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"This week has witnessed the emergence of a new Washington Consensus, apparent in President Obama's education-obsessed State of the Union address, a bipartisan conference call with key Senate leaders, and a supportive column by the country's most widely read conservative."

These discussions are interesting. Mr. Finn and company seem to only see things through a particular paradigm. It is surprising, but it is interesting.

Interesting. Not much depth, a bit of history and a bit of the reasons why tenure was established. It is a conversation starter at best.

The article reflects a study we looked at in 704. The study results were poorly written and due to the limitations of the system, etc., it seemed poorly prepared and implemented. That said, some relevant data emerged.

"we see a society built around profit and monetary gains where the major force driving educational institutions and their enrollees is money; pure profit and economic factors for the majority" "As a result of the uncontrollable turn that modern society has taken in terms of our emergence in a contemporary world built on profit maximization and survivalist economics and materialism, and propulsion toward a future of uncertainty for which we must gather wealth by any means necessary, the degree of competition among us in all walks of life and on all platforms has dramatically increased, and the workplace or proscenium upon which the dramatis personae of economic theories; firms, households, and governments must play, has turned into the battleground where technological advancement, increased knowledge, and the need for more specialized and skilled workers have driven us to commoditize learning opportunities in the form of training and education at an alarming rate. The rate of consumption which the market demands of education and training - knowledge and skills demand and consumption, has left schools, colleges, and universities competing among each other in desperate and even despicable ways, such that education in the form of mere training and book-scanning that the majority offers, has become just another "player" and card in Capitalism's game and race to the bottom of the consciousness funnel."

"A combined 63% of Americans want the federal government's role in education either maintained at its current level or increased. The figure is 72% among parents of K-12 schoolchildren. The fact that a majority of Americans are dissatisfied with the status of education today may give added support to an expanded federal role."

Gallup poll results reported Sep-2010 r.e. role of the federal government in education.

This surprised me. Interesting find...

This post nicely summarizes key points from a book that partly informed the way I designed this course.

What if there were no collective bargaining?

Along the lines of Dr Becker's latest video regarding power and decision makers, the acceptance of ROTC programs by higher ed can lead to increased federal funding. With the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" some universities are claiming to be more open to the ROTC programs being housed at their campus.

The question of the day...

School Board members are still focused on student achievement over charter schools, performance pay etc. Hess article attached.

School Board members are still focused on student achievement over charter schools, performance pay etc. Hess article attached.

Staff directory for Virginia Department of Education

Defines the role of the General Assembly within the DOE and lists all Bills and Resolutions. Searchable database.

Outlines specific Act that outlines the walls of state and local power...2.2-3119 outlines school boards specifically.

VA's Code of Virginia's explanation of the role of the Attorney General in educational reform - opinions may be only asked on him/her in writing by specific members of the Commonwealth

Ratvitch/Loveless identify 4 principles: (1) fix existing federal programs, (2) bring mandates in line with the revenues required to meet them (3) send federal education money to schools and not to support bureaucracies (4) resist the temptation to regulate curriculum, instruction, teachers etc

An article providing an overview of how the AFT & the NEA are flawed due to self-interest. His only path to reform seems to be school choice.

Online educational law library Links to free online cases

Does this article assume that all parents have the wherewithall and the resources to navigate this terrain?