Build and Support

What states are doing to beef up civics education and engagement. https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/07/21/624267576/what-your-state-is-doing-to-beef-up-civics-education

Civics overhaul in Massachusetts nears completion. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2018/07/massachusetts_action_civics_projects_legislation.html?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=curriculummatters

Principals say they want coaching not compliance from the central office. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/District_Dossier/2018/07/principals_leadership_coaching_feedback.html

Learning Policy Institutes review of Bruce Baker’s research report on How Money Matters for public schools. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/how-money-matters-brief?utm_source=LPI+Master+List&utm_campaign=1819a0ddab-LPIMC_MoneyMatters_WholeChild_20180718&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7e60dfa1d8-1819a0ddab-42289731

AFT chronicles a decade of massive underfunding of public schools. https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/decade-of-neglect-2018.pdf

Diane Ravitch on how a problem based curriculum increases performance more then test prep. https://dianeravitch.net/2018/07/27/new-york-district-on-long-island-shows-that-problem-based-curriculum-produces-better-results-than-test-prep/

Fragmented curriculum shortchanges students. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2018/07/17/the-importance-of-asking-hard-questions-about-what-students-learn-in-school/?utm_term=.ce2431ad9017

Fordham’s report on the state of reading and writing instruction in the US. https://edexcellence.net/publications/reading-and-writing-instruction-in-americas-schools

Seven things research does and does not reveal about AP courses. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2018/07/19/seven-things-research-reveals-and-doesnt-about-advanced-placement/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.62a4c828cec8

 

Charter, Voucher, and Privatization Issues

Charter schools in Massachusetts temper “no excuses” approach. http://www.wbur.org/edify/2018/06/20/massachusetts-charter-schools-scores-discipline

Mercedes Schneider on the slowdown of growth of charter schools due to increased charter school closures. https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2018/07/18/uh-oh-net-charter-school-growth-slows-as-rate-of-charter-closures-increases/

Diane Ravitch on an insider’s view of the hoax of school choice in North Carolina. https://dianeravitch.net/2018/07/19/north-carolina-an-insider-on-the-hoax-of-school-choice/

Diane Ravitch on how the head of Ohio’s ECOT virtual charter chain embezzled millions, paid off legislators, and escaped the punishment due him. https://dianeravitch.net/2018/07/16/ecot-and-payoffs-to-ohio-politicians-how-to-avoid-any-accountability/

NYC’s Success Academy’s  tribulations—huge salary for Moscowitz https://dianeravitch.net/2018/07/16/nyc-charter-ceos-get-huge-paychecks/ and 70% of its high-school teachers https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2018/07/24/eva-moskowitzs-success-academy-high-school-faculty-70-gone-in-a-single-year/ left this year.

Thomas Ultican on how charters and vouchers ruined public education in Milwaukee. https://tultican.com/2018/07/23/end-of-public-schools-in-milwaukee/

Deutsch29 argues that the almost all-charter school district in New Orleans is not a better way to run schools. https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/almost-all-charter-new-orleans-not-a-better-way-to-run-schools/ and https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2018/07/20/do-not-follow-new-orleans-lead-on-charter-school-education/ See also https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2018/07/22/how-to-make-new-orleans-market-ed-reform-a-success-hide-rsd-failure-inside-an-opsb-rsd-data-blend/ and https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2018/07/17/16858/comment-page-1/#comment-9979

Jeff Bryant warns progressives about the renewed push for charter schools. http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/a-new-push-for-charter-schools-should-anger-progressives-heres-why/

After adjusting for income private school students do no better than their traditional public school counterparts. https://gadflyonthewallblog.com/2018/07/20/wealth-not-enrollment-in-private-school-increases-student-achievement-according-to-new-study/  Private schools’ enrollment is more affluent. https://www.educationnext.org/who-goes-private-school-long-term-enrollment-trends-family-income/

Tom Ultican on how privatization is invading the San Juaquin Valley https://tultican.com/2018/07/15/san-joaquin-valley-in-the-dpe-crosshairs/

Larry Cuban on how definitions of success have change over time. https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2018/07/28/yes-definitions-of-success-and-failure-in-schooling-have-changed-over-time-part-2/

 

Technology and Personalized Learning

Larry Cuban on the strengths and weaknesses of personalized learning. https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2018/07/17/personalized-learning-and-personalized-medicine-part-2/

Summit spreads its personalized learning curriculum. https://edsource.org/2018/charter-school-network-spreads-personalized-learning-model-nationwide/600198#utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email

 

Reform Foibles

Marc Tucker on the testing tragedy in the US. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/top_performers/2018/07/the_testing_tragedy.html?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=top_performers and how negative narratives not facts harm schools. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/top_performers/2018/07/how_stories_more_than_facts_shape_the_possibilities_for_education_reform.html?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=top_performers

NAACP now opposes high-stakes testing. https://cloakinginequity.com/2018/07/17/%e2%80%aabreaking-news-naacp-now-opposing-high-stakes-testing/

The sad story of the failure of the Tennessee Achievement School District. https://garyrubinstein.wordpress.com/2018/07/18/the-unsinkable-asd/

Carol Burris on the fiasco of the Gates teacher evaluation project. https://dianeravitch.net/2018/07/18/carol-burris-the-definitive-account-of-bill-gatess-disastrous-teacher-evaluation-project/

Rick Hess slams Arne Duncan’s tribute to “reforms” as lessons not learned. https://www.educationnext.org/arne-duncan-unlearned-lessons-how-schools-work-secretary-education-book-review/