Archives for category: Education Industry
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Why Isn’t Andre Agassi Building Tennis Camps Instead of Charter Schools?

By dianeravitch
February 18, 2014 //
49

Andre Agassi is one of our nation’s greatest tennis stars. In his heyday, he was one of the most exciting people in the game.

Because he was a child prodigy, he dropped out of high school in ninth grade to concentrate on his game. It was a good decision for him.

But now in his retirement, he has decided that he should open a chain of for-profit charter schools, despite his lack of education or experience in education.

He raised $750 million from a group of investors in Los Angeles called Canyon Capital to open his own brand of schools.

He is not only opening new charters in Las Vegas  but is expanding into Milwaukee, Memphis, and elsewhere. He hopes eventually to have his chain run “100s” of charter schools.

Meanwhile his own model school has experienced a series of embarrassing scandals.

Agassi, who knows nothing about schooling, proudly proclaims that “the private sector is best for schooling,” because that is what he is selling. Agassi frankly admits that his schools are private sector schools, not public schools.

His model in Las Vegas receives about $6,400 per student from the state, like public schools, but then supplements it with another $6,000 per student from private sources. Having double the budget of public schools does give the “model” an advantage. Although the article says that “all” 34 seniors graduated, it is not clear how many students left the class before senior year.

One local newspaper shined a harsh light on the charter, not because it spends double the amount available to local public schools, but because of high teacher turnover (the school considers high teacher turnover a plus) and discipline problems.

Step back for a moment and ask yourself: Is America building a stronger and better education system by turning its kids over to celebrities and athletes who are not themselves educated?

Categories Charter Schools, Education Industry, Privatization

Jonathan Pelto: Guess Which Corporate Sponsor Pays for PBS’ “The Teaching Channel”?

By dianeravitch
February 16, 2014 //
73

Jonathan Pelto points out that one of the most powerful mainstream media voices promoting the Common Core is PBS “The Teaching Channel.”

Who sponsors the program?

One guess.

Categories Common Core, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Gates Foundation, Bill Gates

The BATs Have Their Own Common Core

By dianeravitch
February 16, 2014 //
7

This is the BATs’ Common Core of beliefs and values.

It probably won’t go far because no one can make any money by adopting it. It won’t sell new hardware or software. It won’t sell new tests or textbooks. It won’t make any entrepreneurs rich. Not much of a future in this brave new market-based world.

Categories Common Core, Education Industry, For-Profit

Ed Berger: One of Our Champions is “Going Dark”

By dianeravitch
February 13, 2014 //
13

Ed Berger, one of social media’s eloquent voices and a champion of free public education, has decided to sign off…at least for now.

As he explains in this post, he is “going dark.”

He and his wife are going to Mexico for a few weeks, and he is at least temporarily dropping out of the blogosphere, perhaps to write a book of historical fiction.

This is what Ed Berger believes:

I believe in free education for all. I do not believe in schools for profit. I am dead-set against public tax dollars going to religions for inculcation. I abhor the takeover of our schools to push political ideologies. The awful idea that corporations can run schools is ludicrous. I believe that if democratically elected school boards are bypassed, or fail to function well, children are deprived of access to the American Dream.

I spent over 5 years researching and writing, Vital Lies: The Irrelevance Of Our Schools In The Information Age. It is about where we are, how we got this way, and where we need to go. I have focused on the pulse of America and find that the so-called education reform movement does not represent the interests or the needs of students or our society. The primary drive that motivates “education reform” is access to the education tax dollars citizens pay. They are for profit, not for kids.

We need Ed Berger, and he knows it. Something tells me he won’t be silent for long.

Fighting for what is right is in his blood. I predict he will be back.

Take a break, Ed. Rest up. We look forward to hearing your voice again.

Categories Education Industry, Education Reform, Privatization

The Disastrous Failure of “Turnarounds” and “State Takeovers” in Boston

By dianeravitch
February 13, 2014 //
13

One of those brilliant PR spinmeisters invented the term “turnaround” to disguise the brutality and ugliness of firing the entire staff of a school with low scores and pretending that mass firing is a method of “reform.”

 

“Turnaround” sounds like a game or a dance, something delightful.

 

The reality is that everyone who works in the school is fired–or in lesser forms of the punishment, the principal and half the staff is fired–as though they caused the low scores of children who have difficult lives.

 

This reader describes the false “reforms” imposed on English High School in Boston, which has been turned around so often that whoever remains in the building must be spinning constantly.

 

Why don’t these false reformers recognize that turmoil is not reform? That “disruption” is unhealthy for children and learning? That children and schools need steadiness of purpose?

 

The reader writes:

 

Here in Boston, The English High School, the oldest high school in the United States, was taken over by the state as a turnaround school three years ago, on the cutting edge of NCLB. That the school was not “highly successful” is indisputable – but it should be noted that the school department had programmed English High with huge numbers of ELL students, including many who were refugees from Somalia and had never attended school. Nearly all students met the federal definition of poverty; many were parenting while attending school.

 

The school had been moved from a badly designed building (students were supposed to move from class to class on escalators!) to a “repurposed” building across the city which had once housed offices for a gas utility. The rotation of Headmasters was a rogues’ gallery of people who might be associated with disfunctional leaders of third world nations – idiosyncratic, capricious, dictatorial. Many staff who could escape to better teaching positions did so, but there remained a core of excellent teachers struggling against long odds. Meeting AYP under NCLB was impossible.

 

The Boston Globe, generally supportive of any Broadish reform, published the following story, in 2012, critiquing the school department’s “turn-around” – pretty much they took any and all trendy solutions and threw them at the staff and kids.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/06/24/troubled_english_high_school_showing_little_improvement_after_three_tumultuous_years_under_untested_headmaster_sito_narcisse/?page=full

 

“At 33, Narcisse became headmaster of one of Boston’s 11 state-designated underperforming schools, giving him far broader authority than a typical principal. He was freed from strict union rules in hiring and firing and had the power to experiment boldly. Though he was supposed to consult with teachers and parents, both groups complained that, in practice, Narcisse launched major initiatives without involving them.”

 

After the disaster of the district “turnaround” the state took over English High. Under state receivership, not much has improved. So, the logical conclusion is that the state – which has not be able to “turnaround” English High – can remake New Bedford High school (see:http://edushyster.com/?p=4067) as well as the Dever and the Holland into schools of excellence by doing what has already failed – turn them over to inexperienced “operators” instead of career teachers with proper supports.

 

Though Massachusetts may lead the nation in scores, schools in the cities suffer from the same deforms as other systems serving poor, non-English speaking kids and the “remedies” are just as deleterious.

 

Categories Education Industry, Massachusetts

Who Are the Education Entrepreneurs?

By dianeravitch
February 13, 2014 //
57

Well, of course, there are scores of education entrepreneurs, the men and women who dream up clever ways to make profits from the field of public education. They have start-ups, they have real-estate investment trusts, they create companies to build data systems, they operate for-profit charter chains, on and on. Some get very rich. They certainly make more money than teachers, who spend their days with children.

Education Next, the journal of rightwing academics and journalists here profiles three entrepreneurs.

The three edu-entrepreneurs featured here are Larry Berger of Wireless Generation, whose company was purchased by Rupert Murdoch for $390 million;

Jonathan Harber, who created Schoolnet and sold it to Pearson for $230 million.

Ron Packard of K12, who founded the company with the Milken brothers, which went public in 2007, and now has revenues of $848 million.

It is astonishing when you think about it that non-educators profit so handsomely when teachers must work for years to reach an annual salary of $50,000.

Who adds social value?

It gives one pause, makes you think about our priorities. And think of who has the great fortunes: Murdoch, Pearson, the Milkens.

I withhold further comment.

Categories Education Industry, For-Profit

Wisconsin: State Senator Reveals Covert Plan to Privatize Public Education

By dianeravitch
February 11, 2014 //
45

Senator Kathleen Vinehout revealed a plan hatched behind closed doors to close 5% of thestate’s schools every year and turn them over to private corporations.

She wrote:

“The latest version of the bill was crafted behind closed doors; unlike three years ago when a wide-ranging group developed a system to test and report the progress of all students attending school with public money. Private school advocates publically agreed to the same public school accountability standards but privately lobbied for something different.

“The bill reversed current law requiring all students be tested using the same type of exam. This bill allowed private schools to choose their own type of assessment and even choose the students who took the test – allowing them to game the system.

“Concealed in the bill was a way to gradually close more and more public schools or turn them over to independent private charter operators.

“For the next several years, 5% of public schools must be named as failing – even if those schools weren’t failing by current standards. With few exceptions, schools that failed for three years would be required to close or be operated by an independent private charter management company with a minimum five-year contract. Local school boards would have little authority over this company for five years. For Milwaukee, this change would apply to schools that failed for just one year.”

She said the bill is “a dream for out-of-state charter management companies.”

Categories Charter Schools, Closing schools, Education Industry, For-Profit, Privatization, Wisconsin

A Message from James Meredith to BATS

By dianeravitch
February 10, 2014 //
3

This just in from the BATs:

”
On February 12th the Badass Teachers Association was honored to get this amazing message from James Meredith via his co-author William Doyle. BATs will be honoring Meredith’s The American Child’s Education Bill of Rights with a special event on February 10-13. Here is that amazing message:

A MESSAGE TO AMERICA’S TEACHERS

The destiny of America is in your hands. We are in a Dark Age of American public education, but you will lead the nation to a new dawn, to a New Renaissance of Education for all of our children that can transform America and the world.

This new age will be based not on politics or profit, but on evidence, and based on love and respect for teachers and children above all else.

As Sam Cooke said 50 years ago, “There been times that I thought I couldn’t last for long, But now I think I’m able to carry on. It’s been a long, a long time coming, But I know a change is going to come. Yes it will.”

James Meredith

with William Doyle

Co-Authors of A Mission from God: a Memoir and Challenge for America

BATs will be supporting James Meredith vision for education by producing videos that will have teachers commenting on aspects of The American Child’s Education Bill of Rights. To be a part of this amazing venture please join BATs on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/BadAssTeachers/ or you can email BAT Managers Marla Kilfoyle and Melissa Tomlinson at contact.batmanagers@gmail.com for more information.”

Categories Education Industry, For-Profit, Privatization, Resistance

New Yorkers Denounce Cuomo’s Stacked Panel to “Review” Common Core

By dianeravitch
February 9, 2014 //
30

After the past year’s troubled rollout of Common Core standards and tests, parents and legislative leaders spoke out against the New York State Education Department’s rush to impose and test standards that neither students nor teachers were prepared for. On the botched tests, passing rates fell to only 30% across the state. Only 3% of English learners passed the test, along with 5% of students with disabilities and less than 20% of African American and Hispanic students. In response to the fiasco, parents turned out by the thousands at public hearings, and legislators called for a moratorium of at least two years on the testing.

To date, the state Board of Regents has shown no willingness to review the developmental appropriateness of the standards, and Commissioner King has been insistent that no meaningful changes are likely.

Governor Cuomo entered the fray by appointing a panel to review the controversy, but parent advocates say the panel is stacked with known proponents of Common Core, who are unable to conduct an independent review.

Here is their press release, just issued:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 2014

More information contact:

Eric Mihelbergel (716) 553-1123; nys.allies@gmail.com

Lisa Rudley (917) 414-9190; nys.allies@gmail.com

NYS Allies for Public Education http://www.nysape.org

New Yorkers Outraged by Governor’s Flawed Common Core Panel

The leaders of the NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE), a coalition of more than 45 parent and educator groups from throughout the state, expressed their outrage at Governor Cuomo’s choice of appointees to his Common Core Panel.

As Lisa Rudley, Ossining public school parent and founding member of NYSAPE said, “As a parent I am offended that the Governor’s Panel is stacked with known supporters of the Common Core, eliminating the chance for an objective evaluation. The chair, Stanley Litow, Vice President of IBM, has already written an Op-ed saying full speed ahead with its implementation. Dr. Charles Russo is one of the very few Superintendents in the state to publicly support the standards, including the flawed NYSED modules known to be rife with errors and questionable content.”

As Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters pointed out, “Several members selected by the Governor belong to organizations that are heavily dependent on funding from the Gates Foundation, which has spent more than $170 million on developing and promoting the Common Core. These include Dan Weisberg of The New Teacher Project, which has received $23 million from the Gates Foundation, including $7 million in the last year alone. Nick Lawrence is a prominent member of Educators for Excellence, which received more than $3 million from the Gates Foundation in 2013. This evident conflict of interest undermines their credibility not only concerning the Common Core, but also the highly controversial issue of whether the state should go ahead with sharing personal student data with inBloom Inc., a corporation established by the Gates Foundation with $100 million.”

“Parents are tired of having education policy in this state hijacked by deep-pocketed billionaires who do not send their own children to public school and would never consider having their education stifled by a rigid regime of instructional text, scripted modules, test prep, and their personal data provided to for-profit companies without their consent,” said Eric Mihelbergel, Ken-Ton public school parent and founding member of NYSAPE.

Bianca Tanis a New Paltz public school parent and special education teacher noted, “Experts in special education, early childhood development and elementary school teachers have all noted that the Common Core standards are developmentally inappropriate, were created without their input and need significant reform. And yet not a single individual from any of these groups was selected for the Panel, ensuring that their recommendations will be profoundly deficient.”

“I am astounded that the governor would fail to include any teachers of younger students and those with special needs, especially since many of the criticisms and concerns surround the issue whether the standards are appropriately designed for these children,” pointed out Lori Griffin, a Copenhagen public school parent and educator.

“The Governor argues that no decision should be made on the Common Core until this Panel has come up with its recommendations. The fact that this Panel is so heavily stacked only reinforces our conviction that there is no reason to wait for the Panel’s conclusions. The Common Core standards must be immediately pulled back and revised, with input from educators and parents, the over-testing must come to a halt, the teacher evaluation system scrapped, and the contract with inBloom cancelled,” said Jeanette Deutermann, Bellmore public school parent and founder of Long Island Opt-Out.

Jessica McNair, New Hartford public school parent concluded, “Our children are suffering and cannot wait. If Commissioner King does not immediately stop the runaway train, call a halt to the standards and the testing, and withdraw his agreement with inBloom, the Legislature must act in his place.”

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Categories Common Core, Cuomo, Andrew, Education Industry, New York

Joseph Featherstone: A Thoughtful Review of “Reign of Error” in the Nation

By dianeravitch
February 9, 2014 //
39

Joseph Featherstone has been writing about education for decades. He was a progressive back when I was infatuated with accountability and other useless ideas.

In the current issue of the Nation, Featherstone has an interesting and provocative review of my latest book “Reign of Error.”

What was especially gratifying to me is that he understands the dangers of privatization, he sees the larger context of what is happening in our society, and he recognizes the importance of building a movement to reclaim the promise of American public education.

He asks the crucial question: Once the phony reformers have moved on to some other hobby, once they recognize that they have wasted their time and the nation’s money, once they realize that their efforts to demolish the teaching profession is harming children and our society, what then? How will we improve our schools? How can we get the schools we want and the schools our children need?

What comes after freedom from oppression?

That’s a great question, and I hope readers will comment.

I have my ideas but I need to hear from the experienced readers and teachers and parents and students who read this blog.

Categories Education Industry, Privatization, Reign of Error, Teachers and Teaching
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