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Linda Garcia

ASCD Infobrief:Examining Charter Schools:Examining Charter Schools - 1 views

www.ascd.org/...Examining-Charter-Schools.aspx

shared by Linda Garcia on 28 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • By definition, the common link among these 5,000-plus schools is their acceptance of increased accountability in exchange for increased autonomy, but the schools themselves may have little in common
  • More than three-quarters of charter schools nationwide are freestanding, started by educators, parents, activists, and others
  • Although Americans' approval of charter schools has increased 15 percent in the last five years and reached a two-thirds favorable rating, half of the respondents to a recent Phi Delta Kappan poll mistakenly believe that charters are not public schools and are allowed to teach religion.
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • saying that charter schools are vital to promoting innovation in American schools (Obama, 2009)
  • With so much variation among charter schools, however, significant questions exist regarding how well they are educating students, how they manage their financial responsibilities, and whether creating more charter schools will be better for the nation's schoolchildren.
  • In 2009, Secretary Duncan made lifting charter caps a key component of qualifying for education funding under the $4.35 billion Race to the Top (RTTT) program. Originally, to qualify for RTTT money, Duncan said states must eliminate any caps on charter schools. In November 2009, Duncan changed the requirement so that states with caps could still receive money if they had other kinds of innovative public schools and as long as the caps were generous enough (The Wall Street Journal, 2009).
  • Parents' demand for charter schools is outpacing their availability in many locations, with an estimated 365,000 students on waitlists—enough to fill more than 1,100 average-sized charter schools
  • In Montana, where there are no charter schools and where more than half of the state's school districts have enrollments of fewer than 100 students, Superintendent of Schools Denise Juneau objected to the RTTT focus on charter schools in a July 28 letter to Secretary Duncan. "Montana's rural context and economic status has made it challenging for many communities and the state to support the public schools we currently have," Juneau wrote in the letter, "much less encourage the duplication of infrastructure a charter school would mean in most communities" (McNeil, 2009).
  • "The charter movement is putting itself at risk by allowing too many second-rate and third-rate schools to exist," he said, in reference to a recent study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University that found that more than 80 percent of charter schools were performing the same as or worse than their local public schools (2009).
  • The comparison found that only 17 percent of charter schools were producing gains that were significantly better than their traditional public school counterparts, while 46 percent were similar to their local public schools and 37 percent performed significantly worse (Center for Research on Education Outcomes, 2009).
  • In contrast, another recent study by Stanford economics professor Caroline Hoxby found that students who entered lotteries and gained admission to New York City charter schools performed better on state assessments than students who entered the same lotteries and were not admitted to the charter schools.
  • The findings of both studies have been disputed. Critics of the Hoxby study point out that it relies on extrapolations of data, comparing statistical projections of student achievement as opposed to actual student achievement (Ravitch, 2009). Critics of the CREDO study raise doubts about its seemingly contradictory findings that charter schools provided gains for English language learners and poor students while having negative effects on Hispanic and black students (Anderson, 2009).
  • For middle and high school charters that did have baseline scores, that study found charter schools in five of the seven locations it examined were on average no better or worse than local traditional public schools (Zimmer et al., 2009).
  • Of the more than 5,250 charter schools that have ever opened, 657 have closed since 1992. Of those, 41 percent closed because of financial deficiencies caused by either low enrollment or inequitable funding; 27 percent for mismanagement; and only 14 percent for poor academic performance (Allen et al., 2009).
  • A 2005 analysis by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) found that 90 percent of authorizers were local school districts, and two-thirds lacked a dedicated office or staff to oversee the authorizing process (Vanourek, 2005). NAPCS, which has described quality authorizing as an intensive, data-driven process that requires dedicating substantial resources to the task, has called for stricter accountability for local school boards and other entities that authorize charter schools
  • anonymous on 28 Oct 10
     
    An examination of charter schools
Linda Garcia

The Answer Sheet - What 'Superman' got wrong, point by point - 6 views

voices.washingtonpost.com/...-superman-got-wrong-point.html

shared by Linda Garcia on 03 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Promise Academy is in many ways an excellent school, but it is dishonest for the filmmakers to say nothing about the funds it took to create it and the extensive social supports including free medical care and counseling provided by the zone
  • Two-thirds of Geoffrey Canada’s Harlem Children’s Zone funding comes from private sources
  • In New Jersey, where court decisions mandated similar programs, such as high quality pre-kindergarten classes and extended school days and social services in the poorest urban districts, achievement and graduation rates increased while gaps started to close. But public funding for those programs is now being cut and progress is being eroded.
  • ...18 more annotations...
  • Most test score differences stubbornly continue to reflect parental income and neighborhood/zip codes, not what schools do. As opportunity, health and family wealth increase, so do test scores.
  • they reduce teachers to test-prep clerks, ignore important subject areas and critical thinking skills
  • But schools and teachers take the blame for huge social inequities in housing, health care, and income.
  • Unions have historically played leading roles in improving public education, and most nations with strong public educational systems have strong teacher unions.
  • The movie touts the benefits of fast track and direct entry to teaching programs such as Teach for America, but the country with the highest achieving students, Finland, also has highly educated teachers.
  • Charters were first proposed by the teachers’ unions to allow committed parents and teachers to create schools that were free of administrative bureaucracy and open to experimentation and innovation, and some excellent charters have set examples. But thousands of hustlers and snake oil salesmen have also jumped in.
  • And the Education Report, "The Evaluation of Charter School Impacts, concludes, “On average, charter middle schools that hold lotteries are neither more nor less successful than traditional public schools in improving student achievement, behavior, and school progress.”
  • The Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University, concludes that only 17% of charter schools have better test scores than traditional public schools, 46% had gains that were no different than their public counterparts, and 37% were significantly worse. While a better measure of school success is needed
  • While a better measure of school success is needed
  • While a better measure of school success is needed
  • It is not a sustainable public policy to allow more and more public school funding to be diverted to privately subsidized charters while public schools become the schools of last resort for children with the greatest educational needs.
  • In spite of the many millions of dollars poured into expounding the theory of paying teachers for higher student test scores (sometimes mislabeled as ‘merit pay’), a new study by Vanderbilt University’s National Center on Performance Incentives found that the use of merit pay for teachers in the Nashville school district produced no difference even according to their measure, test outcomes for students.
  • approximately a third of America’s new teachers leave teaching sometime during their first three years of teaching; almost half leave during the first five years.
  • many of the top students have been lured to careers in finance and consulting.” It’s the market, and the disproportionately high salaries paid to finance specialists, that is misdirecting human resources, not schools.
  • They ignore the social construction of knowledge, the difference between deep learning and rote memorization.
  • This is a common theme of the so-called reformers: We are at war with India and China and we have to out-math them and crush them so that we can remain rich and they can stay in the sweatshops. But really, who declared this war? When did I as a teacher sign up as an officer in this war? And when did that 4th grade girl become a soldier in it? Instead of this new educational Cold War, perhaps we should be helping kids imagine a world of global cooperation, sustainable economies, and equity.
  • So the outcome of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top has been more funding for schools that are doing well and more discipline and narrow test-preparation for the poorest schools.
  • Waiting for Superman has ignored deep historical and systemic problems in education such as segregation, property-tax based funding formulas, centralized textbook production, lack of local autonomy and shared governance, de-professionalization, inadequate special education supports, differential discipline patterns, and the list goes on and on.
  • anonymous on 03 Oct 10
     
    This post corrects the misinformation in Waiting for Superman.
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Benjamin Caulder on 22 Oct 10
     
    This is a good read. I don't know if its only me but "documentary" somehow implicitly means "true story". There really ought to be some sort of rating system, like G-NC17, for the accuracy of a documentary so the public doesn't buy the misinformation.
  • Evonne Villagomez on 18 Nov 10
     
    This is article is particularly helpful for me since my essay is on charter schools. I found this read interesting because it hihglights the areas in education which charter schools seem to be disregarding.
  • Kyle Dodson on 18 Nov 10
     
    I love the criticism if offers on the poster/ text alone. Many professors in the credential program are irate over the film and it's nice to see point-by-point what is wrong with the "documentary." I just love this article in general. It helps to be able to combat certain statistics in conversation too :)
Ashley Muniz

Teaching by the Book, No Asides Allowed - New York Times - 1 views

www.nytimes.com/...he-book-no-asides-allowed.html

scripted lessons

shared by Ashley Muniz on 10 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • Asked for examples, she said that Ms. Moffett had improved her classroom bulletin boards by putting up only the best work instead of work by every student; learned to sprinkle phrases from Success for All into lessons throughout the school day; and become a better disciplinarian by not frolicking with the students as much as in the fall.
  • Ashley Muniz on 10 Nov 10
     
    This article follows the experiences of a first year teacher in a school that utilizes scripted curriculum
Michael Horder

Abandoning Age-Tracking - Unwrapping the Gifted - Education Week Teacher - 3 views

blogs.edweek.org/...abandoning_age-tracking.html

Track students by learning readiness rather than age.

shared by Michael Horder on 25 Oct 10 - Cached
  • A very small but growing number of school districts around the country are converting to the educational practice of grouping students by readiness (or ability or skill or mastery, depending on how you want to describe it) rather than by age.
Eric Wheeler

eThemes - 0 views

ethemes.missouri.edu

research education ethemes resource Web2.0

shared by Eric Wheeler on 08 Jul 10 - Cached
  • Eric Wheeler on 08 Jul 10
     
    Web Resources organized by grade level, content theme, and standard
Michelle Arce

Making Schools Work with Hedrick Smith . School-By-School Reform . Scripted Lessons | PBS - 4 views

www.pbs.org/...lessons.html

shared by Michelle Arce on 26 Oct 10 - Cached
  • proven methods
    • Ashley Muniz
      Ashley Muniz on 26 Oct 10
       
      I wish the article was more specific about what the "proven methods" are
  • As an experienced teacher she found the process of adopting her district’s program “humiliating and demeaning.”
    • Michelle Arce
      Michelle Arce on 16 Nov 10
       
      I totally understand why experienced teachers may feel this way. HOWEVER, this is a way for our school system to make sure that teachers are at least addressing the correct material in class.
  • Ashley Muniz on 26 Oct 10
     
    This article is about scripted lessons and teachers reactions to them
  • ...1 more comment...
  • ameia sarkisian on 29 Oct 10
     
    I can see how failing inner city schools, with students in the absolute worst conditions, might benefit from a scripted program. I don't agree that it's right, but I can see how one might justify the implementation of such a method when all else seems to have failed. I cringed at the end of the article when the teacher said that the scripted program "allowed for alittle bit of personality" on the teacher's part to show through... A LITTLE BIT?! Isn't the personality of the teacher that acts as an example for the students? isn't it the personality of the teacher that students "judge" right off the bat, sometimes effecting how much they choose to learn and participate in that particular class? I can't believe people actually believe our whole nation, which is SUPPOSED to be a diverse melting pot of people and experience, should adopt this rigid and inflexible curriculum method.
  • Ashley Muniz on 05 Nov 10
     
    I agree that direct instruction may help some students but I feel like a scripted lesson denies the individuality of the students and the teacher. These types of lessons tell you how to conduct the lesson word for word as well as how to answer students' questions. I feel like this takes all creativity out of teaching and turns the teacher into a robot. These systems are also meant to "teacher-proof" the classroom so that even bad teacher can "teach" as long as they know how to read.
  • ameia sarkisian on 05 Nov 10
     
    Wow and the scripted curriculum even tells the teacher how to answer questions?! If school, especially high school, is supposed to reflect a small scale-real world for students then what kind of message are we sending when we ("we" being teachers) are told how to do everything by a higher power; that we're all more successful if we do everything exactly the same all the time? So much for the development of critical literacy.
Elvira Ledezma

Why are standards important? - Academic Skills | GreatSchools - 1 views

www.greatschools.org/...why-are-standards-important.gs

shared by Elvira Ledezma on 06 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • . These standards become the basis for the way teachers are trained, what they teach and what is on state standardized tests that students take. For example, a first-grade math standard may state that by the end of first grade students are expected to count by 2s, 5s and 10s to 100.
  • . Although poor and minority students have made gains, there is still a big difference — commonly called "the achievement gap" — between what these students have achieved when compared to their more affluent and white peers.
  • Without standards, districts and schools don't have goals to shoot for.
    • Elvira Ledezma
      Elvira Ledezma on 06 Nov 10
       
      As adults we know this is not true, no standards is not equal to no goals!
    • Benjamin Caulder
      Benjamin Caulder on 06 Nov 10
       
      A developmentalist would laugh his/her butt off at that statement because it is impossible to have standards without goals, but not visa-versa.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Critics argue that having rigid standards and tests discourages schools from being innovative and inspiring creativity in their students.
  • Elvira Ledezma on 06 Nov 10
     
    What are national standards
Kyle Dodson

District Summary of Fresno Unified - 1 views

edresults.org/...district.php

Education California Statistics

shared by Kyle Dodson on 18 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • Kyle Dodson on 18 Nov 10
     
    In case anyone is interested in more of a local glance at the public school system, this site offers statistics on every California District by gender, ethnic backgrounds, and by math and literacy numbers.
anonymous

Teacher Effectiveness, Defined by NCTE | Kevin's Meandering Mind - 0 views

dogtrax.edublogs.org/...-effectiveness-defined-by-ncte

Teachers TeacherEffectiveness

shared by anonymous on 05 Jan 11 - No Cached
  • anonymous on 05 Jan 11
     
    A blog entry that includes NCTE's list defining teacher effectiveness.
anonymous

Larry Strauss: Quality Education, By Any Means Necessary - 0 views

www.huffingtonpost.com/...year-of-the-subv_b_802449.html

Education SubversiveEducators

shared by anonymous on 04 Jan 11 - No Cached
  • anonymous on 04 Jan 11
     
    Thought some of you might be interested in this article by a teacher in L.A.
Eric Wheeler

EUSD iRead - 1 views

sites.google.com/...home

ipod ipodtouch iread audio reading itunes itouch

shared by Eric Wheeler on 11 Jan 11 - No Cached
  • Eric Wheeler on 11 Jan 11
     
    From their page: iRead is a group of teachers in Escondido Union School District dedicated to the idea that digital audio can be a powerful learning tool for all students. iRead will give you a chance to create meaningful, curriculum-centered audio projects with your students. Teachers are using digital audio tools (iPods, mics, Garageband, iTunes, Keynote, etc. and various accessories) to improve reading processes. Teachers meet on a monthly basis to exchange ideas and strategies. We started in 2006-07 by collecting data about fluency rates - this has been very promising.
anonymous

Cat in the Rain by Jenny Lee | A Way to Teach - 0 views

www.awaytoteach.net/?q=node/29

Technology digitalstorytelling

shared by anonymous on 20 Jan 11 - Cached
  • anonymous on 20 Jan 11
     
    Writing project that uses technology--link to an illuminated text inspired by a Hemingway short story.
anonymous

Teachers can't be judged by tests  | ajc.com - 0 views

www.ajc.com/...ers-cant-be-judged-539080.html

shared by anonymous on 03 Jun 10 - Cached
  • anonymous on 03 Jun 10
     
    Teachers TeacherPrep
Benjamin Caulder

Culturally Relevant Teaching by James C Jupp - 0 views

www.mcreview.com/...culturally.pdf

Student Voice power Discourse

shared by Benjamin Caulder on 13 Sep 10 - No Cached
  • Benjamin Caulder on 13 Sep 10
     
    I am reading this in my CI 151 class. An actual teacher who is concerned with student voice and making his class relevant to his students. Good description of his classroom and 'success' story.
Mallorie Fagundes

Thomas: Stop focusing on SAT - Editorial Columns - TheState.com - 4 views

www.thestate.com/...omas-stop-focusing-on-sat.html

shared by Mallorie Fagundes on 22 Oct 10 - No Cached
    • Benjamin Caulder
      Benjamin Caulder on 22 Oct 10
       
      A look at the SAT and why we shouldn't use it, hint: He argues against its credibility.
    • Stephanie Flores
      Stephanie Flores on 26 Oct 10
       
      Interesting... I don't see how colleges will agree with this statement. From my understanding colleges want students with higher scores and GPAs since that makes their overall numbers appealing to the state and other students wanting to attend. I believe that the goal is contradicting, but I also think that colleges becoming SAT optional won't be passed.
    • Benjamin Caulder
      Benjamin Caulder on 29 Oct 10
       
      I agree, I don't think colleges will give up on SATs, especially after reading Shor today. It doesn't mean that they shouldn't though. The SAT isn't a reliable exam for all college bound students as is so heavily biased towards the middle to upper middle class students.
    • Stephanie Flores
      Stephanie Flores on 26 Oct 10
       
      I don't agree with this at all. GPAs are subjective. Just like in one of the articles that we read in class, students learn how to "do school" and get grades that don't reflect their true understanding of the curriculum. I don't believe that the SAT should be banned because more students are encouraged to take it. Isn't that what we want to do for students, encourage them to their full potential even if they may not be NASA material? Also, poverty has and always will be an issue in the education system. This is not ground breaking news. Maybe if we encourage those with low SES to achieve higher standards they will in turn succeed in school.
    • Mallorie Fagundes
      Mallorie Fagundes on 29 Oct 10
       
      Keep in mind that he is only suggesting that SC not have the SAT anymore...so what I am wondering is if a student from SC wants to go to an out-of-state school, wouldnt that students have to adhere to that particular school's standards?? It doesnt really make sense, unless each college starts to have their "own" SAT, kind of like an entrance exam? I agree that students can learn how to "do school" and get by, but honestly as a student who had over a 4.0 in high school as I am sure most others in our class did as well, it is pretty difficult to fake your way through four years with straight A's without picking up something.
    • Benjamin Caulder
      Benjamin Caulder on 29 Oct 10
       
      That is what I got from that as well. Overall, I thought the idea was interesting. I also think that it would have a lot of merit if classrooms were actually like what we have been reading about (as the ideal, where teachers don't have to read a script) since GPA would be a fairer indicator of academic achievement that a SES biased exam like the SAT.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • The pool of students taking the SAT 20 years ago, before we began to encourage more students to take the test, was a unique population that was more elite than the normal distribution of students.
    • Mallorie Fagundes
      Mallorie Fagundes on 29 Oct 10
       
      I wonder why he considers students taking the test 20 years ago "elite"? If more students are encouraged to take the SATs today, wouldnt that make today's group more diverse??
    • Mallorie Fagundes
      Mallorie Fagundes on 29 Oct 10
       
      What is "normal distribution"?
Elvira Ledezma

Common Core Standards Initiative - Year 2010 (CA Dept of Education) - 0 views

www.cde.ca.gov/...yr10rel67.asp

shared by Elvira Ledezma on 06 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • articulated staircasing of student skills will help accelerate improvement in student performance and close the achievement gap," he said.
  • The rigorous, internationally competitive common core standards will help better prepare California students for success in the increasingly competitive global economy," O'Connell said.
  • By adopting such the common core standards, California can choose to look to the future and build upon what is the best of our own current – and considerable — standards with the best of what other states and high-performing countries offer their students.
Elvira Ledezma

The Answer Sheet - Will new standards mean better-educated kids? -- Willingham - 0 views

voices.washingtonpost.com/...new-standards-mean-better.html

shared by Elvira Ledezma on 08 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • Almost all states climbed on board the common standards train when the commitment required no more than a statement of interest. Interest was sustained by the promise of Race to the Top money. As the conductor comes around requesting payment (that is, real changes loom) states are beginning to jump.
  • commonly known as No Child Left Behind, requires that states adopt the standards in order to get access to 14.5 billion in federal funds.
  • We also need (1) a curriculum that implements the standards; (2) professional development for teachers; (3) lesson plans that implement the curriculum.
Justin Norris

CAHSEE Summary Reports 2004-2009 (CA Dept of Education) - 0 views

cahsee.cde.ca.gov/summaryreports2010.asp

CAHSEE Reports Education Ethnicity

shared by Justin Norris on 28 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Justin Norris on 28 Oct 10
     
    Through this CA Dept of Education website, one can view the statistics of the CAHSEE (separated by ethnicity) and the percentage changes from 2004 to 2010.
ameia sarkisian

Censorship and Banned Books in Schools - 5 views

712educators.about.com/...bookbanning.htm

shared by ameia sarkisian on 03 Nov 10 - Cached
  • ameia sarkisian on 03 Nov 10
     
    Banning books in the high school classroom... What constitutes a banned book? Who gets to decide what books are banned?
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Ashley Muniz on 05 Nov 10
     
    Too many people think that the world should revolve around their children that schools should only teach the things that align with their values. While wanting to protect your kids is fine, I believe that people often take things to far. I can understand banned books in private religious schools but not in the public school system. Unfortunately we live in a time when you have to be overly careful with what you say and do because you might offend someone and its getting ridiculous.Any book can be deemed offensive by a reader so does that mean we should ban all books just to avoid conflict?
  • ameia sarkisian on 05 Nov 10
     
    I totally agree! I also see the reasons behind banning books in religious schools, but I still can't bring myself to agree with it. banning is a really strong word... I think maybe "screening" or sending permission slips home, or warning students and parents of the content of certain books. On a side note, I went through nine years of private catholic education and never once was I told that I couldn't read something. In fact Steinbeck, Saroyan and other books that I've noticed on several banned-books lists were part of our curriculum.
  • Ryan Williams on 19 Nov 10
     
    I read your article and it amazes me how many known books are now considered inappropriate to be taught in the classroom. I guess my question is when a book is too inappropriate to be taught. I am of course assuming the lower the grade of the students the more controversial it is to break away from the set course of what they should be reading. It is strange how some books are now considered inappropriate when in the past they would be held as literature and how some banned books are now appropriate. Also, are children now unable to read books that might not be appropriate simply because the parents believe it to be? Should students be restricted in what they read? I guess eventually the banned books list will continue to grow until most people are happy or they will make different version of "The Hungry Caterpillar". Oh also did you see the new banned book that just recently came out, "The Pedophile s Guide To Love and Pleasure A Child Lover". What are you views on this new addition to the banned books pile? Honestly I don't see how this book could be taught in school unless in Criminology class.
  • ameia sarkisian on 19 Nov 10
     
    I'm very hesitant to ever say that a book should be banned. It goes against our most basic constitutional beliefs of freedom of expression, and it prompts the questions "who get to decide the criteria for a banned book?" and "how far are we willing to go with nixing books off the list just to please some people?" HOWEVER if ever there were a book that I would recommend be nixed, it would definitely be a book for teaching pedophiles how to best prey on children. That's just ridiculous. I don't think a book like that would ever be able to make it into any sort of a classroom curriculum.
Jennifer Flores

Teachers fight scripted curriculum - SFGate - 1 views

articles.sfgate.com/...chool-districts-middle-schools

While many compromise by using an anthology these teachers fight for novels.

shared by Jennifer Flores on 19 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • Jennifer Flores on 19 Nov 10
     
    This article is about teachers who are fighting for literature in the classroom.
  • Ryan Williams on 19 Nov 10
     
    wow this article really makes me reconsider becoming a teacher. In fact this was a nightmare of mine, teaching no complete books and novels. How can students question texts critically if they cannot even finish the book. I find this new age teaching style insanely counterproductive because like the article stated some text provide a spark for the students to begin to question critically. If we continue to only use sections of full texts then the students are missing out on more possible discussion. The future seems darker for not only the students but for the teachers that once had to read a whole book and think.
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