Mercedes Schneider discovers that a prominent reformer has a new career. Hanna Skandera was State Commissioner of Education in New Mexico, where she tried to impose the “Florida Model of Mediocrity.” She fought with the state’s teachers for seven years and accomplished nothing. New Mexico remained at the bottom of NAEP, as one of the poorest states in the nation. Her goal of raising test scores flopped.
Schneider performs her wizardry of financial investigation.
It is impressive to see how many Astro-turf Disrupters have signed on to give the impression of a crowded room.
But bear in mind, as yet another bunch of organizations pop up, that the whole Disruption machine is spinning in circles. It has accomplished nothing other than Disruption, and is like an automobile with a full gas tank—refueled over and over by the Waltons—driving round and round and round, going nowhere, but kept in motion solely by the money that fuels it.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
In June 2018, Skandera became editor-in-chief of The Line, a K12 ed publication whose former editor-in-chief was former Los Angeles schools superintendent, John Deasy.
According to the Colorado secretary of state, on January 18, 2018, Skandera filed articles of incorporation for Mile High Strategies, LLC (limited liability company). The organization is in good standing (filing up to date): however, it is unclear whether Mile High Strategies is anything more than Skandera alone offering consulting.
On her Linkedin bio, Skandera also advertises herself as founder of Pathway 2 Tomorrow: Local Visions for America’s Future. The organization’s website advertises $100,000 grants and 72 “partners,” including the following:
It’s a shame because they present The Line as “agnostic” (not an ed reform-captured org) which is deceptive.
I don’t mind that all these people lobby for vouchers and charters. The Waltons and the other orgs pay for that and I assume they all actually believe privatized systems are inherently better than public systems, for ideological reasons or other reasons. But they should say that. Because to present themselves as “education advocates” and then do no advocacy at all on behalf of children in public schools (other than telling them to transfer to the schools they prefer) leaves public school students with no advocates. That’s unacceptable. Public school students are harmed by this. They can promote their preferred systems and avoid harming public school students by simply admitting that they are advocating for privatized systems, which leaves public school students in a position to secure their own advocates. By saying they’re doing it and not doing it they harm students in the schools they disfavor.
Disruption sounds ok for shaking up the fryolator staff at Denny’s or Stuckey’s – as for public schools entrusted with the psychological and emotional stability of kids? – not so much.
for so many kids, disruption is in fact the very antithesis of good policy
There are still Stuckeys around?
If I told ed reformers in government that I opposed the existence of charter schools and private school vouchers AND told them I was an advocate for children in charter schools and private schools, would they accept that?
Why would a public school supporter or parent or student accept the same from ed reformers? Would they hire someone who works AGAINST charters to speak for charters? Of course not. Why would I hire them to run public schools? They don’t value my school, and that will necessarily and inevitably affect public school students.
I want an advocate for public schools the same way they have advocates and orgs for charters and private schools. I want the same thing. I don’t accept that public schools are a “default” that no one has to work for or benefit. I think that’s a function of how little they value my son’s school, and therefore, my son, who is IN the school they disdain and refuse to serve. I particularly object to PAYING them for this.
We need to remember to use the proper descriptor:
“If I told ed reformers in government that I opposed the existence of PRIVATE charter schools and private school vouchers AND told them I was an advocate for children in PRIVATE charter schools and private schools, would they accept that?
“I want an advocate for public schools the same way they have advocates and orgs for PRIVATE charters and private schools.”
LMAO. Well said, Diane!
What the world does not need now is “professional disruptors.” These are graduates of some of the best universities. Rather than create anything original, they become independent contractors of disruption. The research on twenty years of public school disruption is clear. It provides no benefit to students. Most of these disruptors are hired guns hired by the 1% to churn and burn our public schools into oblivion. Your simile is an apt one: “(Disruption) It has accomplished nothing other than Disruption, and is like an automobile with a full gas tank—refueled over and over by the Waltons—driving round and round and round, going nowhere, but kept in motion solely by the money that fuels it.” It is a great mental picture.
The Ed Deform clown car show has grown old. Time to retire it.
I’d say it’s more like a car that drives down a crowded sidewalk.
The resulting “disruption” has consequences.
T hese are not victimless crimes.
Correction since once it’s posted with wordpress it can’t be changed:
“These are graduates of some of the SUPPOSEDLY OR SELF-PROCLAIMED best universities.”
The Ed Deformers promoted the Common [sic] Core [sic], high-stakes standardized testing, and evaluation of schools and teachers based on that testing. They promised that if we did these things, we would see
Improved educational outcomes (as measured, of course, by those high-stakes test scores;
Closing of achievement gaps; and
Improved standing of US students on international standardized tests.
Well, after many decades of this crap, after spending BILLIONS on it that might have been spent on facilities and materials and teacher pay and wrap-around services, after having obscenely distorted and narrowed US curricula and pedagogy to turn it into test prep, the result has been–wait for it–
That NONE OF THIS HAS HAPPENED. Ed Deform has had things entirely its way for decades, and its way HAS FAILED. By its own measures, Ed Deform has been AN UTTER FAILURE.
These people are supposed to be all about accountability. Well, the results are in, and it’s time TO HOLD THE ACCOUNTABILITY PUNDITS ACCOUNTABLE.
The Common [sic] Core [sic], 2. high-stakes standardized testing, and 3. evaluation based on those, are vampires that for decades now have sucked the lifeblood out of US K-12 education. Enough. Put a stake in them.
And stop rewarding folks like Skandara who led us down this path of utterly predictable waste and devolution.
Thank goodness NPE is showing how reckless and wasteful the past twenty years of so-called reform have been. Few people are doing any meaningful research. The 1% keeps buying political capital to impose this garbage on America’s young people. We need to revolt against oppression, and our collective future depends on it.
It does indeed. The distortions of pedagogy and curricula caused by the standards-and-testing regime have been dramatic and have had truly dire results. An entire generation of students has now been robbed, for example, of a humane education in the English language arts, except to the extent to which a few brave English teachers have done work-arounds that have enabled them to continue teaching English, sort of, despite the deforms.
Here’s a challenge:
Which will be the first state to
Tell the US Congress where it can stick its annual testing requirements and
Completely eliminate high-stakes standardized testing of K-12 students
It’s time.
I know. The states need the 11 percent of their education dollar that comes from the Feds. But surely some state can do this, on principle.
Or here’s a possibility: what if a bunch of states joined together to sue the Feds for imposing upon them an unfunded mandate that ABUSES CHILDREN, exceeds federal authority, and is of no pedagogical value?
cx: Or here’s a possibility: what if a bunch of states joined together to sue the Feds for imposing upon them an unfunded mandate that ABUSES CHILDREN, exceeds federal authority, imposes illegal distortions on curricula, and is of no pedagogical value?
Hi Guru Master Bob Shepherd:
Thank you for your suggestion. If Berlin Wall can collapse for freedom, then your suggestion can come true one day before election 2020. Back2basic
If you don’t dream it, it can’t happen.
Great idea! I don’t think it’s a dream. It’s pragmatic if we stand and fight together.
YES!!!
Bravo!
Hi Guru Master Bob Shepherd:
I 1000% agree with you. Yes, first we need to dream because we have a visualization about what people have done and had a result in our knowledge.
Now, we need to take a solid action. We make a dream come true through people’s success. We are no less capacity than people. We are American High Educator. Most of all, we are the true human being, not bragging nor hiding our own background like drone. Back2basic
Read Diane Ravitch’s new book, coming out in January. It’s all about this. About solid action. It’s a freaking guidebook to resistance. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.
“The Walmart Way”
Walmart schools
Are charter chains
Walmart rules
And Walmart gains
Walmart teachers
Walmart pay
Walmart leechers
Walmart way
Walmart towns
And Walmart holdings
Shop shut-downs
And home fore-closings
Walmart this
And Walmart that
Walmart kiss
Of death, in fact