Peter Goodman

Reconnection for Learning: A Community School System for New York City (11/67)

In a hotly contested four-way race he defeated the establishment candidate, a progressive endorsed by the Liberal party, the city facing enormous problems, I’m referring to John Lindsay in 1965. In the 1960s the nation was torn apart by an unpopular war, a rising civil rights movement and bubbling urban violence across the nation. CitiesContinue reading “Reconnection for Learning: A Community School System for New York City (11/67)”

Time for Mayor Mamdani to be Bold, Time for a Bottom Up School System

“The school is the primary unit for delivery of services to students and parents, and should also be the primary decision maker for all matters large and small. And who better to make decisions about curriculum, instruction, assessment, budget expenditures, purchases, et al than those who know each kid’s name, their families, and the communities they comeContinue reading “Time for Mayor Mamdani to be Bold, Time for a Bottom Up School System”

From Campaigning to Governing: Climbing the Mountain

Zohran wins!! Champagne corks pop, probably more likely beer can tabs click!! The victory speech, beginning by quoting socialist Eugene V Debs was stirring, watch here, a speech to be remembered, perhaps the beginning of the end of the Trump dynasty, After the celebration, the post coital reality, governing. The next two months the interregnum, aContinue reading “From Campaigning to Governing: Climbing the Mountain”

Mamdani and Education: A Paint Job or a Rebuild?

With a few days to go a widely used betting site, polymarket.com reports 95% of the bets are on Mamdani to win and latest polling results agree see here. While it’s never over till it’s over I think the only question is whether Mamdani receives a majority of the vote, remember, not ranked choice voting, aContinue reading “Mamdani and Education: A Paint Job or a Rebuild?”

Mamdani’s (Proposed) Education Transition Team

It’s traditional for newly elected mayors to appoint transition teams to coordinate the transfer from one administration to the next. De Blasio set up a tent on Chambers Street and invited community input. I attended the education event, community activists espousing their thoughts, more “show and tell”,” de Blasio actually interviewed chancellor candidates in theContinue reading “Mamdani’s (Proposed) Education Transition Team”

How Would a Cuomo Victory Impact Education (and the governing of the City)?

A three way race with the most recent poll showing Mamdani leading Cuomo by 13 points, see the polls here. One of the highly regarded pollsters writes, Caroline Soler Polling researcher There have not been any new polls since Eric Adams announced he was ending his re-election campaign in September, but the move is unlikely toContinue reading “How Would a Cuomo Victory Impact Education (and the governing of the City)?”

The Portrait of a Graduate: 21st Century Skills or a Knowledge-Based Curriculum

Aside from a few sentences, education has played virtually no role in either the primary or the current mayoral campaigns. Cuomo yes and Mamdani no on charter schools, Cuomo yes, Mamdani no on mayor control, no policy papers (aside from Cuomo’s 25 Point Education Plan released in May) and Mamdani’s recent announcement to end GiftedContinue reading “The Portrait of a Graduate: 21st Century Skills or a Knowledge-Based Curriculum”

Tik Tok: Five Weeks Until the November 4th Mayoral Election

The mayoral election has been unpredictable and weird. The polling in the Rank Order primary had Cuomo winning in the final vote transfer, Mamdani won in the first transfer by 12%. Why was the polling so wrong? A poll depends upon identifying a stratified random sample of “likely voters,” and asking the sample their candidateContinue reading “Tik Tok: Five Weeks Until the November 4th Mayoral Election”

The Confluence of Teaching and Learning: The Center for Assessment Annual Conference

Why do states require schools to test all students in grades 3-8? In 2001 newly elected President Bush signed the bipartisan, widely praised No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) The law has driven classroom instruction ever since, states determine standards, school districts/or schools choose curriculum and classroom teachers design lessons to reflect state and federalContinue reading “The Confluence of Teaching and Learning: The Center for Assessment Annual Conference”

Mamdani, Cuomo and Charter Schools

In December, 1998 Governor Pataki called a lame duck session of the NYS legislature with two items on the agenda: the creation of charter schools and a substantial raise, guess what happened. The Board of Regents (BoR) and the Charter School Institute, part of SUNY, are authorizers. Charter Schools fall into two categories, the networkContinue reading “Mamdani, Cuomo and Charter Schools”