Comments on: Evaluating the Race to the Top final criteria http://www.edexcellence.net/flypaper/index.php/2009/11/evaluating-the-race-to-the-top-final-criteria/ Education reform ideas that stick, from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute Sun, 21 Mar 2010 06:46:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: RtTT Reax « Meeting the Turnaround Challenge http://www.edexcellence.net/flypaper/index.php/2009/11/evaluating-the-race-to-the-top-final-criteria/comment-page-1/#comment-35459 RtTT Reax « Meeting the Turnaround Challenge Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:29:35 +0000 http://www.edexcellence.net/flypaper/?p=2490#comment-35459 [...] Flypaper: “The final documents, though still possessing a reform bent, are more measured and certainly more workmanlike.” [...] [...] Flypaper: “The final documents, though still possessing a reform bent, are more measured and certainly more workmanlike.” [...]

]]> By: VAR Partners » Blog Archive » Urban showdown coming in RttT states http://www.edexcellence.net/flypaper/index.php/2009/11/evaluating-the-race-to-the-top-final-criteria/comment-page-1/#comment-35445 VAR Partners » Blog Archive » Urban showdown coming in RttT states Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:58:46 +0000 http://www.edexcellence.net/flypaper/?p=2490#comment-35445 [...] Flypaper said, “It appears high inspiration was tempered by the various and messy forces of politics and policy-making. [...] Flypaper said, “It appears high inspiration was tempered by the various and messy forces of politics and policy-making.

]]> By: Karl Wheatley http://www.edexcellence.net/flypaper/index.php/2009/11/evaluating-the-race-to-the-top-final-criteria/comment-page-1/#comment-35376 Karl Wheatley Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:21:06 +0000 http://www.edexcellence.net/flypaper/?p=2490#comment-35376 It gets tiring to hear the same old spin--that teachers and colleges of teacher education are defenders of the status quo. I do have colleagues who are, but on the other hand, some of the most innovative ideas come out of colleges of teachers education. In any large profession, quality and approach are mixed. Meanwhile, what is teaching to the test, if not one of the very worst elements of the status quo? If charters are such a silver bullet, why did the largest study so far find that they did worse on average than public schools serving comparable students? Multiple indicators is the only way to do responsible policy, and multiple indicators doesn't mean multiple tests from the same battery of tests. Making policy hinge too much on test scores is a regressive approach if we're trying to prepare kids for the 21st century, and not the 19th century. This degree of educational centralization stifles individual, local, and state creativity as states do whatever they need to do, no matter how ill-advised, to get some extra funding. So much for the genius of the American system. George Will was right--among 50 states working independently we are more likely to come up with better standards and approaches than from one federal government committee. Some of the most creative work by states has already been swept aside in the single-minded pursuit of test scores. It gets tiring to hear the same old spin–that teachers and colleges of teacher education are defenders of the status quo. I do have colleagues who are, but on the other hand, some of the most innovative ideas come out of colleges of teachers education. In any large profession, quality and approach are mixed. Meanwhile, what is teaching to the test, if not one of the very worst elements of the status quo?

If charters are such a silver bullet, why did the largest study so far find that they did worse on average than public schools serving comparable students?

Multiple indicators is the only way to do responsible policy, and multiple indicators doesn’t mean multiple tests from the same battery of tests.

Making policy hinge too much on test scores is a regressive approach if we’re trying to prepare kids for the 21st century, and not the 19th century.

This degree of educational centralization stifles individual, local, and state creativity as states do whatever they need to do, no matter how ill-advised, to get some extra funding. So much for the genius of the American system.

George Will was right–among 50 states working independently we are more likely to come up with better standards and approaches than from one federal government committee. Some of the most creative work by states has already been swept aside in the single-minded pursuit of test scores.

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