Blog Spotlight: Schools Matter

Schools Matter is the edgiest blog so far. It very much has  a beef with the charter school system. (Click for exhibit A, exhibit b, exhibit c, exhibit d, exhibit e …)

In particular this beef is with the KIPP program, which garnered attention two months ago in a Statesman article when President Obama announced one approach to improving American education might be longer school days and years.

According to this Statesman article, charter schools are known for their extended time in the classroom. (I covered this in a previous post.)

However, School Matters refers to  KIPP as a “‘no excuses’ chain gang” and notes that in many areas across the country, the KIPP system has “quickened the impetus toward resegregation of American schools.”

While, I have perhaps created a piecemeal of the most sensationalistic aspects of this Blog — especially with my linked “exhibits” — it is necessary to take an introspective look at the American charter school system.

With the state of Texas announcing it might invest in the charter school system, this is the time ask important questions.

Is the charter school system working any better that the public school system? Is it right to use public funds to supplement the charter school system — and at the detriment of the public school system?

School Matters is a good database for critical looks at these questions — and more.

And, although, I used the term “sensationalistic” earlier, I do not want you to think these posts are made without research — whether academic or from a newspaper or other reliable resource— because they are.

By the way, I forgot to mention the primary writer is an associate professor at Cambridge College in Massachusetts. His name is Jim Horn. (Click here to read an essay he wrote titled  “The Kult of KIPP.”)

The Blog also has this self description: “This space explores issues in public education policy, and it advocates for a commitment to and a re-examination of the democratic purposes of schools. If there is some urgency in the message, it is due to the current reform efforts that are based on a radical re-invention of education, now spearheaded by a psychometric blitzkrieg of ‘metastasizing testing’ aimed at dismantling a public education system that took almost 200 years to build.”

Today’s Education News

New York Times: States Compete for Federal School Dollars
Race to the Top is a $4 billion competition —  this is the most funding the federal government has ever provided for overhauling the school system.

Only about a dozen states will receive a chunk of the $4 billion prize. To win, states must “propose bold schemes to shake up the way they evaluate and compensate teachers, use data to raise achievement and intervene in failing schools.”

The money will be awarded in April and September. Nationwide, there is a projected $16 billion shortfall for school budget next year.

For information on Texas and Race to the Top, click here to read a June 29, 2009, article by Statesman reporter Kate Alexander.

Austin American-Statesman: Pflugerville discontinues public access to high school tracks
Pflugerville ISD will close its high school tracks to the public beginning Nov. 30, citing over $20,000 in expenses to fix vandalism and misuse within the past year.

Texas Tribune: TribBlog: A Chip Off the Old Bloc

“State Board of Education former Chair (and current member) Don McLeroy wasn’t too concerned about losing Democratic swing-vote Rick Agosto. At least not at first. 

‘The big impact will be if I depart,’ McLeroy said over the phone.

And later: ‘Frankly, as far as some of these key battles where we actually can’t come to a total consensus, I don’t think it will make much difference, as long as I can get reelected.'”

For more information on the Agosto resignation, click here to read a Oct. 13, 2009, Statesman story by Kate Alexander.

New York Times: 25 Chicago Students Arrested for Middle School Food Fight

Did school officials go to far in rounding up and arresting these students? Or did the students break decorum with this cafeteria-wide food fight?

New York Times: From Justice Kennedy, a Lesson in Journalism
Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, long thought a fervid protector of the First Amendment, told a Manhattan high school paper that he must pre-approve an article before it can publish. Justice Kennedy attended an Oct. 28 assembly at the school, which is the subject of the article.

Blog Spotlight: Joanne Jacobs

Joanne Jacobs’ tagline describes herself as a free-linker and -thinker on education.

A former newspaper columnists, she left the San Jose Mercury News to create this blog. Around this time, Jacobs also finished her book Our School: The Inspiring Story of Two Teachers, One Big Idea and the Charter School That Beat the Odds.

Our School is about “a San Jose charter high school that prepares underacheivers — most from Mexican immigrant families — to succeed at four-year colleges.

But that’s enough free publicity for Jacobs. What about her blog entries? She publishes multiple times a day. Her posts are detailed and flow much more like a newspaper column than a blog entry. (Very much a plus!)

She is well-read and well-informed — Jacobs pulls information from The Washington Post, Teacher Magazine, Wall Street Journal and more.

To tell you the truth, though, her blog was not that great for glancing or quick reading. I quickly looked through it to write this review, but I feel like I am not giving it true dues.

The Texas Tribune on Texas Reading Scores

The newly launched, nonprofit news organization The Texas Tribune wasn’t up and running when the National Assessment of Educational Progress released its annual national math report card last month.

However, the Tribune’s Abby Rapoport made sure to interpret the reading report card : View the reading test results “with a critical eye,” she warned on the Tribune Web site today.

According to Tribune analysis, Texas fourth- and eighth-grade students show proficiency rates as much as 18 percent higher on TAKS than the NAEP. (National results are compared at the fourth- and eighth-grade level.)

Rapoport believes even the bar set by the NAEP is too low. She isn’t alone in this view either. 

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a news release that “we’re lying to our children when we tell them they’re proficient but they’re not achieving at a level that will prepare them for success once they graduate.”

(Duncan might blame this on mediocre teacher training. See a previous forum post here.)

By the way, are you wondering why this gap doesn’t exist in math?

“Everybody’s much better aligned on math,” Texas Education Agency spokeswoman Debbie Ratcliffe told the Tribune, “because I think there’s not as much debate across the country about what do we teach in math.”

Finally, how do you feel about these test results? Is the problem in the classroom or is it in the testing? Is too much emphasis placed on these tests?

Blog Updates

Travizzle Chapter 6 has been added to the Serial Page. Travizzle ends Monday, Nov. 23. In the meantime, you can find all published Travizzle Chapters here.

Beginning this week, an extended national current events quiz will post every Friday. These quizzes will recap an entire week of national and international news stories and events. Check here daily for news quizzes taken from Statesman headlines and national headlines.

Blog Spotlight: EdWize

EdWize bills itself as “Education News and Opinion.” My one gripe with this blog is that it doesn’t have an “About Us” page. (Actually, I have another gripe: Why couldn’t they spell “wise” correctly?)

I don’t know who runs this blog, but it does have interesting tabs, including labor, which focuses not only on teacher unions, but unions in general and child labor. I think this is an interesting take to cover — especially for Texas teachers who cannot legally strike.

The Blog also focuses on the New York City Department of Education — such as the NYC mayor’s plan to end social promotion; Teaching —  topics like “Does merit pay increase merit in the classroom?” — and finally it features real stories from New York City teachers.

So, I’m guessing, it’s safe to say this Blog hails from The Big Apple — and the big apple at the top of EdWize’s page is a double entendre of sorts.

While this isn’t a Texas-based Blog, some issues like social promotion, merit pay and etc. are ones we find in The Lone Star State too.

Visit EdWize here.

Blog Spotlight: Texas Newspaper Education Blogs

All the major Texas newspapers have education blogs, including the Austin American-Statesman.

While these blogs often only follow school districts in their respective paper’s delivery area — e.g. Dallas ISD is actually the name of the Dallas paper’s education blog — I’m assuming they must cover Plano ISD et al., and not Dallas ISD exclusively — they still offer insight into Texas education.

Finally, they’re not written by teachers with personal insight, but they are still a great reference point for facts on issues that may arise throughout the school year.

Austin American-Statesman: Homeroom
Dallas Morning News: Dallas ISD Blog
Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Extra Credit
Houston Chronicle: School Zone
San Antonio Express-News: Class Notes

What is the educational value of Twitter?

Education Week: Twitter Lessons in 140 Characters or Less

What is the potential use of Twitter in the classroom? The above article in Education Week has some interesting ideas:

One teacher in Georgia has more than 10,000 followers on the social media Web site. This teacher uses the Web site to share resources and suggestions about educational technology.

Some teachers are even using Twitter to communicate with their own students.

A teacher at a private high school in Virginia uses Twitter as a way to host debates. Students have the option of either replying to a tweeted topic with relevent information and sources  or writing a physical essay for homework.

“These students are not always sure about how to use the Internet to find and filter information, so this is forcing them to do that,” said Lucas Ames, who requires students to submit only school-related tweets. “It’s getting kids who aren’t necessarily engaged in class engaged in some sort of conversation.”

Another teacher in Houston uses Twitter  not only to follow other classrooms in her school, but to follow ones around the country. This bilingual second grade teacher, Dorie Glynn, sees the Web site as a way to foster and spread ideas among students.

“I see a huge amount of potential for connecting with another classroom, asking regional questions, comparing and contrasting areas,” Glynn said.

While these teachers have seen positive results, there is no data to support the use of Twitter and other social media in the classroom.

“The most important thing to remember is that we have no idea what impact these tools have on learning,” said Daniel T. Willingham, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, “and it will take a decade to answer that question.”

Willingham also argues the way students receive information doesn’t really matter. Instead, he believes it is the information, and only the information, that is important.

“Like any other tool, the way we make it useful is to consider very carefully what this particular tool is very good at, rather than simply say, ‘I like Twitter, so how can I use it?’ The medium is not enough,” Willingham added. “People talk about the vital importance of Web 2.0 and 3.0, and that kids have got to acquire those skills. But we can’t all just be contributing to wikis and tweeting each other. Somebody’s got to create something worth tweeting.”

Do you use twitter? Do you use it in the classroom? Do you think twitter has the potential to be a valuable education tool?

Blog Spotlight: The Answer Sheet and Class Struggle

 

The Washington Post hosts two blogs that I check regularly: The Answer Sheet and Class Struggle.

Together, Sheet and Struggle are looking for the best education blogs of 2009. They are taking suggestions — although, I’m assuming each blog’s respective “what I’m following” section might include a few of the best.

Over the next few weeks, I will spotlight education blogs. If you know of any, feel free to suggest!

First, though, here is information on the aforementioned blogs:

Valerie Strauss writes The Answer Sheet. Recent topics have included tips on how to write college admission essays; whether or not teachers should express their political opinions in school; an interview with John Legend; and various takes on education current events.

Jay Mathews writes Class Struggle.  Recent features included questioning the importance of Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education; the secrets of private education revealed; and the perils of rating teachers.

The Answer Sheet and Class Struggle hope to reveal this year’s winning blogs in December.

In the News: Texas’ School Fund Might Invest in Charter Schools

Austin American-Statesman: Texas’ School Fund might invest in charter school facilities

The State Board of Education, which manages the $22 billion Permanent School Fund that helps finance the state’s schools, might invest in charter school facilities.

However, this may not be in the best interest of the fund. Any investments SBOE makes are supposed “to maximize returns prudently,” according to some legal and investment experts.

In fact, private investors tend to consider charter schools a risky investment because the schools typically do not have long financial track records, adequate cash reserves and long-term security.

On the other hand,  Kevin O’Hanlon, a former general counsel for the Texas Education Agency, had this to say:

“What they’re using the money for is not irrelevant to the ultimate determination,” O’Hanlon said. “This is leveraging the funds in order to support public education. That is a collateral benefit.”