posted on
Here are news and opinion stories educators, advocates, policy wonks and makers are talking about today:
News & analysis:
Culture Warrior, Gaining Ground
A generation after he was squarely pummeled as elitist, antiquated and narrow-minded, the education theorist E. D. Hirsch Jr. is being dragged back into the ring at the age of 85 — this time for a chance at redemption. (New York Times)
California takes a left turn on state exams
California is on a collision course with the U.S. Department of Education over its plans to suspend standardized tests this school year – a move that Education Secretary Arne Duncan says is wrong-headed. (Washington Post)
More than half of D.C. public school principals rated below ‘effective’ on revised evaluations
Half the principals in the District’s traditional public schools were deemed “developing” — one rung above “ineffective” — on newly revised evaluations that for the first time sorted administrators by their performance. (Washington Post)
What High-Scoring Countries Do Right in Math, Reading, and Science
A new study analyzes the results of international math, science and reading tests and provides a profile of the practices that schools, parents, and teachers in the highest-scoring countries have in common. (Education Week – Curriculum Matters)
Emerging Issues in Educational Change
Welcome to our first blog week! We begin this week by addressing some of the key emerging issues in educational change. Our guiding questions include: What global trends are currently dominating (or beginning to dominate) whole-system level change? How does international benchmarking inform and shape education policy and practice? What are some of the key challenges and considerations associated with assessment-driven culture? How can we engage in mindful teaching with technology? (Education Week – International Perspectives on Education Reform)
Minnesota:
State studies native pupils’ success in DL
Students and staff at the Detroit Lakes Middle School received honors Thursday for being among the top in the state in academics. MinnCan is a non-profit education advocacy group that is touring what they have determined are some of the best schools in Minnesota. (DL-Online)