The papers have been full of editorials expounding on why the past decade was disastrous for America. There is much to forget and regret about the last decade but it wasn't so bad for education. We should have made more progress than we did, but here's 10 big advances that bode well for the decade to come:
1. While there are few fans left, the 2001 reauthorization of federal education policy called No Child Left Behind marked a consensus that 1) measurement matters, 2) all students deserve good life options, 3) we should not rely on average achievement to measure a schools success, and 3) chronic academic failure is unacceptable.
2. The 2005 Graduation Rate Compact publically acknowledged the dropout crisis and marked the beginning of the end of lying about graduation rates.
3. Data systems got a lot better in large part because of the National Data Quality Campaign. Race to the Top will help close the deal--soon every state will have a data system that tracks individual student progress from kindergarten to work.
4. There was a massive increase in education entrepreneurship--school developers, human capital initiatives, and learning platforms--funded by massive new money foundations. The recession brought a new wave of talent into the sector that will make a difference for a generation.
5. Charter schools hit the 5,000 mark and charter networks demonstrated undeniable performance in the most difficult circumstances.
6. The concept of urban school portfolios with multiple models and operators became the dominant strategy of reform minded education leaders which increasingly includes mayors.
7. Online learning exploded, with more kids learning online than in charter schools. Digital learning became more personalized with games, virtual environments, and social networking pointing the way forward.
8. Reform advocacy matured. In 2001, EdTrust carried the equity agenda. Democrats for Education Reform and Education Equality Project joined the fray and represent the bi-partisan Obama agenda of high standards, educator effectiveness, and accountability.
9. The beginning of a new employment bargain was framed by New Teacher Project and the National Council on Teacher Quality and embraced by the Bush administration and pushed even more aggressively by the Obama administration.
10. The private sector began making important contributions in online learning and higher education. Several IPOs and new disruptive technologies increased interest of private investors. Small openings for private sector contributions, like Supplemental Educational Services (tutoring low income students), were met with entrepreneurial vigor that indicates that incentives will lead to investment and solutions.
Building on these advances, the decade to come will include a reauthorization of federal policy, a new generation of personalized digital learning, and an expanded array of options for educators to make a difference.
Follow Tom Vander Ark on Twitter: www.twitter.com/tvanderark
None of the measurement tools I have experienced account for our modern, mobile and multicultural society. And when the tool's measurement comes up short, the tool becomes a hammer to be used on students and teachers. Administrators and politicians use the hammer with abandon, and then wonder why wild hammering results in a damaged system.
And praising charter schools? They only work because there is a good ol' regular school down the road to take the students who don't fit that charter school's "opt in" model. It is easy for a charter school to look good when they can cherry-pick students from their district's pool.
And that good 'ol regular school down the road? It is the best damn school in the world - no question! Comparing that school to "better scoring" schools in Europe, China or India is not even apples and oranges. No other country on Earth attempts to do what American schools do every day: put every child that comes through our doors on a four-year university path. And we mean EVERY child. That is your success story for the "Noughts."
I think your comparative data is out of date. We lag most developed countries academically and it is no longer accurate to claim that they do not educate all kids.
Soon all our children will be attending Xe Elementary, Clear Channel Academy, Monsanto Middle School and AIG High.
It's a brave new world.
1. While there are few fans left, the 2001 reauthorization of federal education policy called No Child Left Behind marked a consensus that 1) measurement matters, 2) all students deserve good life options, 3) we should rely on average achievement to measure a schools success, and 3) chronic academic failure is unacceptable. "
What a ridiculous comment.. Merely heralding vague and broad-based assessments about how "every student matters" or that "academic non-performance is not acceptable" does not the means to remedy said deficiencies make.
I've learned never to trust so-called Education "Reformers", whose contributions typically extend to nothing further than ideological preachings and attempts to make sweeping and drastic reforms strictly in the most politically correct manner possible, which combines a so-called uniform standards of "performance" with an appeasement to the rallying cries of the hysterical masses of "when in doubt, blame the teachers."
Clearly, anyone enthusiastic about the "No Child Left Behind" policies or who conveniently ignores the complexities behind the supposed "improvements" in charter school performance obviously doesn't deserve to have their thoughts considered for even the slightest instant.
Yes, Vander Ark, this means you.
Standardized test might not be so bad if the bar wasn't set so low.