Punishing Teachers for Test Scores

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Wednesday June 08, 2011 · 8:07 AM PDT

2011/06/08 · 08:07

Imagine your dog Goldy took an obedience class at Pets4Us. Goldy’s a friendly golden doodle that you’ve had since he was a puppy. At the end of the class he passes the test with flying colors. He does all the things he was taught beautifully. The next time that class is held the same dog trainer has Arrow, my silky terrier, in her class. Arrow was adopted as a stray when he was about a year old. His tail was docked. Maybe he was in a puppy mill because he was a little afraid of people. Arrow doesn’t score so well at the end of the class. He’s learned some things but he doesn’t pass. After Arrow’s class, Pets4Us fires the dog trainer.

That is the way more and more states evaluate, fire, and/or give incentive pay to teachers. In many states, like Colorado, the tests have no effect on the students Test takers don’t have to pass them to graduate and the scores don't change grades. Some students, like Goldy, are more academically orientated, are good test takers, want to please, and do their best. Arrow is in it for the treats and he is exited about seeing all the other dogs.

Yet we in Colorado are comparing test scores from year to year, test scores of different groups of students, and making decisions about firing or rewarding teachers financially and even closing schools. Often they take different tests. We are not giving Arrow another chance at that obedience class and then comparing his first score with his second results. That might show real progress. And I say might because it is only measuring one very limited aspect of Arrow’s behavior in one setting. It’s not looking at him outside of the test.

Goldy is the dog with all the advantages. Actually he learned some of the things tested (Sit, Down) even before he went to the Pets4Us class. Arrow is really doing a great job adjusting to life with his family, but he still has some quirks. Is it because of his early life, his terrier background, or some special mental disorder? Unfortunately for the poor fired trainer, we’ll never know.

Recent History of Raising the Debt Ceiling

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Wednesday June 01, 2011 · 11:25 AM PDT

2011/06/01 · 11:25

Raising the debt ceiling is not a new thing. Neither is voting along party lines. It was raised yearly during G.W. Bush's term from 2002 to 2007. I have not seen any of the Conservatives, now upset about the deficit, questioned about these increases and why they used to support them.

This is from a blog post by Donny Shaw for Open Congress (italics for text underlined by the author)

A Brief History of Debt Limit Votes in the House
We already know that the House Republicans support increasing the debt limit. All but four of them recently voted in favor of a budget blueprint that calls for adding $9 trillion to the debt subject to limit over the next decade. Yet somehow they have convinced Obama and the Democrats that they have to get something in return, like spending cuts that make tax increases less likely, in exchange for actually voting for the debt limit increase they’ve already endorsed.

Shaw has a great chart with the amount of the debt limit and how House Republicans voted on it from 1997 to 2009. Also if you follow the numbers of votes on the chart they link to how both parties voted. For example, in 2003 all but one Democrat voted against raising the debt ceiling (knowing they were in the minority), but it was carried by the Republican majority. Read More

Denver Mayor Candidate Romer Destructive Plan for Public Schools

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Tuesday May 24, 2011 · 1:34 AM PDT

2011/05/24 · 01:34

What kind of teacher would you want in your child’s classroom? One that has studied his or her subject and knows how to teach it. One that is certified and experienced. And if a first year teacher, this person has completed a practicum, classroom observations and supervised student teaching before taking over his or her own class.

Be wary of all the folks who talk about “great teachers” and "school reform". They can be code word for many other things. All of the programs Romer mentions put very inexperienced teachers in their own classrooms, almost always in schools with a lot of students living in poverty.

This is what Denver candidate for mayor, Chris Romer says about education from his website:

Great schools begin with great teachers in the classrooms and great principals who create a culture of success. Chris believes that we must reward our great teachers, help make our good teachers great and not shy away from holding everyone accountable – including parents and students. Chris will work to make sure students in Denver are taught by great teachers and schools in Denver are led by a great leader, empowered to make decisions for students and staff.

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Wednesday April 20, 2011 · 12:19 PM PDT

2011/04/20 · 12:19

I was troubled by the report about Greg Mortenson and his book, Three Cups of Tea, on 60 Minutes this weekend. It didn’t seem very balanced. Since the program, I’ve read many commentaries and articles, many of them agreeing with the 60 Minutes portrayal.

Why would 60 Minutes do this, especially without giving more time to the schools that were opened, that are operating, and talking with people who have seen Mortenson’s work? There are so many positive things that were left out.

Interestingly Jon Krakauer, who was on the show talking about Mortenson's false stories and worse, has written a piece that is being offered as a free download. Part of an upcoming book?

Three Cups of Deceit How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way
by Jon Krakauer
http://www.byliner.com/...

On the website of the Central Asia Institute (the institute that manages Mortenson’s charity) there are statements from Mortenson and the CAI answering 60 Mintue’s questions. These answers were also sent to CBS which has a link to them at the end of a page with an article about Mortenson's book being under review now. Regarding the funding issues raised, they answer them fully. Mortenson has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the fund and they have a twenty million dollar scholarship fund for their students' further education.
Important Messages from Central Asia Institute
http://www.ikat.org/

Also Mortenson answered questions about the book and his charity in a recent interview:
Greg Mortenson Speaks: Exclusive Interview in Outside Online
http://outsideonline.com/...

Too many links. But this is a column by someone who's met Greg Mortenson
http://danielglick.net/...

I have read Mortenson's books and his work sound like a wonderful alternative to all the cash the Saudi's are sending to build madrases, something Mortenson also mentions in his second book. Just wondering what others here think of this.

"The Michigan Monarchy Legislates Financial Martial Law.."

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Monday March 21, 2011 · 8:36 AM PDT

2011/03/21 · 08:36

Big news about changes in Michigan that hasn't gotten a lot of coverage.

The title and quotes are from Rick Ungar's blog in Forbes:

This week, the Michigan legislature passed – and the governor signed into law – a bill that would permit Governor Rick Snyder to push aside elected city officials and replace them with emergency financial managers in any municipality or school district facing financial difficulties.
The law would include virtually every town and city in the state as those cities that aren’t bankrupt already soon will be once the governor’s proposed budget – which cuts billions in aid to municipalities and school districts – is approved by the legislature.

More draconian than Wisconsin:

The new law, described by one of the GOP legislators sponsoring the bill as “financial martial law”, empowers the governor’s appointees (referred to as ‘Emergency Financial Managers’ but more aptly termed viceroys appointed by the king) allows the EFR to fire duly elected local officials, cancel labor contracts and even dissolve entire communities and school districts.

However, this is about so much more than collective bargaining agreements and unions. This law gives an appointee of the governor – which, by the way, may be a corporation – the authority to dismiss any or all of a municipality’s elected government officials

Why hasn't this received more press anywhere? Please read the column which discusses legal issues as well.

http://blogs.forbes.com/...

“Taxes, Lies, and the Least of These”

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Thursday November 18, 2010 · 9:09 AM PST

2010/11/18 · 09:09

I was browsing the web when I came across some reactions to the Bush tax cuts from two cover stories in Sojourner’s Magazine from April 2005. They describe the Bush tax cuts, their motivation and effects. The first is entitled “If I Were A Rich Man… The elite few benevit from the Bush tax agenda. The rest of us get stuck with the bill,” by David Kay Johnston.
You can sign in and read them for free at the magazine's webpage http://www.sojo.net/...

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Punishing Teachers for Test Scores

Recent History of Raising the Debt Ceiling

Denver Mayor Candidate Romer Destructive Plan for Public Schools

Questions About Three Cups of Tea

"The Michigan Monarchy Legislates Financial Martial Law.."

“Taxes, Lies, and the Least of These”