John F. Kennedy, Jr. once said “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” So it is a tragedy (and a threat to the US's future development and growth) that our public schools fail so many children. That tragedy is compounded by the opposition from much of the educational establishment ... and a growing portion of our political elite (including our current President) ... to charter schools. A new study from Stanford University's Centre for Research on Education Outcomes of nearly 2 million charter school students and a similar control group of public school students demonstrates the positive impact charter schools can have on children, especially the most disadvantaged who are least well served by our public schools, and who stand to gain the most from a great education! The study found that in math, the average charter student advanced by an extra six days each year compared with one at a traditional public school, and by 16 days in reading. And students in cities, as well as Hispanic and African-American students, benefitted the most. The study also refuted the argument that over-performance by charter students was because those schools were creaming off the most motivated pupils or parents, finding that charter schools take in students who are doing worse than their classmates in public schools. It's time that charter school opponents put aside their ill-informed (or self-serving) opposition, follow the facts, and support charter schools and our kids! https://lnkd.in/gMAUJP2Q
Frank Watanabe’s Post
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How would you respond to: How do we protect our democracy and the future of our students as participants in it? Check out Elizabeth Alvarez, Ph.D. response in this month's issue of The Stories We Tell and share your own response!
From Dr. Sandy Husk's interim appointment to Portland Public Schools, to policy momentums in Ethnic Studies, to thoughts on student voice in our democracy, there is so much packed into our April Newsletter! https://lnkd.in/df96DgPD
April 2024
https://voice4equity.com
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While most know Chicago Public Schools are a dysfunctional mess, here are some facts that may provide some perspective as to the scale of that dysfunction: Last year, just 11% of Black students in grades 3-8 tested at grade level in reading and 6% in math; while only 10% of Black students met the national SAT reading proficiency standard, and only 7.9% met proficiency in math. Yet the district graduated 83% of the students. No failing schools have been reconstituted despite a number having no children reading at grade level and 100% of the teachers passing their evaluations. All this while spending $30,000 a year per student. To make matters worse, the Chicago Board of Education has officially taken a stand against charter public schools (as well as magnet and selective enrollment schools), which significantly outperform those run by the district. Students, families and all citizens of Chicago deserve better. Unfortunately that will not happen until we all stand up and demand it.
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Top performing senior EdTech sales and account executive with a strategic understanding of how to build and develop sales and develop GoToMarket strategies at the Superintendent and C-Suite Leadership Team level.
This looks like an excellent analysis of strategies that are working in our large, urban school districts.
In the foreword of my new book, The Enduring Promise of America’s Great City Schools, former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan writes, “Running a large, urban school district is among the more challenging jobs in America. It is challenging enough for school superintendents to support learning and drive positive outcomes for increasingly diverse student populations. School leaders must also ensure that kids are safe, healthy, and well fed, that their parents feel welcomed and included, that their teachers feel valued and motivated, and that school board members and elected officials who provide the funding feel the funding is justified and the results are positive. These challenges are exponentially greater when the student population approaches that of a midsize American city.” The new book describes how and why some city school systems make more academic progress than others, and it lays out a path forward for urban public education.
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In the foreword of my new book, The Enduring Promise of America’s Great City Schools, former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan writes, “Running a large, urban school district is among the more challenging jobs in America. It is challenging enough for school superintendents to support learning and drive positive outcomes for increasingly diverse student populations. School leaders must also ensure that kids are safe, healthy, and well fed, that their parents feel welcomed and included, that their teachers feel valued and motivated, and that school board members and elected officials who provide the funding feel the funding is justified and the results are positive. These challenges are exponentially greater when the student population approaches that of a midsize American city.” The new book describes how and why some city school systems make more academic progress than others, and it lays out a path forward for urban public education.
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Learn more about the Virginia Literacy Act before it is fully implemented in the 2024-2025 academic year. This research and policy brief offers an overview of the VLA. It is structured to explore the following questions: 1) What are the recent trends in reading achievement in Virginia? 2) What are the policy implications of the VLA for Virginia school divisions? 3) What does the research say about Science of Reading (SoR)? 4) What core instructional programs are approved to meet the VLA? It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations. https://lnkd.in/eF5KFTyk VCU School of Education Chesterfield County Public Schools Hanover County Public Schools Henrico County Public Schools Richmond Public Schools Virginia Education Association Virginia Department of Education National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NNERPP) – Rice University
Understanding the Virginia Literacy Act
linkedin.com
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Take a stand. Become an advocate by lending your voice. Sign up to receive email alerts about issues critical to higher education in California and find out what you can do to advocate for UC.
Stand up for higher education!
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Internationally Experienced Communications Executive (External Communications | Crisis Communications | Government Relations | Corporate Social Responsibility) *Views Expressed on This Page Are My Own*
When Roland Fryer writes about education policy, we should listen. The United States is the most prosperous country in the world and yet we currently rank 36th when it comes to math proficienty. These poor showings are driven in part by racial achievement gaps. These gaps can be closed, but trying the same things over and over and talking about it is not enough — and especially not when we start toying with the idea of covering up our own failures by eliminating testing or lowering standards for our kids. The town where I grew up defines itself through its schools. Our motto is: “a community is known by the schools that it keeps.” So many great things in my life are owned to this wonderful community and its schools. They are among the most supported and racially diverse in the country. We have invested and worked together for 60 years to build a community united in its rich cultural diversity, educational advancement, arts, music, all of it. We have also made tackling the racial achievement gaps a focus, and yet they persist. I always read and listen to Roland Fryer because he has succeeded where Shaker has failed. Roland is one of the brightest minds in our country — a Harvard economist who has committed his life to using data to drive positive outcomes for American kids, including and perhaps especially those who grew up and look like him. Roland Fryer not only closed the racial achievement gaps at the Harlem Children’s Zone, he actually reversed them - with the black students leap frogging their peers. And that’s wonderful beause he did so not by lowering standards, but by raising them. Let’s always chase ourselves up. That’s the only way America has ever known how to go. The simple fact is that we need more innovative educational approaches because what we are doing today is failing too many kids. And it’s failing us. 36th place globally in math? We can do far better. And we will when we set higher standards for ourselves and embrace American innovation in education the way we do with everything else. I urge leaders in Shaker to reach out to Roland Fryer. Talk to him, pilot a program with his input, and measure and share the results. #RaiseTheBar
From Opinion: School choice as we know it won’t fix the American education system. The movement must return to Milton Friedman’s vision of unfettered competition, which no existing school-choice program achieves, writes Roland Fryer.
Opinion | America Needs Real School Choice
wsj.com
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SCHOOL CHOICE: The majority (64%) of voters say they know what school choice means, according to a recent Scott Rasmussen national survey. Of those who say they know what school choice means, 64% have a favorable opinion. Just 24% unfavorable. Since day one, we at the America First Policy Institute have been fighting for educational freedom! Through experience, research & education, our Center for Education Opportunity dedicates itself to fostering transformational action so that every child can achieve the American Dream! 🇺🇸 Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eNd2Cprr
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Drawing on findings from its newly released report, California’s Teacher Education Deserts: An Overlooked & Growing Equity Challenge, the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools held a webinar on April 23 to discuss the obstacles that some regions face in attracting and retaining highly qualified educators. Nine of California’s 58 counties — Alpine, Del Norte, Imperial, Inyo, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Sierra and Siskiyou — are considered teacher education deserts. Learn more: https://ow.ly/Y8EG50RzSir
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If you want the best, then look no further, you found it here.
7moGreat Post Frank W and thank you Alex C. Our current political leadership are dedicated to nothing more than destroying the fabric of our country. They could care less about the education of our youth. They rather fill their heads with absurd confusion about their gender or poison their minds with fabricated perceptions of hate against other races of people. Leave people alone and most get along just fine. It is all about a pathetic group of current political leaders that want to break us financially, poison the minds of our youth, dummy down our country, and ultimately control the masses of the US. Open your eyes if you do not see it.