It seems like at least once a month, a long-time teacher’s retirement or resignation a letter gets picked up by national media. The letters thank students, parents, and colleagues, but they typically end on a sobering note about the state of our public education system and the demise of the teaching profession. The Washington Post […]
education reform
Posted inNews & Opinion
Was the Atlanta education scandal inevitable?
The cheating scandal in the Atlanta public school system has shocked the nation, though it’s a little unclear why. Educators and parents concerned about overemphasis on high-stakes standardized tests have been predicting this kind of thing for years. Late last week we learned that Atlanta’s former superintendent, Beverly Hall, had been indicted on racketeering charges. […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
What if we’re chasing the wrong ‘schools’ fix?
One of the more thought-provoking articles I’ve read recently is Jerry Muller’s “Capitalism and Inequality,” in Foreign Affairs. The subject: the United States’ growing income inequality. Liberals and conservatives alike will find plenty to dislike in what Muller says, but some of his points are hard to argue with. We’re spending enormous amounts of money […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Parent trigger law debate heats up
The Buffalo-Rochester Parent Trigger Coalition, a group of community organizations and education activists, is renewing a push for a parent trigger law for the school systems in both cities. Parent trigger laws, first initiated in California, give parents a tool to transform persistently failing schools. Parents can petition the school’s board to enact one or […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Vargas emphasizes early childhood education
The Rochester school district has become a “remedial district,” Superintendent Bolgen Vargas said today at an early morning meeting with parents and students. The term is used by educators to describe a teaching atmosphere that emphasizes helping students catch up to as close to grade level as possible. The way to change the district, he […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Test anxiety
Rochester could join a number of schools around the country that forgo high-stakes standardized testing if the Rochester school board approves a policy proposed by board member Mary Adams. | The resolution will be voted on this month. | High stakes testing was a main feature of the No Child Left Behind law, and it […]
