Archives for category: Support for public schools
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Great News: NC Rallies Against Privatization

By dianeravitch
February 4, 2013 //
2

New North Carolina Champions Investment in Public Education

Raleigh, NC—February 4, 2013—Public Schools First NC, a new statewide, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy group committed to high-quality public schools for North Carolina, has formed out of deep concern about the growing threat to privatize and weaken North Carolina’s public schools.  Despite the fact that most North Carolinians regard public education as the foundation of North Carolina’s economic future and our best investment, public school funding has declined year after year and our children are bearing the brunt.

“We believe that North Carolina’s families deserve a public education system that is inclusive, innovative, responsive, and flexible—a system that operates within a framework of fairness, sound planning and local public accountability for tax dollars,” said Nick Rhodes, Public Schools First NC Board of Directors. “Adequate and equitable funding for all schools, effective teacher and principal recruitment, retention and support, and rich educational experiences will allow North Carolina to keep its rightful place as a state that leads the nation in excellent schools.”

Public Schools First NC supports:

  • Adequate, equitable funding reflecting at least the national average for each of North Carolina’s 115 school districts.
  • Increased funding for pre-school, because research demonstrates that high quality, early childhood education is a wise investment for communities and has lifelong, positive results for children.
  •  Excellent educational environments that are partnerships between schools, families, teachers and the community.
  •  Programs that encourage the retention of professional experienced teachers.
  •  A limited number of truly innovative charter schools designed to work with local school districts, managed with careful local and state oversight.
  •  A broad education—including literature, mathematics, the arts, history, civics, science, foreign languages, physical education, vocational education and new technological innovations—that allows students to thrive in a challenging, changing, and competitive global economy.

Public Schools First NC opposes:

  • Vouchers, tax credits, education savings accounts or other similar plans that take resources from our public schools—with little public oversight and even less evidence of success for students.
  •  Overuse and misuse of high stakes testing. Time and resources should be spent on hands on learning, creative problem solving, and a holistic curriculum. Test scores should not be used to punitively grade schools or evaluate teachers but as one of many tools that inform instruction.
  •  Educational “strategies” that ignore the impact of poverty on student success and blame teachers and schools.  We will hold our elected officials accountable f or addressing the growing rates of childhood poverty in North Carolina.

As our history shows, North Carolinians understand that education is the “great equalizer” for our citizens, and each child’s right to an excellent public education is guaranteed in our state constitution.

Public Schools First NC will be a voice to remind us all that our public schools are our first and best investment for North Carolina’s future.

###

About Public Schools First NC:

Public Schools First NC (PSFNC) is a group of citizens, parents, teachers, businesses and organizations joining together to advocate for a first-rate public education system for all North Carolinians. To learn more or to join our organization, please visit: www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org

 

Categories North Carolina, Parent Groups, Support for public schools

Your Favorite Bloggers in One Place

By dianeravitch
January 30, 2013 //
26

Tim Slekar is launching a new front in the battle against high-stakes testing and privatization.Satire alert!!!! Tim’s website is temporarily down. Try again later.

He writes:

On Friday at 9:00 am EST please visit the new and substantially improved @ the chalk face media site (http://atthechalkface.com/). Along with columns by Chalkface and Tim Slekar a host of new authors joins @ the chalk face. Paul Thomas, Chris Cerrone, Kris Neilsen, Katie Osgood, Kuhio Kane, Barbara Madeloni, and Lauren Cohen will each add a their own touch of magic.

Committed to a take no prisoners approach in exposing the corporate reform movement @ the chalk face internet radio will feature regular interviews with @ the chalk face authors and continue to interview the leading activists engaged in fighting for the American public school system.

And just so “the other side” is not totally shut out we are happy to introduce Wendi Hatch-Mhee

You’ve probably already heard of Wendi Hatch-Mhee. She began her career in education as part of the Americans Teaching program. She gained respect for teachers after spending nearly 370 days helping under-privileged minority children close the achievement gap. When her students made extraordinary progress on state achievement tests, Hatch-Mhee was invited to bless a medium-sized east coast school district with her many talents. She worked as their chancellor for three years before moving on to found the American Alliance for Successful Students. Today she serves as the CEO of AASS whose mission is to raise the scores of American public education students to rival those of less important countries. She recently published another book. This one entitled, “History Maker.”

Wendi agreed to contribute to this website to serve as the contrasting voice of reason amongst the clamoring din of unionized thugs who are content with the status quo.

Remember! Set your alarms and mark your calendars! @ the chalk face media debuts this Friday at 9:00 am EST.

Categories Support for public schools

If I Were Secretary of Education…..(1)

By dianeravitch
January 30, 2013 //
37

In response to another post, asking what would you do if you were Secretary of Education:

If I were the Secretary of Education, I would take all the
money being spent on testing and use a good portion of it to hire
aids, reading specialists, nurses, librarians, and all the other
support staff needed to truly serve the needs of a school.

School boards would consist of teachers and parents.

Our education system would promote supporting a student’s strengths, instead of making
school a place of failure.

I would have industry work with ourschools to help train high school students for job readiness when
they leave school. I would fund higher education so people
graduating from college would not bestrapped with a great debt.

I would invite working education models like Finland to come and share
what works with us.

The NCLB and RTT would be disbanded.

I would sever all ties with Pearson.

There would be no Federal funding for
Charter or online schools.

I wish this could happen. I’m sick of
the reformers.

I can’t believe Obama is letting it go on and on.

Sincerely, Fed Up Fourth Grade Teacher
________________________________

Categories Support for public schools, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. education

Good News! Students in Portland, Oregon, Are Speaking Out

By dianeravitch
January 30, 2013 //
11

High school students in Portland, Oregon, are organizing to fight high-stakes testing.

From their statement:

“The PPS and Portland Student Unions will be teaming up in organizing an Opt-Out Campaign in which students are encouraged to opt-out of taking their standardized OAKS tests. The Student Unions want to send a strong message against to the standardized testing system as we believe that standardized tests scores are an inaccurate depiction of a student’s knowledge, have an extremely high correlation to a student’s family’s income, have a high correlation with race, are expensive, and in all are taking up class time that we could use learning things that are more applicable to our lives, as well as be developing better relationships with our teachers and peers.”

How come they know more than Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and their own state legislature?

When you add the teachers’ protest at Garfield High and the school boards’ protest in Texas and the demands by civil rights groups to stop closing their schools and the rising number of students who are sick of being force-fed standardized tests, you have the makings of a movement.

Stand tall, Portland students! Students, parents, teachers, and yes, administrators are counting on you. Tell the truth. Don’t be afraid. Demand a real education, not training in test-taking.

Categories Corporate Reformers, Students, Support for public schools, Testing

Support Thomas Mertz for Madison, WI, School Board

By dianeravitch
January 25, 2013 //
3

Thomas Mertz trained as a historian of education. We have that in common. Though I have never met Thomas, I endorse his principles and I am happy to see that he is running for election to the school board in Madison, Wisconsin. The need has never been greater to elect allies and strong supporters of public education. Please help him in any way you can.

 

Prepared, Progressive, Passionate

I am excited to announce my candidacy for the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education, Seat #5.

Our public schools are the backbone of our community, the wellspring of our democracy, and the best means we have of providing a better future to all our children. As a parent, scholar, advocate, activist and organizer, I have worked with parents, professors, students, school boards, administrators, legislators, educators, and their unions to better understand and strengthen public schools. I don’t think there has ever been a time when the challenges to our schools have been greater. I want to help Madison meet these challenges by serving on the Board of Education.

I have stood against the pressures of privatization, worked against the expansion and misuse of standardized testing, and have fought for adequate and equitable funding based on the idea that all of our students deserve broad and rich opportunities.

These struggles will continue and expand. As Madison prepares to welcome a new Superintendent, I see opportunities to do more than react. Madison is a community and district where we have the means and the will to show that diverse public education can live up to its promises. To do this we must honestly assess those failings illustrated by the achievement gaps, but also listen to voices of our classrooms and community to understand what is working and build from our strengths.

None of this will be quick and none of this will be easy. I ask for your help and support. Visit www.mertzformadison.com to endorse, donate, or volunteer; and “like” the TJ Mertz, Madison School Board, Seat #5 Facebook page to keep updated.

Thomas J. Mertz

Categories Support for public schools, Wisconsin

Teachers at Roosevelt HS Support Colleagues at Garfield

By dianeravitch
January 25, 2013 //
1

Forty-Three Roosevelt High School teachers (colleagues in Seattle Public Schools with Garfield High School teachers) signed this Letter of Support (on Jan. 23, 2012) for GHS teachers and a call to for expedient dismissal of the MAP exam because it has not proven to be useful or reliable. (PDF of original with signatures available upon request).

This We Believe:

Teachers, parents, students, school board members and the administration of Seattle Public Schools owe Garfield High School teachers their gratitude and thanks for speaking the truth.

We believe that any reprimand or negative consequences imposed by Seattle Public Schools, the superintendent or administration on the truth-telling teachers of Garfield High School would be unjust. Garfield High School teachers should be given public commendations for rightly raising their professional concerns and specific critique of our district’s choice and misuse of the Measures of Academic Progress® [MAP] testing.

An unspoken truth is that most all Seattle Public School stakeholders already knew that the MAP test was expensive and of little practical use in supporting our students’ learning, or in evaluating their classroom teachers before the Garfield High School teachers spoke up publicly.

We believe that effective teaching and learning must utilize meaningful tests, authentic assessments, and multiple-measures to evaluative what a student knows and can do. These measures are also critical to improve teaching practice, reflect on curriculum, and to evaluate school and district-wide policies. We want students who are struggling and those who have mastered skills and content to be identified and to be offered meaningful support to succeed and excel. We want teachers who are struggling in the classroom to be identified, offered useful critique and professional support. We believe that after due process, if these teachers are unable to meet the high standards we hold ourselves to as educators these individuals should be removed from their teaching positions. We wish to continue to improve our schools which are already rated as one of the best K-12 public school districts in the state and nation. To quote Garfield High School teachers, “The MAP test is not the way to do any of these things.”

We support an expedient dismissal of the MAP exam because it has not proven to be useful or reliable in its given tasks. We ask Superintendent Banda to reconsider his call to wait for a general evaluation of all Seattle Public Schools assessments as that report is not due out until the end of the school year. If MAP testing is already paid for this school year shouldn’t we finish out the school year with the planned MAP testing days? Budgets are in some ways both complex and simple. Seattle Public Schools annual “operating budget” for this year is around $566 million; delivering 180 days of school to our students. Rounding down the cost is still over $3 million-a-day to operate our schools. If we end MAP testing now millions of dollars of this year’s district’s operating budget would be spent on school days of teaching and learning instead of on ineffective MAP-testing.

We believe that process employed by Seattle Public Schools administration, school board, and (initially) by our professional association (SEA) in accepting this testing regime was flawed. We request an administrative and public review of the procedures related to these kinds of important adoptions needs to be established that engages all stakeholders to help prevent unworthy, expensive, MAP-like mistakes in the future.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned Teachers of Roosevelt High School.

Categories Support for public schools, Teachers and Teaching, Testing, Washington State

Danger: Privatization in Texas

By dianeravitch
January 22, 2013 //
20

The new leadership of the Texas legislature has a plan. State Senator Dan Patrick, the new chair of the Senate Education Committee, wants vouchers, more charters, and a fast track for closing down public schools. He and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst want to shorten the time that schools have to improve or close–from five years to only two. That should clear the way for lots of vouchers and charters!

Allen Weeks, who heads the Save Texas Schools coalition in the state, wrote an article about the privatization agenda.

He wrote:

“How many schools would close under their two-year axe? Based on 2010-11 ratings, 40 Texas schools — including six charters — would shut down immediately. Dallas would lose seven campuses overnight, including five high schools. Fort Worth would lose two high schools and a middle school. Lights would go out in rural schools like Albany Junior-Senior High School and Hearne High School, triggering long expensive commutes for students to neighboring districts. Another 490 schools, already with one year of academically unacceptable ratings, would likely panic. A second miss by as little as a single student, and that’s it. No school in your community, no football team, no jobs connected to the school — and no guarantee kids will better off academically. Once scores from the new widely-panned STAAR/EOC tests are factored in, the number of “failing” schools may easily skyrocket into the thousands.”

Folks, these gentlemen are not conservative. They are radicals. Why would any sane Texan want to destroy the public schools when there is a boatload of evidence that charters and vouchers don’t do any better?

Allen Weeks is organizing a big rally to support public education in Austin on February 23. I will be there.

Categories Charter Schools, Support for public schools, Texas, Vouchers

How Do You Answer This Teacher’s Question?

By dianeravitch
January 20, 2013 //
146

I am a strong supporter of the public schools and opposed to the “reform” movement attempting to privatize education. I didn’t find your article divisive. But, I do have a question that keeps coming up for me about some of the reasons why charters gain traction.

Charters benefit from the real and perceived impact of heterogeneous grouping upon the achievement of more prepared students. Similarly, they score points because public schools are less able to address and remove disruptive children. For these reasons, a diverse district with students from all socio-economic backgrounds is at risk for charter take over.

We complain that charters are skimming the top, we have to take all comers and we can’t cherrypick; we can’t dump the least school ready students. We wear it as a badge of honor; we’re a force for egalitarian education for all. We’re a place where all children come together to learn. Well, that’s great.

BUT… a parent who wants to limit negative influences or increase challenge of instruction may not care about the general mission if the impact of that mission upon their child is negative. I’m not sure we can stem the tide of charters when we use middle class children as social equalizers and consider the annual limitation upon their achievement and growth as an acceptable loss. That’s an insufficient mission. This makes public school less desirable for parents who have prepared, able children.

I understand why these parents want to flee classrooms when the books are two or three levels below grade and their children are rarely challenged in the school day. And, I understand why they get tired of being told that every need is met with skilled teachers who can differentiate. It’s not true. Differentiation is frequently insufficient in classrooms where the range of student skill base goes from 2nd grade to post high school.

If we are going to meet the challenges posed by privatizers, we need to look at what we’re doing with a clear eye. Research shows that the positive impact of heterogeneous grouping is on the social development for lower income students. It is a benefit.

In my experience, most students in a well constructed, heterogeneous classroom, headed by a teacher who is skilled share a common positive culture that makes it possible for students who might otherwise have few positive role models to grow. It has been my experience that a middle of the pack student will make academic gains if they are in a class that is challenging, but not too challenging.

However, it is also my experience that the lowest skill level student makes no progress in a heterogeneous setting and would benefit more from a homogeneous, small class with more focused and direct instruction. It is my experience that the middle top and top does not receive academic benefit from heterogeneous instruction. I don’t know of any study of heterogeneous grouping that shows a positive academic impact on above average students.

But, I do know that a homogeneous class of top of the middle and top students will make significant progress each year. We need to look at how to really challenge all of our students if we are going to compete with charters and private schools. We need to be willing to consider the cost of chronically disruptive students upon the efficacy of the regular classroom and the lack of alternatives for students to run their own race in our schools.

I don’t know what the answer is, but 25+ kids each period wait upon our ability to figure out what to do. If we don’t come up with solutions in the traditional public school setting, parents are going to opt out.

Categories Charter Schools, Support for public schools, Teachers and Teaching

Why Garfield Teachers Boycotted the MAP Test

By dianeravitch
January 18, 2013 //
16

Jesse Hagopian a teacher at Garfield High School in Seattle, explains why every teacher in the school voted to boycott the MAP test.

The teachers at Garfield are an inspiration to friends nd supporters of public education acros America.

They are champions of students, and they are already on the honor roll for their courage and heroism.

Categories Support for public schools, Teachers and Teaching, Testing, Washington State

Matt Damon and Nancy Carlsson-Paige to Garfield Teachers!

By dianeravitch
January 15, 2013 //
17

This is a personal message from actor Matt Damon and early childhood educator Nancy Carlsson-Paige, addressed to the teachers of Garfield High:

We are writing to support all of the teachers at Garfield High School.  We admire your strong and unified stand against the district mandated standardized test. Teachers, students, and parents do not have to accept practices that are harmful to them and to the whole meaning and purpose of education. We know it takes courage to risk your jobs in order to stand for what you know is right.  But your example holds the promise of inspiring teachers in school districts all over the country to take similar action.  Thank you for your strength and courage.  We admire you and are behind you all the way.

Hey, Garfield teachers, Matt and Nancy think you are great!

 

Nancy Carlsson-Paige and Matt Damon

Categories Support for public schools, Testing, Washington State
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