Category Archives: DC Public Schools
further analysis of the USA Today allegations of cheating in DCPS
Today I obtained a list of the DCPS schools that were flagged for erasures in 2008, 2009, and 2010. You can view them here. I love to play with numbers, so let’s take a look at how these schools break … Continue reading
Posted in DC Public Schools, Testing
Tagged Cheating, DC Public Schools, Education, Education Reform, IMPACT, Michelle Rhee, Testing
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Cheating in DCPS
Quite frankly, my main response while reading USA Today’s lengthy piece on potential standardized test cheating in DC Public Schools was “oh shit”. This just has really horrible implications for all involved, and it’s a pity that things have come … Continue reading
Thoughts on the IMPACT System in DCPS
There’s been a lot of press coverage of the IMPACT evaluation program in D.C. Public Schools recently. I worked in the central office when that program was launched, and though I won’t provide further details about what I was doing, … Continue reading
by request: more thoughts on Michelle Rhee’s leadership
One of my very engaged Twitter followers asked me to elaborate on why I like Michelle Rhee’s policies and management style. This is also a good time for me to talk about Richard Whitmire’s recently released book about Rhee, called … Continue reading
Evaluating Foreign Language Teachers in DCPS… hay problemas.
One thing I don’t often hear in the debate about teacher evaluation is how evaluations should be differentiated depending on the level or content area of each teacher. People argue about the validity of value-added test data and who should … Continue reading
Happy 2011 – what does it have in store for education?
Hello readers! My apologies for the recent lack of posts – December was, as you can understand, a busy time. Teachers don’t think too much about the change of the year since they are still in the same academic year, … Continue reading
Posted in DC Public Schools, Education, Educational Leadership, Funding, Leadership, Los Angeles Unified School District, New York City Public Schools, School Funding, Teacher Quality
Tagged Cathleen Black, Education, Education Reform, Educational Leadership, IMPACT, Joel Klein, Kaya Henderson, Los Angeles Unified School District, Michelle Rhee, New York City Public Schools, School Funding, Teacher Quality, Vincent Gray
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a new leader for the WTU; a new enemy of school reform
I’m going to put this out there up front: I hate teachers’ unions. From my experience, “Waiting For Superman” does not exaggerate or misconstrue the role that unions play in hindering education reform. I have no problem with Randi Weingarten … Continue reading
thoughts about Special Education
D.C. Public Schools are perhaps best known for their abysmal under-serving of the District’s Special Education students. Although Deputy Chancellor for Special Education Richard Nyankori has facilitated tremendous improvements, DCPS still shells out millions of dollars each year to pay … Continue reading
Posted in DC Public Schools, Diversity, Teacher Quality, Teaching
Tagged Education, Education Reform, Special Education
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Teacher Quality’s Uneven Distribution in the District
Today’s Washington Post article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/13/AR2010111303552.html?nav=mbot) about the uneven distribution of “highly effective” teachers across the District’s eight wards comes as no surprise to anyone, for two main reasons. First, “good schools” attract good teachers. It’s important not to forget that teachers … Continue reading
Posted in DC Public Schools, Teacher Quality
Tagged DC Public Schools, Education, Education Reform, Teacher Quality
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Michelle Rhee’s last day
Today’s the day. Here’s what the Washington Post has to say. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/28/AR2010102807217.html
Education Inside Out 