by David Safier Cynic though I am, even I didn't believe it when my almost-namesake Sen. David Schapira said it at the AZ Dem Reorg meeting Saturday. But he told me where I could find the proof. And I found it. Brewer has proposed $1.8 million be paid to for-profit charter schools out of the … Read more
by David Safier When I posted yesterday, Brewer's "education reform initiative" was all goals, no plans. Now we have a part of a plan. Let's cut ten days from the school year and make each remaining day a little longer. Even if teachers and other school employees don't take a salary hit, the cut would … Read more
by David Safier Cutting funds from K-12 schools and slashing funds to higher ed are not on the list of items in Brewer's "educational reform initiative." But Brewer's office put out a glowing announcement about the progress we're sure to see over the next few years. Governor Jan Brewer today announced the formal launch of … Read more
by David Safier A few short, related, education-in-the-news takes: 1. One of the latest education buzz terms is "value-added," meaning teachers are successful if they increase the learning of their students. Though the concept is obviously true, using standardized tests as the measure of "value" is fraught with problems. A review of the literature from … Read more
by David Safier I just received a press release from Paula Aboud, incoming Senate Minority Whip, about the War on Ethnic Studies. The first few paragraphs say it all: The actions of Attorney General Tom Horne and Superintendent John Huppenthal are nothing more than political opportunism against Arizona’s schoolchildren when there are more pressing state … Read more