National School Choice Week is coming up from January 23 - 29, 2011, but for now, watch the above video of Newt Gingrich, Jeb Bush, John McCain and others talk about the important of school choice. more »
Education
National School Choice Week is coming up from January 23 - 29, 2011, but for now, watch the above video of Newt Gingrich, Jeb Bush, John McCain and others talk about the important of school choice. more »
Today's Washington Post editorial on the Senate's recent $26 billion bailout for state government, surprisingly, hits the nail on the head.
It's not a jobs or education bill, as its proponents claim, it's a payoff for the teachers unions. Or, as the Washington Post puts it, "an election-year favor for teachers unions."
The House will vote on the bill next Tuesday in an emergency session, but if it passes, it might be the final nail in the coffin for this big spending, bailout loving Congress. Simply put, this stimulus/bailout strategy is not creating jobs.
Here's a key excerpt from the editorial:
Read the whole thing here. more »
It's not a jobs or education bill, as its proponents claim, it's a payoff for the teachers unions. Or, as the Washington Post puts it, "an election-year favor for teachers unions."
The House will vote on the bill next Tuesday in an emergency session, but if it passes, it might be the final nail in the coffin for this big spending, bailout loving Congress. Simply put, this stimulus/bailout strategy is not creating jobs.
Here's a key excerpt from the editorial:
The crusade for an education jobs bill, led by the Obama administration and Democratic leaders in Congress, has always struck us as more of an election-year favor for teachers unions than an optimal use of public resources. Billed as an effort to stimulate the economy, it's not clearly more effective than alternative uses of the cash. Yes, school budgets are tight across the country, but the teacher layoff "crisis" is exaggerated. In fact, as happens each year, many teachers who got pink slips in the spring have been notified that they'll be hired after all. Many layoffs could have been -- and indeed have been -- avoided by modest union concessions.It's not often the Washington Post takes the Democratic leadership in Congress to task.
As of last school year, the money for 5.5 percent of the 6 million K-12 jobs nationwide came from Washington through the 2009 stimulus; the new money reinforces this dangerous dependency.
Nor does the legislation target areas with the most projected teacher layoffs; Maryland, for example, is slated to get $179 million, yet officials have no estimate of layoffs for the school year that begins in a few weeks. The Baltimore Sun noted in May that "most of [the state's] school systems are not planning to lay off teachers," and that several were hiring new ones. No matter: The bill allows school systems to use the money to expand their teaching staffs or even to raise teacher salaries.
Read the whole thing here. more »
Simply put, Florida has a decision to make: Champion the interests of the state's schoolchildren or protect the interests of government employee unions.
The Florida Legislature has done something bold. It has approved a set of education reforms that will install accountability into a system where mediocrity is currently portrayed as acceptable and teachers are unaccountable for their job performance.
Much is at risk. As a country, we are already falling behind economic powers China and India. It is widely acknowledged that our current system is failing too many of our children and must be fixed. We must reassert ourselves and create a public education system that leads to success for its students. Florida has the opportunity now to lead a nation that is in dire need of a new direction in public education.
Florida's choice is between maintaining the status quo or creating better educational opportunities for its children and their families. These reforms include: creating a more objective evaluation system; replacing teacher tenure with performance-based contracts; rewarding teachers whose students succeed and not rewarding teachers who fail their students; and, providing greater pay for teaching in schools with greater challenges.
more »
The Florida Legislature has done something bold. It has approved a set of education reforms that will install accountability into a system where mediocrity is currently portrayed as acceptable and teachers are unaccountable for their job performance.
Much is at risk. As a country, we are already falling behind economic powers China and India. It is widely acknowledged that our current system is failing too many of our children and must be fixed. We must reassert ourselves and create a public education system that leads to success for its students. Florida has the opportunity now to lead a nation that is in dire need of a new direction in public education.
Florida's choice is between maintaining the status quo or creating better educational opportunities for its children and their families. These reforms include: creating a more objective evaluation system; replacing teacher tenure with performance-based contracts; rewarding teachers whose students succeed and not rewarding teachers who fail their students; and, providing greater pay for teaching in schools with greater challenges.
more »
If your child is abused in the classroom, wouldn't you want to know?
I think all parents would say yes. Yet when Minnesota kindergartner Kyle Herman was repeatedly abused on seven different occasions by his teacher, his parents didn't find out for almost two years. Current Minnesota state law does not require parental notification in instances of child maltreatment in a school facility.
After hearing Kyle's heartbreaking story, a few of my fellow students and I at Concordia University in St. Paul wanted to take action. But what could we do--we're just college students?
College students don't often think about the meaning of civics, citizenship, or public service. We are busy with classes, work, extracurricular activities, and relationships. Yes, we do volunteer sometimes and we often think about our futures. But becoming unpaid lobbyists and crafting a bill never crossed our Facebook page!
more »
I think all parents would say yes. Yet when Minnesota kindergartner Kyle Herman was repeatedly abused on seven different occasions by his teacher, his parents didn't find out for almost two years. Current Minnesota state law does not require parental notification in instances of child maltreatment in a school facility.
After hearing Kyle's heartbreaking story, a few of my fellow students and I at Concordia University in St. Paul wanted to take action. But what could we do--we're just college students?
College students don't often think about the meaning of civics, citizenship, or public service. We are busy with classes, work, extracurricular activities, and relationships. Yes, we do volunteer sometimes and we often think about our futures. But becoming unpaid lobbyists and crafting a bill never crossed our Facebook page!
more »
Posted by Alan Miller and Kathleen Lavey on LSJ.com (Lansing State Journal) on March 7:
Lansing teachers got a half-percent pay increase last fall and took a hit on health care to help the cash-strapped school district.
After two years without a contract, Leslie teachers settled last fall for a 50 percent cut in so-called step increases, or annual raises for increasing seniority.
And some staffers and officials of the Michigan Education Association got pay boosts last year
ranging from 6.8 percent for the mailroom coordinator to nearly 15 percent for President Iris
Salters.
At a time when local teachers' unions are struggling to maintain salary and benefits and the union's statewide membership is declining, many MEA negotiators and executive director Luigi Battaglieri also got hefty pay increases.
more »
Lansing teachers got a half-percent pay increase last fall and took a hit on health care to help the cash-strapped school district.
After two years without a contract, Leslie teachers settled last fall for a 50 percent cut in so-called step increases, or annual raises for increasing seniority.
And some staffers and officials of the Michigan Education Association got pay boosts last year
ranging from 6.8 percent for the mailroom coordinator to nearly 15 percent for President Iris
Salters.
At a time when local teachers' unions are struggling to maintain salary and benefits and the union's statewide membership is declining, many MEA negotiators and executive director Luigi Battaglieri also got hefty pay increases.
more »
The following article appeared in the New York Times on February 23rd, and was written by Jennifer Medina, who covers the issue of education. This story follows up on an article last August in The New Yorker Magazine (see "The Rubber Room"):
The Bloomberg administration has made getting rid of inadequate teachers a linchpin of its efforts to improve city schools. But in the two years since the Education Department began an intensive effort to root out such teachers from the more than 55,000 who have tenure, officials have managed to fire only three for incompetence.
Ten others whom the department charged with incompetence settled their cases by resigning or retiring, and nine agreed to pay fines of a few thousand dollars or take classes, or both, so they could keep their jobs. One teacher lost his job before his case was decided, after the department called immigration officials and his visa was revoked. The cases of more than 50 others are awaiting arbitration.
Lawyers for the department said an additional 418 teachers had left the system after finding out that they could face charges of incompetence. more »
The Bloomberg administration has made getting rid of inadequate teachers a linchpin of its efforts to improve city schools. But in the two years since the Education Department began an intensive effort to root out such teachers from the more than 55,000 who have tenure, officials have managed to fire only three for incompetence.
Ten others whom the department charged with incompetence settled their cases by resigning or retiring, and nine agreed to pay fines of a few thousand dollars or take classes, or both, so they could keep their jobs. One teacher lost his job before his case was decided, after the department called immigration officials and his visa was revoked. The cases of more than 50 others are awaiting arbitration.
Lawyers for the department said an additional 418 teachers had left the system after finding out that they could face charges of incompetence. more »
With Tens of Thousands of Layoffs Looming, Government Officials and Parents Want to Change the 'Last in, First out' System
The following article appeared in the Wall Street Journal on February 19th, and was written by WSJ reporter Barbara Martinez:
Teacher seniority rules are meeting resistance from government officials and parents as a wave of layoffs is hitting public schools and driving newer teachers out of classrooms.
In a majority of the country's school districts, teacher layoffs are handled on a "last in, first out" basis. Critics of seniority rules worry that many effective and talented teachers who have been hired in recent years will lose their jobs.
Unions say that seniority rules are the only objective way to carry out layoffs, and that they protect teachers from the whims and bias of managers, who might fire effective teachers they don't like.
more »
The following article appeared in the Wall Street Journal on February 19th, and was written by WSJ reporter Barbara Martinez:
Teacher seniority rules are meeting resistance from government officials and parents as a wave of layoffs is hitting public schools and driving newer teachers out of classrooms.
In a majority of the country's school districts, teacher layoffs are handled on a "last in, first out" basis. Critics of seniority rules worry that many effective and talented teachers who have been hired in recent years will lose their jobs.
Unions say that seniority rules are the only objective way to carry out layoffs, and that they protect teachers from the whims and bias of managers, who might fire effective teachers they don't like.
more »
Submitted by Carl Paulus, a PhD candidate in history at Rice University studying American politics during the nineteenth century:
Last week the Center for Freedom and Prosperity released another of its Econ 101 videos. This time they detailed how monopolies within the American primary and secondary public education system stymies progress and advancement for many of our students in the United States. This idea is not new. For decades conservatives have discussed the problems created by the public education monopoly. Too often, however, conservative reformers have ended their efforts prematurely, settling for higher SAT scores and high-school graduation rates as a signs of success. We should go beyond that. Conservative reforms should work to raise the level of college graduation in the United States instead of assuming that higher test scores and more high-school diplomas lead to a better educational system. School vouchers combined with low-risk education accounts can achieve this goal.
Conservatives have shown that private schools do more with less when compared to public schools because competition forces better performance. Unfortunately, studies have also shown that good test scores, GPAs, and high school graduation rates do not necessarily ensure college diplomas for low-income families, thus perpetuating the cycle of poverty in many urban areas where they live. more »
Last week the Center for Freedom and Prosperity released another of its Econ 101 videos. This time they detailed how monopolies within the American primary and secondary public education system stymies progress and advancement for many of our students in the United States. This idea is not new. For decades conservatives have discussed the problems created by the public education monopoly. Too often, however, conservative reformers have ended their efforts prematurely, settling for higher SAT scores and high-school graduation rates as a signs of success. We should go beyond that. Conservative reforms should work to raise the level of college graduation in the United States instead of assuming that higher test scores and more high-school diplomas lead to a better educational system. School vouchers combined with low-risk education accounts can achieve this goal.
Conservatives have shown that private schools do more with less when compared to public schools because competition forces better performance. Unfortunately, studies have also shown that good test scores, GPAs, and high school graduation rates do not necessarily ensure college diplomas for low-income families, thus perpetuating the cycle of poverty in many urban areas where they live. more »
The following article was written by Washington Post staff writer, Anita Kumar, and appeared on February 11th:
RICHMOND -- Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) unveiled an ambitious proposal Wednesday to expand the number of charter schools in Virginia as a way to offer a publicly funded, privately run education alternative.
McDonnell also said he wants to create virtual schools in which students can learn outside traditional classrooms and laboratory schools that would benefit from partnerships with Virginia colleges and universities.
All three proposals must be approved by the General Assembly during its 60-day session, which ends next month.
The recently inaugurated governor has declared charter schools a top priority in his first legislative session. He has long praised President Obama for his support of charters, and he recently hired a nationally known charter advocate as his education secretary.
more »
RICHMOND -- Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) unveiled an ambitious proposal Wednesday to expand the number of charter schools in Virginia as a way to offer a publicly funded, privately run education alternative.
McDonnell also said he wants to create virtual schools in which students can learn outside traditional classrooms and laboratory schools that would benefit from partnerships with Virginia colleges and universities.
All three proposals must be approved by the General Assembly during its 60-day session, which ends next month.
The recently inaugurated governor has declared charter schools a top priority in his first legislative session. He has long praised President Obama for his support of charters, and he recently hired a nationally known charter advocate as his education secretary.
more »
Advocates argue changes could qualify state for millions in federal funds
The following article appeared in the Baltimore Sun on February 7th, and was written by
The following article appeared in the Baltimore Sun on February 7th, and was written by
Glimmerings
Stephen Sawchuk reports in his "Teacher Beat" blog on the Education Week website:Oklahoma Adopts ABCTE Program
The Oklahoma legislature just OK'd (sorry, I couldn't resist) the certification of teachers through the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, a national alternative-route program.... full details
Success vs Failure
Success:Teach For America (TFA) received 35,000 applications this year, up 42% from 2008. More than 11% of seniors at Ivy League schools applied, including 35% of African-American seniors at Harvard.Failure:Nationwide TFA is allotted only 3,800 teaching slots - or approximately... full detailsLearn More
Find out how well schools in your area are serving their students. Go the traditional route first...ask your friends and neighbors what they think. Then go to the library or use your home computer and look up every school on... full detailsContributors
Kate Benke is the Student Senate President of Concordia University, St. Paul.... more
Carl Paulus grew up in metropolitan Detroit, and is currently a doctoral candidate at Rice University where he studies American politics before the Civil War. He is interested in working in politics and has contributed articles to American Thinker.
Carl graduated with honors from the U... more
Known for her ability to synthesize major news events and ordinary life happenings into a unique perspective that rings with authenticity, Jackie Gingrich Cushman writes using both her mind and heart. Noted by the Washington Times for her “considerable talent” in writing, Jackie enjoys the proce... more
I'm a journalism and English student at the University of Tennessee.
In the summer of 2009, I'm working as an intern at American Solutions in Washington, D.C.... more
John Schilling is Interim President of the Alliance for School Choice, the nation’s largest organization promoting educational options for parents. John’s long career in the federal and state public policy arena includes executive level positions in two national non-profits, Arizona and Cal... more
David Webb is a resident of New Jersey. He is a communicator with 15+ years of informing the American public as a Local & Syndicated Talk Show Host. His radio career has led him through Boston, Houston, Dallas and New York City.
Active in politics on the local and national level... more
Active in politics on the local and national level... more
Michael Ciamarra is Vice President of the Alabama Policy Institute. He is a widely published columnist and frequent commentator on radio talk shows. He is a member of the Heritage Foundation Resource Bank and a fellow with Center for Health Transformati... more
Ellen Winn currently serves as Director of the Education Equality Project (EEP). The Education Equality Project (EEP) was founded by Reverend Al Sharpton and New York City Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein as a national advocacy group... more
Lisa Graham Keegan is Principal Partner at the Keegan Company, where she consults, writes and speaks on critical issues in American education. Keegan's expertise and outspoken nature, have made her a sought after education reform expert who has worked with national education leaders, the medi... more
Ali A. Akbar is a young political activist and operative. Specializing in New Media communications, Akbar is the founder and President of Republic Modern Media, designing and building online campaigns and websites. He's been a successful blogger for 3 years now, first gaining notorie... more
Bob Compton’s track record of success and his passion for new ventures are unyielding. A Harvard Business School graduate with an honorary Doctorate from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Compton has spent most of his career as a professional venture capital investor specializing in start-... more
I am a young student at Penn State University in State College, PA.
I serve as Web Editor for The Philadelphia Bulletin, where I also write a column on renewal in higher education.
At Penn State, I served as President & General Manager o... more
Former United States Senator William Brock has served this nation for more than forty years, first as a lieutenant in the US Navy, and subsequently as a Member of the US House of Representatives for Tennessee’s Third Congressional District, United States Senator from Tennessee, United States Trade R... more
Tom Watkins, is President and CEO of TDW and Associates, a business and educational consulting firm, working in the US and China.
He served the citizens of the state of Michigan as State Superintendent of Schools from 2001-2005, State Mental Health Director from 1986-1990, and as an electe... more
Fred is a consultant to American Solutions' education reform project. Formerly, he served as American Solutions' Vice President for Coalitions and Training.
Fred has worked on Capitol Hill, in a variety of campaigns at all levels, and in the private sector. He lives in Washington, DC, and is or... more
Newt Gingrich is well-known as the architect of the “Contract with America.” After he was elected Speaker, he disrupted the status quo by moving power out of Washington and back to the American people. Under his leadership, Congress passed welfare reform, passed the first balanced budget in a ge... more
I currently serve as the Online Community Manager at American Solutions. Before joining American Solutions in 2007, I was a student at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. There, I majored in Political Science with a Concentration in American Government and Politics.
I first came to Washing... more
Dan is currently the Director of Online Communications at American Solutions.... more
Webmaster at American Solutions for Winning the Future. ... more
Research
Media
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Videos
Vision
To establish that the reason for existence of a school system is to provide for the measurable learning and well-being of its students and reform or replace systems that do not meet this end.
full detailsValues
Family
Any effective education policy will need to acknowledge the importance of family involvement in the education of children. Family members will usually have a stronger understanding of each other than any outside bureaucrat, and this connection is a vital tool in passing on knowledge, tools, and values. Parents both deserve and need to be involved in our educational systems, for the good of the students, the teachers, the community, and the families themselves.
Metrics
· No child is cheated by being trapped in a bureaucracy that fails to perform
· An increased number of programs that provide incentives for students to stay in school, and work hard, and graduate.
· An increasing number of coupons granted to parents that would allow their children to attend a local private school of their choice when faced with failing public schools.
full details