Those D.C. test scores

by David Safier This morning I posted about a Nicholas Kristof article praising D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee's "reform" agenda. I noted his statement, "Test results showed more educational gains last year [2008] than in the previous four years put together," and said I would look into possible reasons for the gains. If they're legit, great. … Read more

Kristof, Rhee and “education reform”

by David Safier I experienced a dozen conflicting emotions as I read Nicholas Kristof's NY Times, column, Education's Ground Zero this morning. I'm on Kristof's side of most issues. When I'm not, I know I can't dismiss him. Today, though, his column has echoes of the ideas conservatives have been pushing about education. Hence, the conflict. … Read more

The Stimulus and teaching talent equity

by David Safier This could be good news from Education Week (it's a subscribers only site): The recently enacted economic-stimulus bill requires every state to take steps to improve teacher effectiveness, as well as to tackle one of the most pervasive problems in K-12 education: inequities in access to top teaching talent for poor and … Read more

Let the Brewer/Goddard games begin!

by David Safier It may not rank up there with March madness, and it'll take much longer to see who ends up with the most points on the Gubernatorial scoreboard (if the two decide to play in the tournament), but it looks like the Brewer/Goddard rivalry is beginning to go public. The Arizona ELL controversy … Read more

Obama, ASU Commencement, May 13

by David Safier This just in. Obama hearts Phoenix, where he's been before, and disses Southern Arizona — again — where, so far as I know, he's never set foot. He'll be speaking at the ASU Commencement, May 13, 7pm. Do you think, maybe, he watched Hamlet 2? AZ Blue Meanie, you want to send the … Read more