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Kindling Flames
The Blog of GWU Education Policy Students

Proud of Their F

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

This article in the NYT today pointed out, at least to me, why disaggregation of test scores is such an important part of NCLB. While many of the wealthy white kids graduating from Princeton, NJ's, school system go on to top-tier universitites, there's a racial achievement gap that minority parents have been upset about for years. One can see why it's been a persistent problem, if sentiment like this is around:
In any case, there can be a tone of defensiveness, even smugness, among certain school leaders in Princeton. "We're proud of our F," said Lewis Goldstein, the assistant superintendent, referring to the contradiction between the district's overall success and its standing under No Child Left Behind. "It's as if you handed in your homework and the teacher handed it back and you got a 98 on it and an F. That's the situation we're in."
If Mr. Goldstein's child were Black or Brown, I wonder whether he'd be quite so proud of the F.

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College 2005 at The Atlantic Monthly


It's that time of year... The Atlantic Monthly's college issue. I haven't had a chance to sit down and read everything yet, but the stuff I have is thought provoking.

The one problem with The Atlantic is that you have to be a subscriber to read their online stuff. But here's a preview of what's there... may be worth tracking down a paper copy.

COLLEGE 2005 Does Meritocracy Work?
Not if society and colleges keep failing to distinguish between wealth and merit
by Ross Douthat

COLLEGE 2005 The Best Class Money Can Buy
The rise of the "enrollment manager" and the cutthroat quest for competitive advantage. The secret weapon: financial-aid leveraging
by Matthew Quirk

COLLEGE 2005 Is There Life After Rankings?
A report card from one college president, whose school now shuns the U.S. News ranking system—and has not only survived but thrived
by Colin Diver

COLLEGE 2005 What Does College Teach?
It's time to put an end to "faith-based" acceptance of higher education's quality
by Richard H. Hersh

COLLEGE 2005 You Are Not Alone
College newspapers discover the sex column
by Sheelah Kolhatkar

9:53 AM :: 0 comments ::

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Katrina=Vouchers?

Sunday, September 25, 2005

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on Bush's voucher plan?
For background see here (basically Bush is asking for one-year vouchers for hurricane victims to go to private or parochial schools)

Here's what i think...It's a brilliant move by Bush and the Republicans to get their voucher policies passed. The Democrats are going to have a hard time figuring out how to oppose it. (How do you say no to children who are victims of a natural disaster without looking evil). Proponents of the vouchers say it's only a one year thing. I, however, think that they are laying a foundation which can then be a spring board for a widespread voucher policy, thus ingraining the choice movement in federal legislation.

Regardless of your opinon on vouchers, does anyone else think this is totally shady? or not?

And, if you have a good strategy for the Democrats, eduwonk is looking for one where you can email your response to eduwonk@educationsector.org

11:50 PM :: 7 comments ::

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Battle Metaphor Revisited

Monday, September 12, 2005

Eduwonk's post about things education reformers could learn from counter-insurgency experts made me think, as it did Emily. To take the battle metaphor (scroll to the bottom of that link for the original post) further: a true "win the hearts and minds" strategy for education reform would realize that overarching federal goals need support on the ground in order to take hold.

I agree with Leigh that federal efforts at reform have often been "lost in the translation"--but I don't think we should use that historical fact to conclude that local reforms are the only or even the best way to produce lasting changes to the education system. In my mind, the general absence of national-level vision and leadership in the field of education largely contributes to the chaotic and wheel-spinning nature of ed reform in this country.

If our ultimate goal is to create a new education system--one that does a better job of producing equitable outcomes--I think we need two things. First, a strategic operation plan on the federal level (NCLB is a start), with someone practical and responsive in charge of marshalling the overall implementation effort (Spellings seems to be doing a better job than her predecessor in this regard). Second, and equally important, we must cultivate buy-in from the local foot soldiers of reform--the teachers and communities that ultimately enact the vision. As Eduwonk argues, the "oil-spot" strategy of developing strongholds of success could help break down pockets of resistance elsewhere: once we have some proof that a new system works better than the old, people may start to come around.

Eduwonk suggests reformers send in "troops" from TFA, New Leaders for New Schools, and Broad to help establish these successful strongholds. But if the analogy holds, the US Department of Ed is the military occupation of Iraq, reform saboteurs are the insurgency, and these organizations are the education policy equivalent of NGOs (particularly interesting, read the bit about the evolutionary stages of development NGOs. Looks a lot like how these ed organizations are developing!).

I've yet to decide what I think, but my question is this: if we're talking about creating larger systemic change, what are the implications of non-governmental actors taking a lead in the battle for the hearts and minds of the people on the ground?

A further point to consider: many of the reform hold-outs we're trying to win over also happen to be opposed to these organizations. Even if it was proven that alternative certification programs can consistently produce real, positive outcomes, would that be enough to win the approval of those bent on resisting substantial change?

12:11 PM :: 2 comments ::

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The School Year Must Go On

Thursday, September 01, 2005

I don't know if everyone is as riveted by the news following Hurricane Katrina as am I, but I can't seem to stop compulsively reading the paper. My heart goes out to anyone who has family members or friends directly affected.

With current estimates ranging anywhere from one month to 16 weeks until the water will be cleared out of New Orleans, nearly 20% of Louisiana's public school children will miss a significant chunk of their school year. The New York Times reports on Texas' generosity in opening its schools to storm refugees. Some colleges and universities are apparently reaching out to the hundred thousand college students who will most likely be displaced for the fall semester.

8:31 AM :: 0 comments ::

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