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You Cannot Make this Stuff Up: Elementary Student Barred from Dance Class in Order to Take Test Prep
In New York City, principals have been empowered to be the CEO’s of the school building. A big difference between these principals and CEO’s however, is that in the corporate model there is a a board of directors. More than ever, these principals operate as free agents. So, for the time being, if a principal…
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And Then There Was NCLB
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has been mainly occupied with education stimulus dollars, more than anything reflected in the frenzy around his Race to the Top Fund. It is, after all, a $4.3 billion fund available to state education departments through a competitive application process. Final guidelines are to appear sometime within the next three…
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Is It Time to Throw in the Towel on Education Reform? A Speech by Checker Finn
This is a terrific bird’s eye view of the kaleidoscope of education reform. Whether you agree with his conclusion or not, it’s more than worth the read. Click here to read Checker Finn’s September 9th speech to Rice University’s Educational Entrepreneurship Program. Hirsch wants a new K-8 curriculum, for instance. The NEA (National Education Association)…
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Of Ted Kennedy, Rocco Landesman, and NCLB
When I think of Ted Kennedy, I think of a line of Democrats that reach way back to FDR. The wealthy elites who are brought up to serve the public and for my money, demonstrate a commitment to a progressive agenda that is centered in social justice. Were they perfect, of course not. From FDR…
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Reflections on Arts Education and the USDOE
It’s interesting to see the fairly predictable responses to Arne Duncan’s letter and web conference, where he articulated support for arts education on behalf of the USDOE and the White House. There is and should be a fair amount of gratitude across the field when a US Secretary of Education affirms the importance of the…
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Six Key Quotes from Arne Duncan’s Web Conference on Arts Education
I know, I know, the full transcript and audio is coming. In the meantime, here are a few quotes. But before that, here’s my headline: US Education Secretary Affirms the Importance of Parents in Ensuring Arts Education Here are the highlights: 1.”The elementary and secondary education act defines arts education as a core subject.” 2.…
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Can the Arts be a Central Part of Urban School Improvement?
Well, of course. Unfortunately, that answer is not widely known or embraced among the policy elites. That’s part of our job as advocates. Middle School 223, once shuttered as one of the most violent middle schools in New York City, was reopened in 2003 as M.S. 223/The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology. Today, Principal…
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Education Secretary Lands Near Knockout Blow in First Round
Okay, maybe it’s really the second round, as the first could be viewed as the education portion of the stimulus package. I’ve read a lot about Arne Duncan being a basketball player, but hadn’t heard much about him liking to mix it up.Yesterday Duncan spoke at a press conference in Maryland where he outlined what…