Teaching & achievement, Era of majority, Test data, High stakes testing, Creationism, Knowledge, Common core, Politics & education, Story telling tech., Privatization, and Academy mgmt.

The HML Post

Greetings!

Welcome to the July 7th edition of the HML POST

The main HML website, click here.

Check out HML's Cornerstone on "FLIPBOARD." (The public schools are the "Cornerstone" of our democracy.)

To Close the Achievement Gap, We Need to Close the Teaching Gap by Linda Darling-Hammond

Federal policy under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Department of Education's 'flexibility' waivers has sought to address this problem by beefing up testing policies -- requiring more tests and upping the consequences for poor results: including denying diplomas to students, firing teachers, and closing schools. Unfortunately, this strategy hasn't worked. In fact, U.S. performance on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) declined in every subject area between 2000 and 2012 -- the years in which these policies have been in effect.

School Is Over for the Summer. So Is the Era of Majority White U.S. Public School by Janell Ross and Peter Bell on the National Journal Blog

The 2013-14 school year has drawn to a close in most U.S. school districts, and with it the final period in which white students composed a majority of the nation's K-12 public school population. When schools reopen in August and September, black, Latino, Asian, and Native American students will together make up a narrow majority of the nation's public school students.

Getting at Student Understanding-The Key to Teacher's Use of Test Data by Jonathan Supovitz in the Teachers College Record.

The literature review identified three crucial test qualities that improve their potential value to teachers. First, tests can convey information about students' developmental path toward a learning goal. Second, tests can provide information about students' thought processes. Third, tests can be designed to reveal information about students' misconceptions within a content area.

High-Stakes Testing, Uncertainty, and Student Learning

by Audrey L. Amrein and David C. Berliner in Education Policy Analysis Archives

Evidence from this study of 18 states with high-stakes tests is that in all but one analysis, student learning is indeterminate, remains at the same level it was before the policy was implemented, or actually goes down when high-stakes testing policies are instituted. Because clear evidence for increased student learning is not found, and because there are numerous reports of unintended consequences associated with high-stakes testing policies (increased drop-out rates, teachers' and schools' cheating on exams, teachers' defection from the profession, all predicted by the uncertainly principle), it is concluded that there is need for debate and transformation of current high-stakes testing policies.

5 States Gunning to Make Their Kids As Scientifically Illiterate As Possible by Teaching Creationist B.S. by Dan Arel on the AlterNet Post.

In the US however, the battle to bring creationism and intelligent design into the classroom is alive and well. It has been ever since the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, in which the teaching of evolution was found to be a violation of Tennessee law. The trial banned the teaching of human evolution in any publicly funded school.

Jefferson on the Need to Diffuse Knowledge to the General Public By Diane Ravitch on the Ravitch Blog

Thomas Jefferson advocated for a system of public education. He proposed "A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge."

Whereas it appeareth that however certain forms of government are better calculated than others to protect individuals in the free exercise of their natural rights, and are at the same time themselves better guarded against degeneracy, yet experience hath shown, that even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of people at large and . . .

Good Riddance to the Common Core Tests! by Diane Ravitch on the Ravitch Blog

A few years ago, Arne Duncan, Bill Gates, David Coleman, and a merry band of policy wonks had a grand plan. The non-governmental groups like Achieve, the National Governors Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and Coleman's own Student Achievement Partners would write the Common Core standards (paid for by the Gates Foundation); Duncan would require states to agree to adopt them as a condition of eligibility for a share of the billions of Race to the Top funds at a time when states were broke; the Feds would spend $370 million to develop tests for the standards; and within a few short years the U.S. would have a seamless system of standards and assessments that could be used to evaluate students, teachers, and schools.

Taking politics out of education An editorial in the Sentinel of Cumberland, PA

If there's one thing that doesn't belong in the discussion of primary and secondary education, it's politics. We know that's asking a lot. But instead of spending all of our time trying to determine who to blame (education funding cuts or poor teachers?), we need to change the focus to how we can produce better students, better teachers - improvement across the board.

Common Core Will Improve Education, Most District Chiefs Say By Liana Heitin in EdWeek (funded in part by the Gates Foundation)

About believe the Common Core State Standards will improve the quality of education in their communities, while 22 percent said the standards will have no effect, according to the results from a new poll.

The Cost Of Leaving Educators Off The Education Agenda by Jeff Bryant on the Education Opportunity Network

As implementations of Common Core State Standards falter around the country, supporters of the new academic benchmarks continue a sort of dog and pony show to reinforce the message to "stay the course." The latest such example came from the Center for American Progress who staged a panel recently on "A Roadmap for a Successful Transition to the Common Core in States and Districts."

5 great storytelling tech tools by Steven Webb on the e-School News

In 2008, more than 400 students, recent graduates, district employees, parents, and community, agency, and business leaders came together to help Vancouver Public Schools (VPS) craft a new strategic plan. Thousands of stakeholders had a chance to weigh in along the way. That plan, called Design II, has provided a road map to improve learning and teaching throughout the district.

Is the Charter Movement Imploding? by Diane Ravitch on the Ravitch Blog

In state after state, charter schools are proving that it is downright risky to turn public money over to deregulated corporations and unqualified individuals to run schools. The Detroit Free Press series on the scams, frauds, and corruption in many Michigan charters was an eye-opener for all those who are not part of the charter movement. The exposé of similar frauds in Florida by the League of Women Voters in Florida was enlightening to anyone other than free market ideologues.

The Privatization of Public Education? California Teachers Take Another Hit from Politiciansby Ann Robertson and

Bill Leumer on the Global Research blog.

With Democratic Governor Jerry Brown in office since 2011 and the Democratic Party winning a supermajority in the state legislature in 2012, one might think that organized labor was secure and riding high. At least, that is the impression organized labor projects during campaign season. But the Democratic politicians have used their supermajority to serve up a cruel bill of fare to working people, who are still trying to digest it.

Bacon Academy management company earns millions from schoolsBy Caitlin Dineen & Pressley Baird on the Wilmington, NC Star News

Roger Bacon Academy Inc. receives millions of dollars to manage three charter schools in the region.

Two of the schools paid Roger Bacon Academy nearly $2.4 million in management fees and incentives for the 2013-14 school year, according to documents provided to the StarNews on June 20. The third school's $60,000 management fee was waived amid a state investigation into low enrollment.

A Gift: On the Art of Teaching by Horace Mann

In 1840 Mann wrote On the Art of Teaching. Its message has lived on as a timeless and inspiring appeal to educators. Some of members present On the Art of Teaching to new teachers as part of their orientation program. On the inside cover, some write a personal welcome message to the recipient. Other HML members present the book to school board members and parental organizations as a token of appreciation for becoming involved in their schools. The book cover can be designed with the organization's name. For more information, contact the HML (Jack McKay)