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”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
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”
OMG!! Joel Klein Rips Mamdani
Former NYC School Chancellor Joel Klein rips mayoral candidate Mamdani in a Free Press post, “How Zohan Mamdani Could Kill NY Schools,” Klein certainly tried to kill the schools, and almost succeeded. Mayor Bloomberg ,Trump-like, decided to tear down the Board of Education. Crying corruption he ran to Albany who meekly dissolved the Decentralization ModelContinue reading “OMG!! Joel Klein Rips Mamdani”
Post Labor Day: The Race for NYC Mayor Begins
Vacations over, no more lounging on a beach, back to work, schools open and mayoral candidates begin the sprint to November 4th. A two person race: Mayor Adams polling in single digits, a 68 year old three time elected governor versus a 33 year old Assembly member virtually unknown prior to the June primary. AContinue reading “Post Labor Day: The Race for NYC Mayor Begins”
Does the 25th Amendment to the Constitution Provide a Process to Remove a President from Office?
In our history eight presidents have died in office, four by natural causes (Harrison, Taylor, Harding and Roosevelt), four assassinated (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy) and one resigned (Nixon). After the assassination of President Kennedy questions arose about presidential succession and Congress amended the Constitution adding the 25th Amendment dealing with presidential succession including successionContinue reading “Does the 25th Amendment to the Constitution Provide a Process to Remove a President from Office?”
The Portrait of a Teacher
In the fall of 2019, I attended an SED/Board of Regents regional meeting that began the discussion of Graduation Measures followed by COVID, a blue-ribbon commission, endless Zooms, finally Regents Exams optional replaced by the Portrait of a Graduate competencies assessed by a range of tasks, the tasks to be determined. What is the PortraitContinue reading “The Portrait of a Teacher”
City and State Education Summit: Lauding the Present and an Uncertain Future
City and State is a wonderful source of local and state news, every morning brief summaries with links pop up, flip through, links into what you’re interested in, for a news nerd like me a nice way to begin the day, City and State also runs what they call summits, the leading voices in a range ofContinue reading “City and State Education Summit: Lauding the Present and an Uncertain Future”
Is Teaching an Art or a Science?
If I use the same brand of golf clubs as Scottie Scheffler or use the same tennis racket as Novak Djokovic will it improve my game? Obviously, nonsense. How about if my parents were superb athletes? Maybe. How can I assure my children will be successful athletes? or musicians, or dancers? Maybe gene splicing, CRISPR Continue reading “Is Teaching an Art or a Science?”
The Futile Search for the Magic Bullet: Why Big City School Districts Fail, and Perhaps, A New Pathway
A new superintendent, a new mayor, a new governor declares with the blaring of trumpets, the “new thing,” a phonics curriculum, a new way of teaching math, new graduation requirements, press releases, and the measures fail to impact the “truly disadvantaged.” The underlying problem, generational poverty, is rarely addressed, if you’re nerdy, I raise myContinue reading “The Futile Search for the Magic Bullet: Why Big City School Districts Fail, and Perhaps, A New Pathway”
Should the “Portrait of a Graduate” Soft Skills Replace the Regents Exams?
The US Department of Education is gone! Half the employees have been fired with the remaining probably on their way out. According to Trump we don’t need a USDoE, states can run our education system, of course, states have always run our education system, every state has a department of education, a governing board, usuallyContinue reading “Should the “Portrait of a Graduate” Soft Skills Replace the Regents Exams?”
Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 