Monthly Archives: August 2012
Since Louisiana is in the news right now, as it braces for Hurricane Isaac, I thought this might be an opportune moment to feature Louisiana’s dramatic – and controversial – education reform initiatives. Here’s a summary, from the Wall Street … Continue reading
This is my last post about Indiana’s education reform efforts (for now), and it’s likely to be the most contentious. This fall marks the second year that low AND middle-income students (one way that Indiana differs from most states experimenting … Continue reading
In my last post I listed some of the educational reform measures that Indiana has adopted, including a more stringent teacher evaluation system, expansion (and more supervision) of charter schools, and a voucher program limited to low-income students. These laws … Continue reading
I promised that I’d post about some of the education reform efforts going forward in other states. The American Enterprise Institute recently issued a report on Indiana’s reform efforts: Implementing Indiana’s “Putting Students First” Agenda: Early Lessons and Potential Futures.” … Continue reading
The last several years have witnessed a flurry of educational reform movements. Recently Utah residents – and this blog – have zeroed in on a federal initiative, the common core standards for math and language arts. I’ll have still more … Continue reading
While I’ve expressed my skepticism about letting many (if any) students opt out of algebra, I have also posted about many math educators’ concern that universal algebra requirements result in schools offering dumbed-down math courses that penalize gifted students. Here’s … Continue reading
If there is anything approaching consensus in the contentious education reform debate, it’s that good teaching makes a significant, measurable difference in student performance. Yes, many teachers will argue that good parents make a bigger difference, and they may be … Continue reading
I’m re-posting a reply I made to a reader’s comment on my earlier “farewell to algebra” posting. The reader reiterated her school’s commitment to algebra; here is my response: Let me share a personal story. I was homeschooling when my … Continue reading
I said in my last blog that I might irritate opponents of the common core who cite Massachusetts as an example of a state that has sacrificed its higher educational standards in the face of federal government bribes and threats. … Continue reading
Several readers sent me copies of a recent article in City Journal, entitled “The Massachusetts Exception.” They wanted me to share the article’s central conclusion (see especially the portion of the quotation in bold): It’s common knowledge that in 1983, … Continue reading