Contextual Accountability

This is an extremely insightful article on what is missing from the discussion on school reform.


http://theeducatorsroom.com/2012/09/contextual-accountability/

Are schools being too generous?

This editorial asserts that because schools are not evaluating teachers using student growth measures that are based solely on test scores, they are not honestly evaluating our teachers.  We already had the answer that the public schools are riddled with bad teachers.  Now the data isn't supporting the answer.  Isn't it possible that the answer was wrong?  Or at the very least, that the method of evaluation is extremely flawed?

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120920/OPINION01/209200335/1008/OPINION01/Editorial-Schools-avoid-strong-evaluations

Teacher evaluation methods faulty?

Is it possible that the rhetoric regarding how many of our teachers are ineffective is faulty?  Or maybe that the tests that measure student growth are faulty?

http://www.freep.com/article/20120920/NEWS06/309200269/Most-teachers-found-effective-but-rating-system-questioned?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Michigan House took up parent trigger

http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2012/09/michigan_house_committee_takin.html

Khan Academy

How does Khan fit into the cyber school debate?

http://bridgemi.com/2012/09/khan-academy-sparks-passion-from-fans-skeptics/

mixed news on charter schools

http://www.freep.com/article/20120909/NEWS06/309090157/Michigan-has-more-charter-schools-than-ever-what-s-smartest-choice-

funding for K-12 down nearly 9% since 2008

 Michigan ranks 29th out of the 48 contiguous states for funding.  Is this where we want to be?

http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/09/school_funding_michigan.html

what's behind the teacher's strike in chicago

This is a very interesting article about the issues facing teachers in Chicago.  Teachers in Michigan's bigger cities face many of these same issues. 

http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/15068666-452/hard-facts-behind-union-board-dispute.html

interesting article from Bridge Magazine

It’s never too early to start college | Bridge Michigan