It's been quite a year in the world of education.
Here's my humble attempt to identify the best and the worst education news that occurred during the past 12 months. I hope you'll take time to share your own choices in the comment section.
I'll list the ones I think are the best first, followed by the worst. However, it's too hard to rank them within those categories, so I'm not listing them in any order:
THE BEST EDUCATION NEWS IN 2010
* The great success of Diane Ravitch's book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education, and her barnstorming the country in support of a positive vision for schools, administrators, teachers and students.
* The $10 billion stimulus passed by Congress and signed by President Obama this fall that saved tens of thousands of teachers' jobs.
* The realization by the San Diego School District "that trust is a component that triggers academic success" as they roll back many changes that a previous superintendent had steamrolled over teachers and parents. One can only hope that other school districts learn from their experience.
* The defeat of Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, largely due to voter dissatisfaction with the policies of Michelle Rhee. Ms. Rhee's subsequent departure, however, appears to not have caused much self-reflection and only increased her arrogance level.
* Teachers, university professors and others reacting with strong organization and strong research to respond to attacks on teachers (see The Best "The Best..." Lists On School Reform Issues -- 2010 and also The Best Sites For Getting Some Perspective On International Test Comparison Demagoguery).
* In the Obama Administration's Blueprint For Reform, they are proposing doubling the amount spent on parent engagement/involvement programs. There are some problems with that plan, but it's a piece of good news, nevertheless.
* The Obama Administration is funding the development of a "new generation" of state assessments that are supposed to be more "performance-based." Assuming that they are going to genuinely provide teachers a seat at the table in their development (and I know that's a big assumption), this is definitely good news.
* A California Teachers Association led effort to get billions of dollars into schools located in low-income communities has resulted in increased student academic success. Perhaps teachers might know what they're talking about...
* Washington Post columnist Valerie Strauss has developed a visible and articulate voice at her blog, The Answer Sheet to provide critique and perspective on education issues.
* The millions of students who had great learning experiences in their schools this year.
THE WORST EDUCATION NEWS IN 2010
* The publishing of teacher rankings based on test scores by the Los Angeles Times. There are too many reasons to list here why it was such a destructive act, but you can read them all at The Best Posts About The LA Times Article On "Value-Added" Teacher Ratings.
* The Obama Administration's Race To The Top, its false assumptions, and the race by states to fall over themselves to quickly enact changes they thought would make them more likely to receive funds -- without thinking through their long-term implications.
* California's "parent trigger" law (and its imitators in other states) which is resulting in charter school operators parachuting into low-income communities to expand their share of the education "market" -- and not resulting in genuine parent engagement.
* The film "Waiting For Superman" and its peddling of a false picture of the challenges facing schools and their causes and solutions (see The Best Posts & Articles About The Teacher-Bashing "Waiting For Superman" Movie & Associated Events).
* The efforts by the Gates Foundation to minimize and misuse videotaping of teachers and student surveys as tools to legitimize evaluating teachers based on their student's test scores.
* The continuing effort to place people with no experience in the education field in charge of school districts (see The Best Blog Posts & Articles About Joel Klein's Departure & The Question Of Who Should Be Leading Our Schools).
* Michelle Rhee's creation of a new organization ironically called StudentsFirst (ironic because she announced it in a Newsweek article that included 100 "me" "my" and "I's") and attacked teachers unions and schools boards.
* The dramatic reductions in school funding taking place across the United States (see The Attack on American Education by Robert Reich).
* The millions of students who are not getting the education they deserve.
What are your choices for the best and worst education news of the year?
Follow Larry Ferlazzo on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Larryferlazzo
Jeanne Allen: Education Reporting in Crisis
Ben Austin: McKinley Elementary Parents Continuing Their Fight for Change
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/07/11/how_facts_backfire/?page=full
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I'm not convinced right now that the growth of online learning warrants its presence on the "worst" list, though if Murdoch and similar for-profit companies expand it dramatically during 2011 it might very well make it next year.
I'd also agree that the expansion of the education blogosphere and Twittersphere should also be added to the "best" side of things.
It's unfortunate that some commentators continue the inaccurate "line" that if you don't support the policies of "school reformers" like Michelle Rhee, then that means you support the status quo. Not supporting Rhee and others like her means I don't support their policies. They have no monopoly on ideas on how to improve schools, and there are many, many other better research-backed changes that can make our schools more effective.
http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh071107.shtml
Have to make sure that education deform is unacceptable and labeled for what it is-gross propoganda and a hostile takeover of our schools and communities. All politicans' feet must be held to the fire;we must run and support candidates at every level to stop this movement that threatens public education.
I don't think so!
Failure.
I'm no big fan of Michelle Rhee, but I'll say this for her -- she has forced the nation to acknowledge the crisis in our schools. Also, Ms. Rhee has ticked off a lot of teachers. She's obviously touched a nerve here. Her name is all over this ridiculous "worst" list. I see that the defeat of Mayor Fenty, "largely due to voter dissatisfaction with the policies of Michelle Rhee" is celebrated as one of the best events of the year.
Failure is a cause for celebration?
Having yet another DC superintendent pushed through the revolving door is best for who? Teachers insulted by the mention of assessment and accountability? Or the students -- many of them Black and poor -- who are not being served and who are dropping out of the sour system altogether?
Don't fall into the trap of equating the exposing of distortions and misinformation with protecting the status quo. . .I am one who has been speaking loudly against the Gates/Duncan/Rhee tidal wave as part of my career-long (almost 30 years) speaking AGAINST the status quo. . .Again ironically, the Gates/Duncan/Rhee approach IS supporting the stats quo—bureaucratic schooling that scapegoats schools and teachers while ignoring the overwhelming power of social inequity/poverty. . .Here is a taste of perspective:
http://dailycensored.com/2010/12/17/fire-teachers-reappoint-rhee-legend-of-the-fall-pt-iii/
President Obama identified the situation clearly: "We know that the success of every American will be tied more closely than ever before to the level of education that they achieve. The jobs will go to the people with the knowledge and the skills to do them. It’s that simple.”
Failure is not a cause for celebration. Parents and good teachers want the best for our children!
as corp america tactics come to our educational systems this will hasten our race to third world status.
the rhees and gates need to be run out of town but they will not because americans have a love affair with capitalist agendas based on the profound ignorance of making every teacher in the top ten per cent of performance. impossible goal but allows them to fire teachers with seniority at will.
the repubs will love both gates and the rhees because they will help them privatize education in america for corp profits and do to schools what the medical insurance has done to medical care. ie profits over people.
teachers hang on to your hats you are about to encounter corp america and its tactics of pay for performance based on average mentality and seniority means nothing; in fact seniority can cost you your job as they can hire two to replace you for the same money.
the day will come when foreign workers from third world nations will come to teach the children and do adminstrative work for very low wages and few benefits. ie enhance corp profits with cheap labor.
and some school administrative work will be done in third world nations like tech service work is done now.
to name a few!
David Loitz