Grading Neighborhood Schools
Wall Street Journal, February 20, 2008
Education - an issue that affects everyone in some way or another - is an ideal candidate for discussions on the Web.

McCain Emphasizes School Choice, Accountability, But Lacks Specifics
Education Week, February 19, 2008
Buried deep within the campaign Web site of Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican explains the principles that define his K-12 agenda: choice, accountability, and teacher quality.

Charter School Laws
Education Week, February 19, 2008
The ways in which most think tanks and researchers rank charter school laws are flawed, and charter school ranking systems should be designed to evaluate how well schools measure up to the original mission of the movement…

Union Is Yesterday
Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, February 20, 2008
Free our teachers from the union. Introduce them to the Association of American Educators  -  an alternative, nonunion organization that gives them benefits without burden.

Teaching to the Test in Massachusetts
Washington Post, D.C., February 20, 2008
E.D. Hirsch Jr. should check his facts before embracing the hype surrounding Massachusetts' high-stakes testing scheme ["The Knowledge Connection," op-ed, Feb. 16].

Democrats Seek Enrollment Cap, Study Of Wis. Virtual Schools
Winona Daily News, MN, February 20, 2008
A bipartisan deal to allow online charter schools to remain open fell apart Tuesday after the governor hinted he would veto the measure without last-minute changes, including an enrollment cap.

Concord's Silence On Charter Schools Speaks Volumes
The Union Leader, NH, February 20, 2008
Five years ago, the state began an experiment with public charter schools. With a dozen schools authorized and close to 500 students, the experiment has been a resounding success. But the recent education funding report is oddly silent about charter schools.

Airing Of Charter Tensions Set
Las Vegas Sun, NV, February 20, 2008
Nevada parents want the option of sending their children to charter schools.
State and local education officials say they won't approve charter schools unless they can ensure the schools meet standards.

Despite the good work of curriculum watchdogs like NYC HOLD and Mathematically Correct, and the vigilance of concerned parents (see the front page of today’s Washington Post), questionable math instructional methods continue to seep into the classroom. Parents watch in dismay as foundational concepts like the times tables are dismissed as "short cuts" in favor of the new-new math "method mix." In one suburb, families who relocated in part based on the local schools’ solid reputation are dismayed to find that the wishy-washy curriculum they thought they’d left behind has been selected for adoption next year by their neighborhood Blue Ribbon school. But they’re digging in to fight for what’s right. For more on the pedagogical battle, check out Barry Garelick on the topic.

Discouraging week: I grudgingly agreed to help my fifth grader finish his “All about me” photo presentation before the bus came this morning (what ever happened to book reports?), while the biggest consensus among candidates in our School Board primary on Tuesday was to “go green” by getting rid of Styrofoam lunch trays. As the siren song of home schooling haunts my subconscious, I raise my morning cup o’ joe to Tony Woodlief for his ditty on “Intelligence Designer” Howard Gardner in today’s Wall Street Journal.

Discouraging week: I grudgingly agreed to help my fifth grader finish his "All about me" photo presentation before the bus came this morning (what ever happened to book reports?), while the biggest consensus among candidates in our School Board primary on Tuesday was to "go green" by getting rid of Styrofoam lunch trays. As the siren song of home schooling haunts my subconscious, I raise my morning cup o’ joe to Tony Woodlief for his ditty on "Intelligence Designer" Howard Gardner in today’s Wall Street Journal.

Discouraging week: I grudgingly agreed to help my fifth grader finish his "All about me" photo presentation before the bus came this morning (what ever happened to book reports?), while the biggest consensus among candidates in our School Board primary on Tuesday was to "go green" by getting rid of Styrofoam lunch trays. As the siren song of home schooling haunts my subconscious, I raise my morning cup o’ joe to Tony Woodlief for his ditty on "Intelligence Designer" Howard Gardner in today’s Wall Street Journal.