Let’s Take a Smart Ride into a Dynamic Educational Future
My vision of Colorado’s educational future certainly looks humble and limited, though let’s be honest, it isn’t ridiculous. Personally I’m a bigger fan of Transformers, but for some the “future” conjures up pictures of a kind of Star Trek sci-fi world. Maybe not enough to convince them to speak exclusively to their own children in […]
Onward and Upward: Jeffco Forges Ahead with New Pay Model
A while back, I wrote about a proposal in Jefferson County that aimed to reimagine the way the district’s pay structure works. The proposal generated much huffing and puffing by the teachers union. Happily, this has not resulted in them blowing the proverbial house down. In fact, the school board voted last week to press […]
Devil’s Advocate: Tackling Douglas County School Choice Lawsuit
Independence Institute education policy analysts Ben DeGrow and Ross Izard talk about the Douglas County Choice Scholarship Program (CSP) and where it stands in the courts. They highlight some of the arguments for the CSP and key design advantages that they helped to make in an amicus brief.
Michigan Judge Calls Out Union Opt-Out Policy as Unfair to Teachers
My dad once told me a story about when he was a little kid, not much older than I am now. He saw one of the bigger kids on the school playground holding a few of the smaller kids’ lunch money hostage. This bully said he had taken their money for the privilege of being […]
Make Progress, Not War: Thompson’s Golden Opportunity for Change
Cooperation is the key to success. It sounds trite, I know. In my world, most major arguments are settled with wrestling matches or food fights. In grown-up land, however, those aren’t always viable options (or are they?). No, adults have to learn to work together even when they don’t want to. Maybe especially when they […]
Brookings: Superintendents Don’t Make Big Impact on Student Learning
What exactly should we expect of Colorado’s school district leaders? With a title like SUPERintendent, are we expecting too much of what they can accomplish? What difference does it make for what students in a district learn to have an experienced superintendent as opposed to someone new at the helm? A brand-new Brookings study strongly […]
Getting Back to the Core of the Common Core Debate
Arguments happen. We all know that. But we should also know that if we aren’t careful, those arguments can creep away from their original subject (and reality) as they gain steam. That, my friends, is how we wind up in messy food fights instead of constructive conversations. As it is in life, so it is […]
Amy Oliver Show: Can Colorado Have Testing Flexibility and Accountability?
Colorado State Board of Education chair Paul Lundeen talks about his goal to give schools and districts more flexibility in the standardized testing regime, while keeping academic results transparent and comparable and the system accountable to parents and taxpayers.
Jeffco Board Steps Up to Reward Outstanding Teachers
Like a lot of kids my age, I get a weekly allowance. It may not seem like much to you, but five bucks buys me an awful lot of valuable stuff (mostly candy). But my allowance isn’t unconditional; I get more when I’m good than when I’m bad. I get more for good grades than […]
New Hampshire Ruling for Kids & Tax Credits Makes Me Smile Wider
“Good news for educational freedom!” Words that can light up my day, right up there with “Free Legos” and “of course, you can have another scoop of Superman ice cream.” (Sadly, too many kids are left Waiting for Superman… Okay, okay. Enough groaning already.) Specifically, the latest good news comes compliments of the “merry band […]
Rubric’s Cube: Understanding Colorado’s Recent Voucher Grade
We’re all instinctively wary of being graded, I think. Being evaluated can make you a little nervous, and there’s always that slight moment of panic as a teacher hands back an exam. Yet, that information often proves to be extremely valuable. A good evaluation helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, and things you’ll do differently moving […]
What Can Colorado Learn from NYC Charter Network’s Amazing “Success”?
Colorado isn’t the only state to release its annual test results lately. Here we touted the record-shattering ACT performance of Fort Collins charter Liberty Common High School. At the same time, we were disappointed to see a charter school network serving a higher-need student population falter somewhat but STRIVE to take responsibility and improve. Along […]
