With apologies to 8 year old Virginia O’Hanlon from 1897.
Q: “DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no early learning plan. Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so. Please tell me the truth; is there a plan for the development and implementation of [...]
Tag Archives: achievement gap
Yes, Virginia (and Stan), there is a Plan!
State test scores so-so
Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn released the pass rates for the 2009-10 Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) and High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE). Students in grade 3-8 take the MSP, and 10th grade students take the HSPE.
Compared to the previous year, only 7th and 8th grade students made across the board gains. Pass rates [...]
Blowing My Ed Policy Mind
I go to a lot of meetings. And I mean A LOT. Sometimes they have different names: meetings, conferences, work groups, seminars, hearings, work sessions, colloquia, assemblies, conventions, workshops, appointment, rendezvous… but whatever they are called, they are pervasive in my work and life.
So I have gotten really good at tuning in and tuning out. [...]
Test Scores Rise in L.A.’s Reform-Targeted Schools
From the Los Angeles Times:
Despite thousands of teacher layoffs and shrinking school budgets, Los Angeles Unified, the state’s largest school system, posted gains on annual standardized tests. Schools statewide also posted overall gains in results released Monday.
The rising scores brought generally good news concerning various reform efforts underway in L.A. Unified, including at Locke High [...]
Who’s on First
Last night’s meeting of the Seattle School Board was a raucous affair. Except the part where everyone agreed. Kids first. No, seriously, kids first.
Orange t-shirts and messages on flyers and public testimony all aligned, put kids first in the teacher contract negotiations. There was also pretty unanimous agreement that the most important element [...]
Paul Ruiz on closing the achievement gap
Paul Ruiz, senior advisor of the Education Trust, spoke recently in Tacoma about ways to close the achievement gap. His personable, practical, and engaging presentation went beyond standard racial achievement gap data into information on income, city, and international gaps.
Some of Ruiz’s points that struck me most were about the poverty, city / [...]
Seattle teacher contract negotiations should be about kids
The discussion and rumors swirling around the Seattle teacher contract negotiations are quite telling.
Sides are being staked out, spin is being spun, and confusion reigns. In there somewhere is a conversation that should drive much-needed changes that raise our kids’ achievement.
Kids. Write that down on a piece of paper and put a check [...]
The Race to Protect Early Learning Funding…And They’re Off…
Before the Governor even releases her budget proposal or the legislature comes into session, we are facing possible immediate cuts in child care funding. Basically, this state of affairs is due to the performance of the overall economy (poor revenues and increased demand for services) and deadlocks at the federal level (FMAP and TANF.) So, [...]
Telling a different story about our kids
There are great stories that are talked about all the time, in the black community. The media picks and chooses the ones it wants to tell, but there is a hunger from within to tell about good that goes on in our community. While every race and culture have people who do bad things, that [...]
Racing Stripes
Having sat out round one, Washington’s round two application for Race to the Top funds fell short of making it as a finalist. Disappointing? Yes. Surprising? Not so much.
While we’ve pressed hard for real change in our system statewide, Washington started well behind the most competitive states, and in a strategy that sadly mirrors [...]
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Speakers Series
Opening Event:
Kevin Johnson
Mayor of Sacramento & Founder of St. HOPE
Thursday, October 7 at 7pm
Mount Zion Baptist Church
Register today >>>