May 14, 2007
May 14-18: Robert Enlow vs. Jay Mathews on Vouchers (UPDATED, May 18, 4:43 p.m.)
Jay Mathews touched a nerve last month when he declared that he was "tired of the voucher issue" that enables politicians to "raise money on that issue forever, while in the meantime not doing much for schools." In the real world, he said, vouchers are "too risky, and too inconvenient." To which Robert Enlow responded, "Give me a break." So, picking up where they left off...
Jay Mathews is an education reporter and online columnist with the Washington Post. Robert Enlow is Executive Director of the Milton and Rose D. Friedman Foundation.
Posted by Featured Guest at 09:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)May 09, 2007
Brewing Up the Next Debate
Things really got percolating with Jay Mathews' denouncement of 'the politics of vouchers' last month. So he and Robert Enlow of the Friedman Foundation will be donning the gloves next week to formally duke out the issue. Tune in ring-side May 14 - 19.
Posted by Edward Reformer at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)April 13, 2007
April 9-13: Nancy Creech vs. Ken De Rosa on Whole Language (UPDATED 13 April, 10:38 a.m.)
Whole language has invited some degree of controversy in recent years. Does this approach to literacy successfully teach children to read?
Whole language teacher Nancy Creech lives in Oxford, Michigan. Ken De Rosa lives in Philadelphia and blogs at D-Ed Reckoning.
Posted by Featured Guest at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (94) | TrackBacks (0)March 22, 2007
Next debate on the way
For a variety of reasons, it seems whole language is a hot topic right this minute. Of course, a lot of it is due to the ongoing Reading First scandal. Also, for one parent's personal experiences with whole language, Rory Hester of Parentalcation recently vented his feelings (hat tip: this week's Carnival of Education at Education Wonks).
Fortunately, we here at Edspresso were primed and ready in advance for these events. Due to an unbelievable stroke of luck prescient abilities known only to us at the Alliance, last month I set up a debate for the month of April on the subject of whole language. April 9-13, whole language teacher Nancy Creech of Oxford, Michigan will debate blogger Ken De Rosa of D-Ed Reckoning. Thanks in advance to both Nancy and Ken for their willingness to participate!
UPDATE: I just got an e-mail from Nancy--she now lives elsewhere in Oxford, not Eastpointe.
February 11, 2007
February 5-9: Dianne Piché vs. Mike Petrilli vs. Joel Packer on No Child Left Behind
Now five years old, the landmark federal law is up for reauthorization. Is it working? What needs to change? This three-way exchange features:
- Dianne Piché, Executive Director of the Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights
- Mike Petrilli, Vice President for National Programs and Policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation
- Joel Packer, ESEA policy manager for the National Education Association
February 02, 2007
The next debate is on its way
First off, many many thanks go out to Joseph Olchefske and Roger Clegg for a terrific debate last month. We got a good deal of feedback, and it was unanimously positive.
Now our next debate is lined up and ready to go. And it will be rather different than anything we've ever done before. More below the fold.
Continue reading "The next debate is on its way" »
Posted by Ryan Boots at 09:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)January 12, 2007
January 8-12: Roger Clegg vs. Joseph Olchefske on Race-Based School Assignments
In December, the Supreme Court heard arguments on public school choice plans in Washington and Kentucky that take the race of the student in question when assigning schools. Does the practice further the interests of integration as laid out in Brown v. Board of Education, or is it unconstitutional? And if the Supreme Court strikes down the programs, would it set back progress made by Brown?
Roger Clegg is President and General Counsel of the Center for Equal Opportunity. Joseph Olchefske is a Managing Director at the American Institutes for Research.
Continue reading "January 8-12: Roger Clegg vs. Joseph Olchefske on Race-Based School Assignments" »
Posted by Featured Guest at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (0)January 03, 2007
Next debate on the way
Last month the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments regarding race-based admissions cases in school districts in Louisville and Seattle. On January 8-12, Roger Clegg, President and General Counsel of the Center for Equal Opportunity, will debate the case opposite Joseph Olchefske, managing director at the American Institutes for Research.
December 01, 2006
November 27 - December 1: Maisie McAdoo vs. Eric Osberg on Weighted Student Funding
Few topics are more hotly debated in education reform than how schools are funded. The Fordham Foundation recently proposed what it calls “Fund the Child”, or Weighted Student Funding. But are there better ways to fund education—and respond to equity issues?
Maisie McAdoo is senior research associate for the United Federation of Teachers, New York City's teacher union. (The views expressed are her own.) Eric Osberg is Vice President and Treasurer of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation.
Posted by Featured Guest at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)August 25, 2006
August 21-25: David Ritchey vs. Kevin Carey on Teacher Certification
All who wish to teach must receive some form of credentialing or certification before they can begin their careers. Is the practice helping to improve student achievement?
David Ritchey is Executive Director of the Association of Teacher Educators. Kevin Carey is Research and Policy Manager for Education Sector.
Continue reading "August 21-25: David Ritchey vs. Kevin Carey on Teacher Certification" »
Posted by Featured Guest at 02:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (3)August 10, 2006
August 7-11: Dana Rapp vs. Richard Phelps on Standardized Testing
Standardized testing is now more widespread than ever, due in large part to requirements under No Child Left Behind. Does the practice truly deliver an accurate measurement of student performance, or does it do more harm than good?
Dana Rapp, Ph. D. lives in Readsboro, Vermont with his partner and three children. He is a professor of Educational Studies at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. Dana has published numerous articles about high-stakes, leadership, testing and teacher activism. He is co-author of the book, with Patrick Slattery, Ethics and the Foundations of Education: Teaching Convictions in a Postmodern World. Richard P. Phelps is author of Kill the Messenger: The War on Standardized Testing, editor/co-author of Defending Standardized Testing and the forthcoming The Anti-Testing Fallacies, and member of Third Education Group.
Continue reading "August 7-11: Dana Rapp vs. Richard Phelps on Standardized Testing" »
Posted by Featured Guest at 02:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)June 28, 2006
UPDATED 6/28--A Deeper Look at the Graduation Rate Debate (Dan Losen vs. Joydeep Roy, with comments by Larry Mishel)
Of all the debates we've done so far, this one has been the most spontaneous.
Posted by Featured Guest at 01:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1)May 12, 2006
May 8-12: Tim Mooney vs. Chris Correa on the 65% Solution
A number of states are presently considering the so-called "65 percent solution": legislation requiring that 65% of every school district's operational budget be spent in the classroom. According to George Will, a proponent of the idea, only four states--Utah, Tennessee, New York, Maine--spend at least 65% of their budgets in classrooms. Supporters say they only want to make sure that money is being spent efficiently. Critics say the plan disregards other services needed by students, including counselors, librarians, and transportation.
Tim Mooney is a Republican political consultant and one of the organizers behind First Class Education. Chris Correa is a blogger and doctoral student in education and psychology at the University of Michigan.
Continue reading "May 8-12: Tim Mooney vs. Chris Correa on the 65% Solution" »
Posted by Featured Guest at 05:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)May 05, 2006
May 1-5: Susanna Cooper vs. Joanne Jacobs on Universal Preschool
On June 6, Californians will head to the polls to vote on Proposition 82, the Preschool for All initiative. If approved, it would provide three hours of voluntary daily preschool for every 4-year-old in the state. Is this a good move for California?
Susanna Cooper is the director of communications for Preschool California, one of the organizations pushing for approval of Proposition 82. Former syndicated columnist Joanne Jacobs is a freelance writer, blogger and author of the new book Our School: The Inspiring Story of Two Teachers, One Big Idea and the School That Beat the Odds.
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Posted by Ryan Boots at 08:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (7)April 28, 2006
April 24-28: Michael J. Petrilli vs. Neal McCluskey on National Standards
As No Child Left Behind is currently constituted, each state establishes its own standards by which schools are measured. But should some sort of nationwide standards be established?
Michael J. Petrilli is Vice President for National Programs and Policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, and co-author, with Frederick M. Hess, of No Child Left Behind: A Primer (available here). Neal McCluskey is a policy analyst with Cato's Center for Educational Freedom.
Continue reading "April 24-28: Michael J. Petrilli vs. Neal McCluskey on National Standards" »
Posted by Ryan Boots at 04:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)
