Larry Cuban: Yes, Even Billionaires Face Dilemmas in Giving Money for School Reform

(Larry Cuban) While big foundations face many issues in giving money to reform U.S. schools, two dilemmas in grant-giving arise again and again.

The first dilemma involves foundations’ strategies to inject new ideas into urban districts to change the status quo: They can give money to urban districts for locally-designed programs (e.g., new technologies, coaches to execute an experimental reading curriculum, professional learning communities) and then hold their collective breath that these funded programs will make meaningful changes in classrooms. Or they can arm-wrestle (or jawbone or lure--pick your metaphor) those same educators into taking gobs of cash to put innovations into practice that altered districts elsewhere even when locals are uncertain the reforms will help them (e.g., small high schools, pay-for-teacher-performance plans, charters).

The second dilemma that big spending foundations (Gates, Broad, Walton, etc.) do not like to discuss publicly because it undermines their legitimacy as agents of school reform is accountability. Large foundations spend huge sums of money to advance their business-inspired versions of successful school reforms yet escape responsibility for errors in judgment. To whom are foundations responsible for funding one strategy over another if negative consequences flow from bad judgments? Voters? Parents? School boards? Mayors? The rest of the story...

Read more...

Duncan Deflects Civil Rights Groups' Criticism: You're 'Wrong'

(Michele McNeil) U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan defended the Obama administration's education reform agenda before the National Urban League today, declaring that some of the arguments being made to justify a new framework that several civil rights groups released on Monday were flat out wrong.

The Urban League, which joined at least six other civil rights groups in calling for Duncan to reverse course on Race to the Top, charter schools, and turnaround models for low-performing schools, welcomed him with open arms. They interrupted his 30-minute speech several times with applause. Hugh B. Price, the former president of the Urban League, even called the Obama-Duncan education agenda the "most muscular federal education policy I've ever seen," adding, "We've got your back."

This is a fairly dramatic about-face from the run-up to Monday's release of the highly critical framework, which was supposed to be unleashed with a public relations boom—complete with a press conference featuring prominent black leaders such as the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson calling for a new education direction. Instead, the whole thing fizzled, and left this blogger puzzled as to how strongly the groups still support their own framework. The rest of the story. . .

Read more...

You Can Help Overhaul No Child Left Behind

MEET WITH YOUR U.S. REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATORS IN AUGUST
TO OVERHAUL "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND"

For the past several months, Congressional committees have been quietly working to reauthorize federal requirements that mandate massive over-testing and the misuse of tests for major decisions about schools. As you know, the so-called "No Child Left Behind" law, the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) resulted in dumbed-down curriculum with schools becoming test prep programs but little progress in improving student learning or narrowing achievement gaps.

Your elected Senators and Representative must hear your voice NOW if we are to stop plans to make federal law worse and win positive benefits for our nation's children and their schools.

Congress will be in recess during most of August and the first half of September. Many members will be in their districts running for re-election and meeting with constituents. This is a critical time for supporters of assessment reform to visit with their Representatives and Senators.

The easiest way to do this is go to the website of your Representative or Senator, find the location(s) of their local offices, and call to set up an appointment. Push hard to meet with the elected official, not just staff.
- To find the name of your Rep., go to: http://www.votesmart.org. Enter your ZIP + 4 Code to get the most accurate information.

It is best to go as a small group, with each person prepared to focus on one or two points. Your delegation could include local educators, parents, civil rights leaders and community activists. Bring selected materials to hand out. FairTest recommends that you focus on the recommendations of the Forum on Educational Accountability. Prepare ahead of time to discuss the following points:


1. Provide for states to develop a three part assessment and evaluation system comprised of local and classroom-based assessments; limited large-scale, state-wide testing (e.g., once each elementary, middle, secondary); and a statewide school quality review.

2. Reject proposed requirements to evaluate teachers based on their student's standardized test scores.

3. Support approaches to improving schools that are backed by research and evidence; reject "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) and Duncan's "turnaround" proposals.
-see also FEA's report Redefining Accountability.

4. Fully fund ESEA Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B (IDEA); reject the use of Duncans' proposed competitive grants.
-see also FEA's Empowering Schools and Improving Learning

These recommendations and more have been made by the Forum on Educational Accountability and/or FairTest.

Also, please let FairTest know when you have set up a meeting and what resulted from it, by emailing monty@fairtest.org.


Monty Neill
Interim Executive Director

Bob Schaeffer
Public Education Director

PS: FairTest needs your financial support to keep up its work to overhaul federal law. Please make a donation by clicking HERE or sending a check to FairTest, 15 Court Square, Boston, MA 02108.

Read more...

Arizona Immigration Law Update

(moveon.org) Since you've been active in the effort to stop Arizona's anti-immigrant law, I wanted to share some important news: Yesterday, a federal judge blocked many of the worst parts of the new law from going into effect.1

The judge ruled that two components of the law—requiring immigrants to carry their papers at all times and requiring police to check the status of anyone they "reasonably" suspect is in the country illegally—should be put on hold until the courts sort out legal challenges.2

With the law set to go into effect today, this decision was critical. And the actions you and so many others have taken to challenge this shameful law definitely helped pave the way for this decision.

Of course, the fight isn't anywhere near over—the injunction is temporary and more court challenges are a certainty. In addition, other pieces of this terrible law went into effect today, so it's important we all keep fighting to permanently overturn the entire law.

But it's a great first step and an important signal that dangerous, racist laws like this won't be tolerated—a crucial message given that many other states are considering similar laws.3 And of course, all of us will continue to fight against the Arizona law, and for strong, comprehensive immigration reform.

Thanks for all you do.

–Kat, Duncan, Amy, Jeff, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Judge blocks parts of Arizona immigration law," The Associated Press, July 28, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89688&id=22128-17681590-0Pc1HOx&t=1

"BREAKING: Judge Keeps Key Parts of Arizona Law from Going Into Effect," America's Voice blog, July 28, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89690&id=22128-17681590-0Pc1HOx&t=2

2. "Judge blocks parts of Arizona immigration law," The Associated Press, July 28, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89688&id=22128-17681590-0Pc1HOx&t=3

"Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Challenging Arizona Immigration Law," ABC News, July 6, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89689&id=22128-17681590-0Pc1HOx&t=4

3. "Mapping the Spread of SB 1070," Colorlines, July 1, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89691&id=22128-17681590-0Pc1HOx&t=5

Read more...

The Billionaire's Club and Public School Reform

(Luis) Larry Cuban, in his latest blog, describes a common refrain in public education reform. Public schools are broken, and it is up to philanthropists and private entities to fix them. Here's an excerpt..


(Larry) In 1969, when I was director of the office of staff development for the Washington, D.C. schools, I applied for a grant of $10,000 from the Meyer Foundation for innovation awards to classroom teachers. I met with the Foundation officer, explained the rationale for the application (many teachers had designed classroom innovations that cost a few hundred dollars and short of digging into their own pockets, could not find the money to execute their design), and the process (teachers and a few administrators review applications and determine which ones deserved support).

Within a few weeks, I received a letter granting the office of staff development the funds. I was exhilarated that a local foundation had seen the merit of awarding teachers’ who redesigned parts of their daily practice. For several years the Meyer Foundation funded the Teacher Innovation Fund and then stopped. End of program.

Yes, that grant was peanuts today but I still remember vividly the joy I felt and recall clearly the excitement and satisfaction hundreds of D.C. teachers experienced when selected for awards in the few years the program existed. Since then, as a superintendent and professor I have been fortunate to have received many grants and have, over the years, learned a great deal about how big and small foundations work, the mindset they project onto the world of education, and the dilemmas facing foundations eager to improve U.S. schooling.

Let me first deal with the prevailing beliefs that U.S. schools are in crisis—a mindset essential for foundation grant-giving. Primary among those beliefs is the myth that all U.S. schools are broken and have to be fixed. Read the whole story...

Read more...

Changing the standards will not improve student achievement

Sent to the Mercury News, July 26, 2010
California's "stellar standards have failed to produce stellar students" because higher standards never result in higher achievement ("California could adopt national English, math standards," 7/25). California will always "languish near the bottom" on reading tests as long as it refuses to invest in libraries.
Dedicated readers have no trouble meeting the reading standards. Those who are not have no chance. These "skills" are not taught but are gradually absorbed through wide reading. For many children the only place to get books is the library.

Studies consistently show that school library quality and the presence of a credentialed librarian relate to reading achievement. California has the worst supported libraries in the US.

Susan Ohanian points out that providing rigorous standards to students without the means to meet them is like giving menus to starving people. Debating the content of the standards is simply discussing what will be on the menu.

Stephen Krashen

Read more...

The Literature Says, But We Don't React

Recently I received an ASCD Smartbrief. It is an online service that summarizes articles from various educational sources, and provides links to the full stories. In this issue, the following stories were included:

*Why the Gulf oil spill highlights the need to support science teaching
*More rigorous curriculum linked to higher test scores in Michigan
*College students teach younger children about leadership, love of learning
*Leadership is a key factor in school success, study shows
*Teaching, not laws, is the key to preventing school bullying

The fascinating thing about reading through the articles is that the information really isn't new. We understand the value of science instruction because we know that in addition to teaching subject matter content, it opens students' minds to worlds not experienced by most people. We agree that more rigorous curriculum leads to improved student achievement not only in Michigan, but across the country. We know that strong leadership is a key factor in any group endeavor. Finally, teaching, including the creating of safe, inclusive, and nurturing environments can prevent bullying and most other behavior problems in schools.

So if we know all of this, why do we keep reading about it in books, scientific journals, and blurbs on the evening news? I believe the main reason we continue to exploring these issues is that we haven't yet succeeded at implementing what research offers, experience teaches, or what our beliefs demand of us.

Better use of time could, instead, be dedicated to looking at the barriers that keep us from doing the right work, consistently. Why to we not teach more science, better? Why are we not more rigorous in our curriculum and our practice? Why are we, as leaders, not demanding more of ourselves, or others? Why is our teaching not inclusive of creating wholesome environments for student learning?

Read more...