Is it really possible that the DOE is spending 30 million dollars on home instruction for 183 students?
This can't be correct, I hope someone corrects me.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
The Economist: Wrong About Money
An article in the Economist states, "Education spending in America has increased to $9,000 per student today, versus $4,300 in 1971 (adjusted for inflation), yet math and reading scores in the country have both flatlined."
It interesting to cite this fact then point to the Harlem Children's Zone charter school as an example of a school that works. HCZ charter school spends far more per student than any traditional public school. There are two certified teachers in most classrooms. Class sizes are very small and students have access to an incredible network of social services through HCZ. If you are trying to make the point that money will not solve the problem's in education, this charter school actually proves the opposite.
Before you can educate poor urban youth, you need to address basic needs. Do they have food, clean clothes, health care and a safe home? School and learning doesn't happen until those basic needs are addressed. Geoffrey Canada recognizes this and provides those services to the children living in the HCZ. Its a great model, but who is going to pay for it? Goldman Sachs doesn't fund everyone's school.
It interesting to cite this fact then point to the Harlem Children's Zone charter school as an example of a school that works. HCZ charter school spends far more per student than any traditional public school. There are two certified teachers in most classrooms. Class sizes are very small and students have access to an incredible network of social services through HCZ. If you are trying to make the point that money will not solve the problem's in education, this charter school actually proves the opposite.
Before you can educate poor urban youth, you need to address basic needs. Do they have food, clean clothes, health care and a safe home? School and learning doesn't happen until those basic needs are addressed. Geoffrey Canada recognizes this and provides those services to the children living in the HCZ. Its a great model, but who is going to pay for it? Goldman Sachs doesn't fund everyone's school.
The Case Against Merit Pay
By all accounts, even my own, merit pay seems to make sense. If someone has better performance than someone else, pay them more. Unfortunately, the research doesn't support merrit pay as a tool to increase performance. Below is a great video about the use of money as an incentive and here is one of my favorite blogs addressing the same question.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Charter School Agenda
Below is an excerpt of an email conversation between NYC School Chancellor Joel Klein and Harlem Success Academy CEO Eva Mustquit.
Just in case there were any doubts that charter schools are specifically designed to union bust/replace traditional public schools, here is what she wrote to pal Joel Klien.
"We plan to open our last 3 in Harlem in august 2010 and then move to Bronx,"... "With 27 charters in Harlem [counting other non-Harlem Success charter schools] we will have market share and will have fundamentally changed the rules of the game."
Just in case there were any doubts that charter schools are specifically designed to union bust/replace traditional public schools, here is what she wrote to pal Joel Klien.
"We plan to open our last 3 in Harlem in august 2010 and then move to Bronx,"... "With 27 charters in Harlem [counting other non-Harlem Success charter schools] we will have market share and will have fundamentally changed the rules of the game."
The Post's First Negative Article about Charter Schools
This morning hell froze over and pigs were flying.
The NY Post owned by charter school proponent Rupert Murdoch, wrote its first negative artilce about charter schools.
The focus was on the DOE progress reports which is an attempt by the New York City Department of education to assign each school a letter grade based on student performance. According to the article in the Post, public schools scored 10 percent higher on average than charter schools.
This puts Joel Klien, New York City public school chancellor and charter school proponent in a difficult situation. Either admit that your scoring system doesn't work and you have wasted millions of dollars, or admit that chater schools are not the answer to education reform.
Joel did what anybody in that position would do - he left town.
The NY Post owned by charter school proponent Rupert Murdoch, wrote its first negative artilce about charter schools.
The focus was on the DOE progress reports which is an attempt by the New York City Department of education to assign each school a letter grade based on student performance. According to the article in the Post, public schools scored 10 percent higher on average than charter schools.
This puts Joel Klien, New York City public school chancellor and charter school proponent in a difficult situation. Either admit that your scoring system doesn't work and you have wasted millions of dollars, or admit that chater schools are not the answer to education reform.
Joel did what anybody in that position would do - he left town.
A Heartless Lottery
"My own particular, narrow wrath was focused on the ritual at the heart of the movie, where parents and kids sit nervously in an auditorium, holding their lottery numbers while somebody pulls out balls and announces the lucky winners of seats in next fall’s charter school class. The lucky families jump up and down and scream with joy while the losing parents and kids cry. In some of the lotteries, there are 20 heartbroken children for every happy one.
Charter schools, please, stop. I had no idea you selected your kids with a piece of performance art that makes the losers go home feeling like they’re on a Train to Failure at age 6. You can do better. Use the postal system."
-Gail Collins New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/opinion/30collins.html
Charter schools, please, stop. I had no idea you selected your kids with a piece of performance art that makes the losers go home feeling like they’re on a Train to Failure at age 6. You can do better. Use the postal system."
-Gail Collins New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/opinion/30collins.html
Why do hedge funds support charter schools?
Why do charter schools enjoy the support of hedge funds, Walmart, and Rupert Murdoch?
At first I thought the only reason was the ideology of privatization, but an article by Juan Gonzalez makes more sinister connections.
Some investment banks are using tax credits for school construction to double there money in 7 years.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/05/07/2010-05-07_albany_charter_cash_cow_big_banks_making_a_bundle_on_new_construction_as_schools.html
At first I thought the only reason was the ideology of privatization, but an article by Juan Gonzalez makes more sinister connections.
Some investment banks are using tax credits for school construction to double there money in 7 years.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/05/07/2010-05-07_albany_charter_cash_cow_big_banks_making_a_bundle_on_new_construction_as_schools.html
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