Thomas Ultican has put his research skills to work while reviewing the depredations of the corporate reform organization’s intent on destroying public education.
In this post, he analyzes the origins of TNTP, The New Teacher Project, a spin-off of Teach for America led initially by Michelle Rhee.
TNTP is a cash cow for ambitious reformers. It advances its self-interest by attacking experienced teachers.
TNPT is an integral part of the privatization movement. It ignores genuine scholarship and undermines teacher professionalism.
“TNTP is important for the DPE movement. It produces papers that undermine teacher professionalism and it works to circumvent proven teacher training led by universities. It also works to gain control of pedagogy in a way that narrows curriculum. Why? It is all about cutting costs and business transactions. It does not improve the quality of education in America; it harms it.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Posted at Oped news….https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/TNTP-Making-Big-Bucks-from-in-Best_Web_OpEds-Diane-Ravitch_Disruption_Education_Education-Curriculum-180117-635.html#comment686394
with this introduction: “Be forewarned when you hear TNTP which stands for ..TrustNothingTheyPromote.”
When TNTP comes to town, public school is targeted for education disruption. It is a cash cow for ambitious reformers, advancing its self-interest by attacking experienced teachers, SAYS DIANE RAVITCH“TNTP — The New Teacher Project– is a spin-off of failed Teach for America, and produces papers that undermine teacher professionalism and it works to circumvent proven teacher training led by universities. It also works to gain control of pedagogy in a way that narrows curriculum. Why? It is all about cutting costs and business transactions. It does not improve the quality of education in America; it harms it.” Yet, Nothing changed with its unsatisfactory ratings, — TNTP is a major player in the world of education policy.\
and this comment from Utican’s site:
TNTP was the very first of many contracted consultants brought in immediately following our state takeover in Lorain, OH. They were initially hired to facilitate “engagement” in the community and ultimately became the driver of our “turnaround” plan. When conducting data-collecting observations they refused high-quality work samples such as writing portfolios, instead requesting only worksheets that many teachers had to produce specifically for this request. In turn, those samples were used in a presentation in an attempt to shame our educators and falsely illustrate a culture of low expectations and instructional malpractice. Further, extremely small sample sizes of subjective observation data were used in a publicized “Academic Diagnosis” report claiming findings such as 0% student ownership, 0% of assignments aligned to the standards, and 0% use of appropriate texts to further fuel the narrative of our “failing” district.
TNTP invented fake news before Trump.
It churns out self-congratulatory spin non-stop TNTP has survived with the aide of deep pockets and great connections to political leaders who are marching along together, determined to undermine the very concept of having expertise acquired through formal study in addition to practice supervised by well-qualified and experienced teachers.
Seems to me their end goal is to turn teachers into babysitters who merely make sure all eyes are glued to screens. Rich kids get teachers; everyone else’s kids get websites.
What is most true is the conclusion. “If TNTP has a contract with a school district, the district is slated for privatization.” TNTP is a byproduct of “reform’s” determination to undermine the teaching profession. I agree with Ultican that it is the students that often determine if a teacher is a keeper or someone that needs to find another career. “During my fifteen years as a classroom teacher, I observed that the students do a pretty good job of getting rid of poor teachers.”
Every time I see TFA or TNTP, I see imagined images of soiled toilet paper.