think-tank reports, published a scathing analysis of CAP’s report.
“BOULDER, CO (May 11, 2015) — A recent report from the Center for American Progress claims to offer clear lessons about research-based, effective methods for turning around low-performing schools. A new review, however, concludes that these lessons are not supported by rigorous research.
Tina Trujillo of the University of California, Berkeley reviewed Dramatic Action, Dramatic Improvement: The Research on School Turnaround for the Think Twice think tank review project. The review is published by the National Education Policy Center, housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education.
Trujillo, an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education, studies the political dimensions of urban district reform and trends in urban educational leadership. The report Trujillo reviewed was written by Tiffany D. Miller and Catherine Brown and published by the Center for American Progress.
Dramatic Action, Dramatic Improvement argues that the body of available research determines that bold actions are necessary for schools to improve measurably. The authors advocate for the School Improvement Grant (SIG) federal program to bring about the most effective methods for turning around low-performing schools.
The SIG program’s policies have a superficial appeal, given the unsatisfactory outcomes at these schools. But those policies, like the report, are based on unwarranted claims, are unsupported by rigorous research, and are in fact contradicted by the empirical evidence, Trujillo writes.
She points, for instance, to the claim that dramatic changes in staffing and management can spur fast and sustainable improvement. Such disruptions often lead to poor school performance, but this readily available research is not mentioned or addressed in the report.
In her review, Trujillo finds the authors’ rationale “narrow, incoherent, and misleading.” The report, she asserts, fails to incorporate lessons learned from plentiful research on school improvement, high-stakes accountability, and federally funded turnarounds.
“In the end,” Trujillo states, “schools, districts, and states that follow the report’s advice stand only to reproduce the unequal conditions that have led, in part, to their need for dramatic turnaround in the first place.”
The reference to shock treatment reminded me of the Milgram Experiment and how those ordered to give painful punishments are more likely to so from a distance.
“The president of CAP is John Podesta, who headed Obama’s transition team. He is presently chairman of Hillary Clinton’s campaign.”
For those of you still wondering if Hillary is reachable on public education.
Anyway, “shock therapy” isn’t supposed to work for the school. It is, however, working perfectly for its intended use.
Like so many other aspects of school “reform” Bill and Melinda Gates are behind the “turnaround” strategy (it arose from the Turnaround Challenge)
It is a great irony that these two, who claim to be ‘data driven”, are in reality almost completely (free-market) “ideology driven”.
They have thrown evidence to the wind in favor of whatever their latest crackpot theory (on education, public health or anything else) happens to be.
Their profound ignorance combined with their billions have inflicted a great deal of harm on people here in the US and around the world.
I believe a key aspect in so-called shock treatment is State takeovers, which essentially disenfranchise minority voters from power over one of the most important aspects of their existence. It is supposedly based on statistics, but in most cases, it boils down to politicians, often mayors, who resent other people deciding that what the politician wants is not in the best interest of the children. The post dispatch in st. Louis had a relatively good editorial……but I pointed out that it cried out for a close look at just what happened at Normandy in 2012, and slps in 2007.http://interact.stltoday.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1110396 veto the transfer law……yes…..but study what led up to it…..I start with a column printed here last summer from Dr. Stanton Lawrence said about 2012, when he was superintendent of Normandy. An interesting contrast…..August 16th…..2012
“The St. Louis Public School District earned enough progress points this year to qualify for provisional accreditation status, according to annual state evaluation reports released on Tuesday.
But the state is not ready to give SLPS that status, said Chris Nicastro, commissioner of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).” not so fast, said the politicians from st. Louis….do not mess with the charter schools, which were the reason we took slps away from the voters so we could have our way with them…..she changed her mind by October…..maybe in exchange for clobbering Normandy.
My main point being…..preventing the loss of accreditation of slps, saved the students….many of them enrolled in the charter schools not available in the county…..from the consequences of the transfer law. Kicking Stanton Lawrence in the (anatomical choice) after promises were made to him as Normandy absorbed the lowest ranking school in Missouri two years earlier, guaranteed that Normandy would be clobbered full force as the transfer law was ruled constitutional a few months later. ……….I informed St. Louis, as best I could, that the story about Normandy put St. Louis on the map….thanks to Diane Ravitch.
It seems obvious to me that big money is running the government. “Truth” in the form of scholarly research does not stand in the way of what is done and to whom. Plutocracy as many believe rules.
It cannot continue if any semblance of democratic government is to be a part of the U. S.
How long can this last? Only as long as the media run by 5 or 6 big corporations present their version of the “news”. AND that enough people grasp what is going on to DEMAND that things change. Money talks and politicians listen. Their jobs depend on whose “buying” their votes. [ If you won’t do what we want we give our money to those who will.]
For my money Bernie Sanders is one who has long fought for the average citizen and he is running for president. Few give him any chance of getting there and I have been wrong once. [Famous saying. I thought I was wrong but I was right.]
Seriously it behooves the American public to dig deeply into what is going on in which education, true education – scholarship providing the best answers we have – is held to be the gold standard.
The U. S. has lost its stated goals so many times in history but has survived. Let us hope and pray that we can re-establish the stated goals to which the nation has always said it stood for and to which it has aspired.
Having lived through a school improvement plan that worked (Blue Ribbon School), our turn around involved a conscious effort to involve all stakeholders. It was an evolutionary process that included reflection, training and consensus building. It was an inclusive process that involved building positive relationships while treating teachers with respect. If you’re a big fan of scores on standardized tests, this diverse school continues to thrive a decade after the Blue Ribbon.
“If you’re a big fan of scores on standardized tests. . . ”
I guess if you have stock in Pearson. . .
Sorry, this was meant a irony. All I am saying is that since standardized test scores are often used as a litmus test for achievement, following our inclusive plan, we performed better as a result of our changes. As for standardized tests, I am not a fan since they usually confirm what I’ve know all along, and they waste a lot of time. As for Pearson, they can slide down him on to Route 17 in NJ, and I’d jump for joy.
Readers should also know that Dana Goldstein, whose mis-perceptions about what’s happening in the schools have been given far too much credence for far too long, is also affiliated with this organization.
My school was “turned around”. They made everybody reapply for our jobs, after they had redrawn our school lines and closed a school next to us that was a “failure”, and given us all their kids…and a new principal for the next two years in a row. When “we” could not “succeed” they closed us. I reapplied for my job and was one of 6 hired back. All the teachers who had been successful for years prior to me were put somewhere else. We then “succeeded” because we were made single gender, a “choice” school where parents applied, and we lost a significant portion of our “problem” kids. I get really angry when my superintendent brags about her job turning us around. She just gave more support to the school, when she decided to. Such crap.
Check out CAP’s donors- all the usual suspects.
http://www.thenation.com/article/174437/secret-donors-behind-center-american-progress-and-other-think-tanks-updated-524
One strike against voting for Hilary. I hope she gets rid of him. I hope she can see thought the smoke and mirrors of The Common Core.
Oh, she sees through it alright. And here’s what she sees: $$$
(Although, Hillary is smart enough to know that the Common Core per se is toxic. But that won’t stop her from pushing more of the same standardized testing/”accountability” regime.)
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/wall-street-warns-hillary-clinton-117819.html
Don’t count on Hillary eliminating Podesta. He’s is an insider’s insider; one of the heaviest hitters in the Democratic Party. He’s in the WH more often than the custodians.
It’s more of the one size fits all, blame the teacher philosophy.
Our local “International School” in Buffalo, NY was slated for the turn around plan due to low test scores. When a school full of refugees reflecting over fifty languages with varying education backgrounds – some from refugee camps, some who saw family members murdered – could not pass the NYS assessments, the state’s immediate conclusion was that the program needed drastic changes which only the turnaround plan could provide. Cuomo even visited the site, proclaiming the school was an embarrassment.
Now, these are children who need stability in their lives, not more upheaval. The teacher-saints who worked at that school went above and beyond to provide the type of nurturing environment necessary to transition their students into life in America. The idea that they would no longer be able to mentor their charges brought many to tears.
I suppose there might be schools out there who would benefit from a little shake up, but to apply this philosophy to every situation without a common sense look at the issues is stupidity at its best.
Also note that the schools selected to be turned around are in communities which won’t provide much push back. Refugee parents won’t complain about the model. Refugee parents are afraid to complain about anything (we had a problem with Burnese homes being burglarized because they were easy targets who wouldn’t report the crime). Then there are many inner city parents who have been sold the bill of goods that the schools stink because of the teachers, so they applaud the efforts. However, I can’t imagine the parents in my neighborhood allowing the state to disrupt the lives of their children by reconfiguring the schools in this upscale suburban district.
Then again, we are making the assumption that these policies are put in place for the benefit of the children.
Ellen #SillyMe
One of the most famous turnaround with federal policies playing a key role was “saving the automotive industry,” bailing it out with money and strings attached. Unions paid the price. Efficiency and quality improved. Sales were better. CEOs did not lose their pensions and perks.
Corporate turnaround specialists follow one template. If it worked for this case it will work for all others. The latest turnaround targets are continuing care facilities with “unnecessary amenities” for seniors. Look for even more warehousing and low-wage workers who will be given more responsibilities. Many are earning “certificates” of competency from on-line training programs.
The same vision and slash/burn methodology is guiding public school turnarounds. Perks from the conversion flow to the persons and agencies who do the slash and burn.
Just another case of corporate values determining educational policies with a care-less disregard for the disruption in the lives of students, teachers, and often the one community institution functioning as a safe harbor for students and their extended families.
When you read this you realize how far education has traveled since the 1980s and earlier when educators were trusted. We are now down a business foxhole where schools are businesses, students are widgets and teachers are labor motivated by $$. The approach is not “working” and will not work in the future, because students are not widgets and teachers are professionals.
You have to wonder what will turn this around. My bet is an epidemic of public implosions in charter schools that turns the tide of public opinion away from business solutions in favor of education as a profession.
The question is when? In the meantime, millions of students are stressing out while receiving a mediocre education and an awful lot of good teachers are leaving the profession.
Read: Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein.