Month: April 2017

Is the Charter School “Experiment” Truly Over?

Eduflack Achievement gap, BAM, charter schools, DeVos, reform, turnaround

Last week, President Donald Trump declared “mission accomplished” when it comes to charter schools and school choice, noting that the experiment is now over and charters have clearly won the day.

While one might be able to make such a claim in New Orleans, New York City, Chicago, or DC, are we really ready to declare victory across the nation? I look at the school district that gave me my high school diploma — in Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia — and wonder what charters would mean in a community like that, if charters even existed in a community like that.

With so few communities experiencing charter schools — and with most of those that have being limited to our large, urban cities — can we really declare the experiment over? Is it done when we simply have too few test subjects to render a full and complete decision?

These are some of the questions I explore on the latest edition of #TrumpED on the BAM! Radio Network. Give it a listen. You won’t be disappointed.

What’s Up on #TrumpED?

Eduflack BAM, reform, Teacher Education, teachers, TrumpED

I’ve been remiss in posting many of our recent segments for #TrumpED on BAM! Radio Network. So for all of those who have been making our segments on education policy in the Trump Administration “must-listen” radio, let me point out a few recent segments.

What does the Trump “skinny” budget mean for education policy? We take a look here.

Here, we explore whether it is really that simple to say that our national policy is simply to return education decision making to the states and localities.

And here, we take a look at whether the proposed cuts to Title II and teacher professional development truly make sense for improving the quality and impact of classroom instruction.

Give them all a listen. And drop dear ol’ Eduflack a note on future topics you’d like to hear on TrumpED.

 

What the Field Says About Our Federal Education Priorities

Eduflack BAM, DeVos, NASSP, reform, TrumpED

A few weeks back, I had the privilege of hosting a roundtable discussion for BAM! Radio Network with the leaders of five key national education organizations. The topic? What should our education priorities be under President Donald Trump and his Education Department.

The discussion included AASA’s Dan Domenech, NASSP’s JoAnn Bartoletti, NAESP’s Gail Connelly, ASBO’s John Musso, and NAEYP’s Rhian Evans.

 

Give it a listen here. It is well worth the time. A lot of interesting perspectives from the organizations that represent many of the leading voices in our school buildings today.