This Week In Education
Written by former Senate education staffer and journalist Alexander Russo, This Week in Education was an opinion blog that covered education news, policymakers, and trends with a distinctly political edge. (For archives prior to January 2007, please click here. For posts after November 2007, please click here.) This blog is no longer being updated.
Education Funding
Opinion
Inside The Gates Machine: Golston, Phillips, Pennington, Seleznow, & Shelton
OK, I think I understand at least some of the basics now, thanks to Gates spokesperson Marie Groark. Former Portland supe Vicki Phillips (right) will be the "new" Tom Vander Ark, heading the education initiative. However, the setup is different, too. Education is now going to be under US Programs, run by Allan Golston, and expanded to include special initiatives, which is being run by former JFF-er Hilary Pennington (left).
Education
Opinion
Who Decides What's Important -- Readers, Or Editors?
Washington Post, media critic Howard Kurtz points out that much of the astounding success of the Huffington Post, a group blog that features all sorts of generally Democratic commentary and content (including mine), has come from the ability (and willingness) of its editors to go beyond the now-standard "most read story" gizmo in the corner and actually bring popular articles to the front page, top center. Editors hate this because it means that readers are making placement and prominence decisions and mixing commentary with news. Advertisers love it because it makes the site the sites that do this (Daily Kos and Google News are other examples) all the more popular. Check out Kurtz's piece here: The Huffington Empire.
Federal
Opinion
Addressing NCLB's "Reverse Lake Wobegon Syndrome"
Defending -- much less advocating -- NCLB has to be one of the most thankless jobs out there, but the LA Times' columnist Ron Brownstein gives it a shot in Don't leave this law behind. Sounding like he's been talking to EdSec Spellings, Kati Haycock, and Bruce Reed a lot, Brownstein admits that the law has "minted enemies" and blames the current AYP system for creating a "reverse Lake Wobegon syndrome" in which too many schools are rated as low-performing. But he concludes that improving the law is possible, and that with immigration reform seemingly done in "educational accountability offers Washington its last chance for a big bipartisan accomplishment this year." We'll see.
Education Funding
Opinion
Consultants Vs. Real Live School Administrators, Part 5
From today's Washington Examiner, via The Quick And The Ed:
Education Funding
Opinion
Who's In Charge Of What At The Gates Foundation? No One Knows.
While the Gates Foundation continues to influence education reform near and far (just this week strong-arming the LAUSD school board), no one really seems to have a complete picture of who's who and who does what in their education division these days.
Education
Opinion
Best Of The Blogs
I skim them so you don't have to..
Reading on the same page Joanne Jacobs
Reading on the same page Joanne Jacobs
School & District Management
Opinion
Capturing The Current School Reform Moment ... Down To The Granular Level
Though I usually find articles in The Nation tiresome and predictable even when I agree with them, I knew I was going to like LynNell Hancock's recent article on school reform in New York City when she started out making fun of the word "granular," which is currently being over-used in certain circles when it comes to describing detailed data.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Now Cool: Librarians
A lot of people seem to be enjoying this NYT Magazine article about new-era librarians (A Hipper Crowd Of Shushers): "With so much of the job involving technology and with a focus now on finding and sharing information beyond just what is available in books, a new type of librarian is emerging — the kind that, according to the Web site Librarian Avengers, is “looking to put the ‘hep cat’ in cataloguing.” There are an increasing number of librarians who are notable not just for their pink-streaked hair but also for their passion for pop culture, activism and technology."
Federal
Opinion
....Or They Could Introduce NCLB Reauthorization Language
Maybe the week won't be so slow after all, I'm told, if Hill staff finally release the bill language that they've been working on feverishly with hopes of -- could this really happen? -- marking up a bill before August recess? It doesn't seem possible, but who knows. Congress Now says "As for No Child Left Behind, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers is making a push to mark up its reauthorization before the August recess, with the hope of reauthorizing President Bush's landmark education reforms before they expire at the end of September. Staff from both parties are negotiating the final details of the bill's legislative language, which will likely be released within the week as a precursor to a markup." Yikes. I'm excited. I'm scared. I'm skeptical.
Education
Opinion
The Week Ahead
If it's not about Iraq, health care, the campaign, or the environment, it doesn't seem like there's that much going on in DC these next few days. Fresh off her weekend in Aspen, the EdSec is going to Crystal City this afternoon to to talk about investing in children at the White House Conference on the Americas. Mysteriously, it's not open to the press. The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to mark up the Labor-HHS-Education bill on Wednesday. That same day, Secty Spellings flies up to Albany to give a commencement speech for the A Brighter Choice charter schools (single sex, BTW). Next Monday, AEI has an event on NCLB.
Education
Opinion
Big Stories Of The Day (Monday July 9)
Not really that new or big, but more to come with Congress back in session...