Change.org's Education Blog

New Ed Tech Director Appointed, But is She too Close to Business?

Mike Smith — 2009-11-06T09:42:00-08:00

Educational technology has a new leader, coming from one of the most well respected, and education-fond corporations out there. Following months of rumor and anticipation is has been announced that former Apple executive Karen Cator will lead education technology initiatives at the Department of Eduction.

She outlined here philosophy by explaining "We need to craft an entirely new research agenda around this issue so people can’t write that technology doesn’t work. We know it works...but we need to get good at saying and articulating what exactly technology can do” reports EdWeek. Cator used to be a teacher, and was formerly technology director in Alaska, but some critics fear that she isn't so concerned with skills, but most interested in inserting the concerns of business into schools.

Off to a quick start, the Department of Edcuation is asking for your help to update the National Technology Plan, and what direction it should take under the leadership of Karen Cator. Submit you suggestions: "What would you like to see considered in the National Educational Technology Plan?"

Photo credit: Extra Ketchup

Let Kids Run the Banks To Educate Them for the 21st Century

Mike Smith — 2009-11-05T17:08:00-08:00

Educating children is changing. It must change. Computing literacy and learning about the digital world is crucial, but kids also need to be geared to be literate in solving problems, thinking creatively and collaborating. Arithmatic, reading and writing are no longer sufficient skills for the US to able to compete globally. New Hampshire Public Radio explain how schools are preparing their students for the 21st century by building these skills, partnering with multinational corporations and local business to develop a new modern curricula.

The curricula of The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is being implemented in 14 schools. They've determined that most schools and policy makers are too focused on an old model: mastery of four core subjects. They think that's not enough for success: global competence, civic engagement and financial literacy are now just as important.

It's done in math by teaching the subject in a wider context - linking it to business practices and giving students more basic financial skills. Partnerships are made with credit unions, and students have in some schools then set up their own branches to understand marketing, finance, and in turn teaching younger schools by operating a bank-in-school program for middle and elementary schools. These skills are crucial, and can be easily layered on top of currents subjects to create a more rounded, specific, and engaging curricula, so a students will never ask "Why am I being taught this, it'll never be any use."

Photo credit: Pfala

American School Boards – Abolish or Improve?

Anne Foster — 2009-11-04T13:32:00-08:00

Public schools in the United States continue to be governed by appointed or elected school boards – except in cases of takeovers and charter schools that report directly to states. But some seem to be asking if school boards are relevant in today’s world. Often there is no mention of them in national conversation about school reform. Other times, there is prominent mention of them in the headlines because of bad governing skills and just plain bad behavior. And yet school boards continue to set policy, to hire and fire superintendents, and to manage huge amounts of taxpayer money. Can we really afford to ignore them? How can we insure effective school boards?

For starters, public schools belong to the public. The public either elects their school board members or elects a Mayor who appoints them. Either way, school boards represent their communities in the oversight of their schools. In this way, the local school board remains the heart of the democratic process and possibly the purest form of public service. Local communities should continue to have the right to govern their own schools – to lose that would be to lose public support for public schools.

School board members should spend time out in the community talking with parents and citizens about their dreams for their children and the kind of schools they want. In spite of all the challenges facing schools today, school boards should try to deliver on those dreams. The first way to deliver is to make sure the right superintendent is in place. Then school boards must insure proper roles and let the superintendent run the school district. Micro-managing should not be tolerated by either other board members or by the community. School boards can create a culture among themselves that doesn’t tolerate inappropriate behavior by individual members. School board members have to understand that regardless of their individual professional expertise, their role is to oversee the superintendent, whose role it is to run the day-to-day operations.

It is true that school board members come with varying degrees of knowledge about education issues. But they can do their homework in order to stay abreast of policy, legal, and financial issues, while relying on professional educators for their opinions and recommendations. They should also take advantage of state and national school board training hours and should get more than the minimum legal requirements. They should communicate effectively with the superintendent, the public, and each other. They should set measurable goals for staff and then hold them accountable for those goals. They should take public input on policy and listen to the community – then try to reach consensus on what best serves the schools.

School board members must be the prime advocates for public education in their communities. They should speak to Rotary Clubs, homeowner associations, civic clubs, and other groups to explain the challenges, issues, and accomplishments of public schools – all the while challenging them to support public education. They must continually remind citizens about the benefits of quality public schools – a better workforce, a stronger economy, more appreciation for the arts and humanities, better citizens and voters, and a community that draws people to want to live there.

School boards should respect each other even while disagreeing, because after all – the same process put each of them in that position. They may be individuals with different opinions, but they should wrestle the issues and come together for the sake of students, teachers, and schools. Shame on people who serve on school boards for all the wrong reasons and who make it all about their personal agenda. But while some school boards’ antics make us shudder and are enough to make us sometimes want to abolish school boards, I have seen no system I would want to replace them with. The solution is to work towards school boards that represent the best of our communities and who will be champions for America’s children and her noble plan to provide quality public education.

Time for a disclaimer now … I was a school board member for nine years in an urban/suburban school district in Texas that had 35,000 students, changing demographics, shrinking financial resources, and increased state and federal accountability measures that were often in conflict with each other Sound like disaster? It wasn’t, and the reason it wasn’t is the recipe given here for an effective school board. My fellow school board members learned our lessons together. This is not a simple recipe, and it takes time, commitment, and an unwavering belief that all children deserve a quality public education.

Leaving school boards out of the education reform conversation is not a good idea. They still govern our schools districts and should be fully engaged in the education reform dialogue. Citizens should make sure they have school boards that reflect the quality they want to see in their schools – even if it means they offer themselves to serve on their school board!

Photo credit: Matt McGee

Arts Focused Education is Essential to Develop Attention, Cognition, Self-Control Skills

Mike Smith — 2009-11-03T13:17:00-08:00

We're constantly hearing about how poor math and science education is — poor results, falling behind the rest of the world, not producing enough scientists who can help us compete on the world stage and, most importantly, become the next generation of astronauts. But travels to Mars aside, all this talk draws our attention away from the role art plays in education.

Michael Posner and Brenda Patoine don't believe art's effects are solely calming or inspirational, they argue that art training improves cognition, and strengthens the brain's attention networks. As we learned recently it's the ability to pay attention, avoid distraction and demonstrate self-control (so called "executive attention networks") that are crucial to a student's potential for future academic success, necessitating the need for role-play at young age to develop young brains. So if there's any substance to Posner and Patoine's claims, we must take seriously and expand drama and art training. No wonder the Greeks were so smart.

Posner and Patoine contend that their neuroscientific claim isn't actually all that controversial "within the context of what we call activity-dependent plasticity, a basic tenet of brain function." Solid data is increasingly emerging, and its results may lead to the conclusion that more than anything, children need balance in their curricula. Drilling them with math-tests and spelling bees may help improve test-scores and look good to parents and politicians, but making them better rounded human-beings, able to pay attention and demonstrate a high-level of sustained cognition, isn't so respected — that is a fact that I can't get my head around.

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Michelle Rhee Skirts the Law, Lays off Teachers

Mike Smith — 2009-11-02T09:14:00-08:00

Michelle Rhee is again causing controversy in D.C., "skirting the law by deciding unilaterally to lay off teachers and staff," reports the Washington Post. It was either do this or trim summer school programs — $9 million dollars needed to be saved from the budget. It's a decision that is leading to a lawsuit and has already seen protesters out in the street.

Rhee choose to ignore a council directive to cut summer school initiatives, coming up against a potential mayoral contenders for next year, D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray. He's shocked by her decision, explaining "Why bother to have a legislative body if the people in the executive branch do whatever they choose because they don't like the decision of the legislative body?" Chancellor Rhee is making some progress in terms of test scores and enrollment, but she simply explained "Change is hard," when testifying under oath.

There's a clear theme and philosophy that I see between this news and an Atlantic profile a year ago: Rhee's contention that she's making the changes that schoolchildren need, choosing to represent their interests rather that interests and wants of adults. Improving test scores and enrollment demonstrates progress, but at what cost?

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Bill Gates: The Real Secretary of Education?

Mike Smith — 2009-10-30T11:18:00-07:00

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are well known for their work funding a wide variety of global health and agricultural programs, but what might be less well known is their work supporting U.S. education. Last year, Gates agreed to give 15 states $250,000 with which they could prepare fantastic grant proposals that would help them wow states into giving them federal stimulus money. Some states were left out of the bounty, which would make them less likely to receive Race to The Top Funds. Last month, Gates agreed to fund all states as long they agreed to the Foundation's reform-minded checklist.

But it's not just occasional proposal-minded grants that the Gates foundation distributes, but around $200 million annually to improve public schools. The Foundation have had such success that Education Secretary Arne Duncan appointed two of his team from the Foundation.

Some ponder whether Gates' influence on states, — forcing them to sign up to his foundation's reform minded agenda — makes him "The Real Secretary of Education," and by moving from education investment to investing in shaping education policy, he's cetainly cosying up to the Obama administration. For those supporting Duncan's measures, the Gates Foundation is a good ally to have onside. Those opposed will be wondering whether it's appropriate for a private foundation to working so closely with the government — especially since, as a private foundation, the Gates Foundation doesn't have to disclose how it spends its money.

Photo credit: UN Photo/Ryan Brow

Sesame Street, Einstein, Disney and How Young is Too Young to Teach?

Mike Smith — 2009-10-29T12:03:00-07:00

Forty years ago, on November 10, 1969, the first episode of Sesame Street was broadcast — "televised preschool" created by educators, experts in child development and officials at the Carnegie and Ford foundations. It was often close to controversy with everyone from feminists to conservatives complaining about certain aspects. Someone from the BBC even went as far as calling it 'a form of 'indoctrination' with 'authoritarian aims'," reports Reason Magazine. They contrast Sesame Street's success and popularity with the recent Baby Einstein "educational" DVDS, summing up that they'd be better known as "Baby Warhol."

There of course has been a backlash against Disney's Baby Einstein DVDs, with refunds now being offered. President Bush backed the maker of the DVDs but pediatricians explained that kids shouldn't be watching TV at all at such a young age (0-2). Indeed some fear it may in fact be harmful for under-2s to watch any television. Disney is now refunding money on its DVDs with the "tacit admission that they did not increase infant intellect." Making false claims of genius doesn't help parents make informed choices about when is a good time to begin education, especially not when it goes against the commonsense to keep very young children away from television. Meanwhile, Kid TV watching is at an all-time high!

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Bronx Principal Juked The Stats For Bonus

Mike Smith — 2009-10-28T18:41:00-07:00

A high-school principal in the Bronx who was given a $25,000 bonus to turn around a failing school changed students' grades and turned the school in a "diploma mill". Teachers have accused the principal of passing students who failed, and giving student two credits for a class that only deserved one. Changing grades wouldn't usually cause such outrage, when it's done for the right reason, but many students passed through the school without doing the extra work or getting high enough grades in other subjects to justify a passing grade.

Teachers initially passed the information through the official channels but when the Office of Special Investigations failed to get back to the teachers after a number of months, they approached independent news source Gotham Schools with the story. Out of four of the teaches who made the accusations, three have now moved to charters.

One teacher explained to Gotham Schools that this wasn't a case of a principal being helpful: "I would bend over backwards to help a kid or a teacher. But why would a person think it’s acceptable to take a 45 and make it a 65?" This of course raises similar problem involved in performance related pay — should earnings ever be geared towards students' academic sucess? Some would say in a way they two are already linked, but linking them even closer may be asking for trouble.

Photo credit: Eva Wisten

Teachers Demand Better Evaluation System Built With Their Input

Mike Smith — 2009-10-27T12:09:00-07:00

A team of teachers across the U.S. teamed up this summer, collobarating to develop recommendations for a smarter evaluation system. The teachers suggest more 'objective' measures of student achievement, asking also for more support in "Policy 2.0: Using Open Innovation to Reform Teacher Evaluation Systems." They want a system that helps attract and retain teachers, and put America's schools back on top internationally. But how much should teachers be involved in the testing of themselves?

The report was put together by non-profit Hope Street Groups, and they explains that in K-12 education any teacher evaluation system should have the input of teachers and administrators and not solely come from researchers and policymakers. Their specific recommendations include the suggestion that evaluation systems should be frequently revised, that teaching advocates need to be involved in this process, and that any in-class observations for assessment must be done by teachers with sufficient experience.

Hope Street is hoping to pilot their recommendations across ten educations systems in the coming years, whilst building a network of reform-minded teachers who can be engaged in continuing policy development.

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Scholastic Book Fairs Ban Books Feature Same-Sex Parents

Mike Smith — 2009-10-26T10:20:00-07:00

Scholastic have banned "Luv Ya Bunches," a book that features a character who has two lesbian moms from its book fairs. Worse than Scholastic deciding to support discrimination, it suggested that the book would be allowed, but only if the author edited it to change the story to give the character heterosexual parents. Michael Jones on the Gay Rights blog explains, "Same-sex families shouldn't be edited out of books simply to pacify a minority of anti-gay voices." By banning the book Scholastic side with profits and discrimination rather than allow schools and parents to make the decisions themselves.

This comes only a few week after Banned Books Week which provides a yearly reminder of what books have been banned over the past year — often for ridiculous reasons: Harry Potter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Catcher in the Rye have experienced censorship in the past. (Check out a map of the latest banned books.) We must remember all the wonderful books banned in the past, now revered as great, and always preserve freedom to read — it must not be up to anyone but parents to decide what should be considered objectionable.

Take Action and tell Scholastic to stop censoring books.

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In Education Reform We See The Real Change That Was Promised

Mike Smith — 2009-10-24T08:37:00-07:00

We’re not close to reaching the educational Promised Land, but we may be at the start of what Rahm Emanuel calls The Quiet Revolution.

These the words of NYT op columnist David Brooks. No, he's not joining birther-teabaggers, but agreeing that one place where President Obama's administration is showing the real change that it promised is in education. Brooks explains that despite fears that education reform would be watered down and wouldn't be able to stand up the power of the teachers-unions, real progress is being made. Across the political spectrum reformers, Bill Clinton, and Jeb Bush have all been impressed by how the Obama administration has held the line to incite reform.

Caps are being raised on charter schools nationwide, and now "reformers know more about how to build charters and the research is showing solid results." Duncan is making progress with the unions too, with Brooks explaining "The American Federation of Teachers recently announced innovation grants for performance pay ideas."

But Mike Rose writing at TruthDig isn't so convinced, fearing "within many of these reforms are the seeds of their undoing." He fears magic-bullet solutions like charter schools and linking student-scores to test scores, and whilst glad to see school-reform a national priority, he fears that tarring dissenting voices with the "anti-reform" or "special interests" brush isn't helping. Change is happening, but Rose wants everyone to continually assess whether this is the right kind of change at the right speed.

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Ex-Cop Who Replaced Arne Duncan Turning Around Chicago's Schools

Mike Smith — 2009-10-23T16:37:00-07:00

The man who has replaced Arne Duncan running Chicago's City Schools is Ron Huberman, a gay, Israeli born, ex-police officer who was plucked out of middle-management obscurity by Mayor Daley. Now, he's controlling Chicago's public school system's $5 Billion dollars, and looking after the interests of 400,000 students. He's only 37, and in a city worried the safety of their school children, he's winning a lot of support.

The Chicago Mag present him as an "uber-technocrat" who likes to analyse data and measure whatever can be measured. He's one of Mayor Daley's loyalists with David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel, and Michele Obama having cut their teeth working for the mayor. Not afraid to take action, he has closed under-performing schools, and he subjects charters schools to tough standards.

Huberman has tripled the number of year round schools, and those who hear him speak are surprised by his intelligent ability to combine consultant speak with a wow! factor. He's optimistic that the school system can be turned around just like any organization, but with a substantial deficit and student violence in Chicago a problem we've recently discussed, it's clear that he's got a fight on his hands.

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Hawaii Forced to Cut School Year by 20% to Save Money

Mike Smith — 2009-10-22T16:29:00-07:00

All of Hawaii's 256 public schools have been forced to move to a four-day week due to the continuing effects of the economic crisis on school budgets. Tomorrow, schools will be closed for all 171,000 students, and the closures will last for at least two years. This will cause the loss of 17 days of teaching. The kids may celebrate two years of long weekends, but it's bad news for parents who will be forced to find alternative arrangements for their children.

This makes the Department of Education's plans to lengthen the school year sound crazy — where will the money come from if states are already struggling? Hawaii is one of the states that would really benefit from reform and investment with the state finding itself 47th in reading and mathematics scores amongst eight-graders. They'll be hoping President Obama steps in to solve the problem, considering that he graduated from one of Hawaii's top private high schools.

Parents have already filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of the 171,000 students, but with teachers agreeing that the move was necessary, does this put the teachers and parents at odds with one another? Jack Jennings, president of the Washington-based Center on Education Policy explained that its the kids who will suffer most from 20 percent fewer school days: "The less time spent on a task, the less likely it is that you're going to achieve."

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Stimulus Saves Education Jobs, But Should Reform Have Been Prioritized?

Mike Smith — 2009-10-21T06:54:00-07:00

Following the recent announcement that the stimulus has created or saved 250,000 education jobs, some are skeptical about the benefits of the investment. Andrew Smarick asks whether the investment should have been spent on innovation rather than maintaining the status quo, "This of course may be good for grown-ups, but it’s not so hot for America’s schoolchildren."

But that's not the most important thing he sees, making the point that this particular part of the stimulus is the first time the administration has claimed to be using funds not just to safeguard jobs but to advance reform. Though he doesn't see the data to support this claim that reform is even happening apart from in few anecdotes. Indeed, Michele McNeil at EdWeek argues that most of the money so far is getting schools up to the status quo. And a report from the American Association of School Administrators found "many of the dollars are simply backfilling budget holes, limiting the ability of districts to implement innovative reform."

Detailed data from the Washington Post does agrees that most of the funds went for school aid. "The largest share of the $67 billion ... went straight to states to shore up teetering budgets ... About $30 billion in education aid from the stimulus law remains unspent, including $5 billion earmarked for school reform."

Yes, reform is part of the package, but it isn't intended to be the main priority. The hope it just that schools will move towards reform, and eventually beyond the status quo. But the budget holes have to be plugged before that can happen.

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Teach For America is Vulnerable to Union Protests But Can Provide Unique Teachers

Mike Smith — 2009-10-20T08:46:00-07:00

Getting college graduates to teach in high-need classrooms has long been criticized for a way to replacing costly and experienced teacher with younger, cheaper, under-prepared teachers. The Boston Teachers Union recently filed a complaint that their contract deal has few of the benefits that Teach For America teachers enjoy (though some TFA teachers are in the union.)

The superintendent of Boston schools agreed that the preferential contract for TFA teachers was unfair. But that's not the end of it explains Chadwick Matlin, he says "The Boston union’s victory is a potential bellwether for the rest of the country." With teacher unions keen to protect jobs it's expected that similar complaints will be filed nationwide. But TFA continues to grow, filling 10-30 percent of new teacher positions, with its program hugely oversubscribed — 35,000 applications for 4,100 positions. Stimulus funds won't last for ever, and TFA may continue to come into indirect conflict with the unions as the money runs out and cheaper teachers are sought.

But of course, TFA students aren't always college graduates who's lack of experience is a problem. We recently heard of a Navy submarine commander now working in Indianapolis. And this week the Times featured a profile of Tom Dunn who went from working with death-row inmates (Troy Davis was one of his former clients) to teaching at Martin Luther King Jr School in Atlanta, explaining “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

Some explain that teachers who go through TFA programs struggle to deal with more complicated problems in the classroom such as learning difficulties, but Tom Dunn chose to specialize in helping these exact students. Though he's likely the exception to the rule, he and the program should be applauded. And the more applications TFA can attract, the better.

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Stimulus Funds Create and Save 250,000 Education Jobs

Mike Smith — 2009-10-19T13:44:00-07:00

To fill gaps in education budgets and invest in reform, schools have been busy spending over $100 billion. The $100 billion dedicated to education investment is good news for teachers old and new, with as many as 250,000 jobs safeguarded and new positions created. Arne Duncan explained in a statement that innovation is happening alongside the investment: "Early feedback from states also tells us that many districts are using stimulus dollars in ways that will move us beyond the status quo."

Duncan and the Obama administration will be hoping that critical reforms pay off, as a true test of both their education and recovery policies. They're also hoping that the investment can keep class sizes down, with some schools using the money to ensure Math classes in particularly are prioritized and kept small to give more individual attention to students. A White House blog post explains: "It's always hard to step back and gauge the entire impact of the Recovery Act, but this is one area where the benefits to the country and our children are beyond dispute."

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Republican Demands Resignation of Obama's Safe Schools Official

Mike Smith — 2009-10-16T07:09:00-07:00

Republicans are demanding the resignation of someone Education Secretary Arne Duncan called "uniquely qualified for his job." Kevin Jennings, who is charged with promoting school safety is being targeted due to his sexuality, with the Republican Steve King leading the campaign saying “These are people on the fringe. And I think it is likely that there are others out there that are part of this administration."

And this is the problem: King isn't interested in Jennings' ability to do the job of making our schools safe, but simply spouts the vague Us Vs Them sort of bigotry that the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools is working to end. Indeed: "The only thing Jennings is guilty of is trying to make schools safer for children," with 90% of LGBT students having experienced bullying in the past year, explains Joe Mirabella for the Seattle PI.

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Teaching More About Climate Change Could Reinvigorate Science Education

Mike Smith — 2009-10-15T15:55:00-07:00

Earlier this year, a congressman in California thought it about time that children were taught more about climate change in school. Mike Honda, a former high school science teacher, introduced the "Global Warming Education Act," hoping that the bill would allow teachers access to a range of resources created by the National Science Foundation. Some would consider this to be a politically loaded issue — indeed the bill never made it past committee — but this isn't about political opinion. Siding with the best scientists of the best institutions around the world who all agree climate change is happening, is a serious threat, and that we're too blame, isn't a political viewpoint. It's a rational one.

Far from being something controversial, climate change, green technology, conservation and greenhouse gas reduction could inspire many kids to get involved in science — seeing the issue on the news everyday, and being able to relate the work they're doing to the real world. That's an opinion shared by education Prof. Randy McGinnis who explains that climate change "is becoming one of the most crucial science topics for this generation of young learners. When students see how scientific knowledge can be applied to decision-making about a specific issue like climate change, it makes the importance of science (and math) become apparent." Considering how desperately we need improvements in science and math education, climate change could be the incentive and inspiration teachers have been searching for.

(Today is Blog Action Day for Climate Change)

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Sweden's "Free Schools" Incentivize Innovation, Better Prepare Kids for Future

Mike Smith — 2009-10-14T14:46:00-07:00

When the economy recovers, graduates will breath a sign of relief, but will they have skills good enough to find work? Reihan Salam, a Schwartz Fellow at the New America Foundation, writes in Forbes that the offshoring of many services — including education — may leave a generation with the wrong skills for a domestic market that has offshored so much to countries with cheaper labor.

Salam suggests that this alone is reason enough to transform the education system in the U.S. to focus more on so called 'soft skills' like creativity, problem solving, and team-work, rather than more mechanical tasks that can be done on a calculator, or rote memorization, from afar.

He cites Sweden as an example of a country that's revolutionizing its schools. Anyone — parents, non profits, or for-profits — can set up schools that have more freedom and less standardization. So called "free schools" can experiment, and compete for students, with the profit motive of attracting students having the effect of incentivizing successful innovation. We don't necessarily need to go down the privatization route, and can keep them non-profit — but is working for a profit such a bad thing?

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Math Courses Suggest Rigor, But Scores Stagnating Since 1993

Mike Smith — 2009-10-12T12:58:00-07:00

American high schools are failing to educate their students in math and science. The long term trend in math skills has remained stationary since 1993 on one metric. And worse, similar international assessments show other countries improving in that time. "What American high school students know and what they can do in math have barely changed over the course of thirty years and not at all over the last fifteen," explained Mark Schneider. He argues that there's a delusion of rigor, with the grades attained on supposedly more complex courses not being reflected by an objective increase in skills.

It may be too late to regain ground internationally. Many are skeptical of comparing national and international standards, suggesting various methods and studies are flawed, but that doesn't negate the fact that every year that we fail to raise our test scores gives the rest of the world more time to catch up, or accelerate further into the distance.

Kenneth G Brill compares US failures on education to the Sputnik program — taking his cue from Thomas Freidman. But this time it's not just the Space Race that we're losing. "Unless we invest massively and now in math and science education ... we may find that we have eaten so much of our technology seed corn that we can't recover in time to win the upcoming energy race with China," he explains. Of course, this isn't just about China and the race to provide clean-energy, but the whole developing world finding themselves in a better position to challenge the U.S. with a new generation of smarter scientists.

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