Chicago Schools Hiring People to Supervise Kids in Class While Teachers Work Remotely

Nader Issa: Half of the jobs, which pay $15 an hour, include supervising students in classrooms where teachers are remote, monitoring social distancing and masking and conducting health screenings. Chicago Public Schools is looking to hire 2,000 new employees to take on pandemic-related duties and fill in gaps in staffing once schools return in-person in … Continue reading Chicago Schools Hiring People to Supervise Kids in Class While Teachers Work Remotely

A Task force on Madison’s Long term, Disastrous Reading Results

.@MMSDschools and @UWMadEducation announce a 14-member early literacy task force focused on analyzing approaches to teaching reading “toward the goals of improving reading outcomes and reducing achievement gaps.” More details at a 1 p.m. press availability. Members: pic.twitter.com/mPDoVmDrTF — Scott Girard (@sgirard9) December 14, 2020 Yet, deja vu all around Madison’s long term, disastrous reading … Continue reading A Task force on Madison’s Long term, Disastrous Reading Results

Americans’ Mental Health Ratings Sink to New Low

Megan Brenan: • 34% say their mental health is excellent, down from 43% in 2019 • Democrats, frequent churchgoers show least mental health change • Reports of physical health stable, slightly more positive than mental health Americans’ latest assessment of their mental health is worse than it has been at any point in the last … Continue reading Americans’ Mental Health Ratings Sink to New Low

Commentary on the Closed Taxpayer Supported Madison K-12 Schools

Bill Minser, Regis Miller and more: I found last Sunday’s State Journal editorial, “Fauci sends a message to schools,” disingenuous and dangerous. Schools should have opened in September. Commentary. Related: Catholic schools will sue Dane County Madison Public Health to open as scheduled Notes and links on Dane County Madison Public Health. (> 140 employees). Molly Beck and … Continue reading Commentary on the Closed Taxpayer Supported Madison K-12 Schools

National Teachers Union Chief Says She Didn’t Mean to Call Kids “Chronically Tarded” and “Medically Annoying”

Laura Moser: So begins this apology from Lily Eskelsen García—the president of the National Education Association—for remarks that outraged disabilities advocates and special-needs parents. In a lively speech at a Campaign for America’s Future gala in October, where she was accepting a Progressive Champion Award (just wait, because that detail is about to seem funny), Eskelsen García … Continue reading National Teachers Union Chief Says She Didn’t Mean to Call Kids “Chronically Tarded” and “Medically Annoying”

Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 system releases “metrics” for reopening, new website detailing process

Scott Girard: The Madison Metropolitan School District launched a website Wednesday to keep families updated on reopening plans as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, including metrics that will be used to determine if and when schools will open for in-person instruction. MMSD is expected to announce its plan for the third quarter, which begins Jan. 25, by Jan. … Continue reading Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 system releases “metrics” for reopening, new website detailing process

Madison Schools Announce Plans to Embrace the Science of Reading

Joseph Da Costa: Madison school officials plan significant changes in reading and literacy instruction. District administrators presented the proposed changes to school board members at a recent Board of Education meeting and signaled a shift toward phonics and the science of reading. MMSD’s Chief of Elementary Schools, Carletta Stanford, acknowledged, “We know that what we’ve … Continue reading Madison Schools Announce Plans to Embrace the Science of Reading

Virginia schools plan gradual reopening as evidence of online learning gap piles up

Hannah Natanson: More evidence emerged this week that online school is taking its worst academic toll on Virginia’s most vulnerable students, as superintendents in the state — facing mounting pressure to reopen schools — took tentative steps toward in-person instruction. Loudoun County Public Schools went the furthest, welcoming back more than 7,300 elementary school students this … Continue reading Virginia schools plan gradual reopening as evidence of online learning gap piles up

Michigan Catholic high schools sue state over in-person learning ban

John Wisely: Three Catholic high schools are suing the state in federal court, saying Michigan’s most recent order banning in-person learning violates their First Amendment right to practice their faith. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon on Monday extended by 12 days a previous order banning in-person learning at high schools, colleges … Continue reading Michigan Catholic high schools sue state over in-person learning ban

Wisconsin Parents Sue City For Closing Down Schools

Hank Berrien: A group of Wisconsin parents, along with School Choice Wisconsin, is suing the city of Racine after the city closed its schools, defying a Wisconsin Supreme Court restraining order preventing the city from closing the schools. The sequence of events preceding the lawsuit included Dottie-Kay Bowersox, the City of Racine Public Health Administrator, … Continue reading Wisconsin Parents Sue City For Closing Down Schools

Dr. Anthony Fauci sends a message to Wisconsin school governance

Wisconsin State Journal: The nation’s top infectious disease expert just urged schools to reopen. We hope school officials in Madison and across Wisconsin were listening — those who have kept most of their students at home for online learning during the pandemic. School officials should be ready to open for the second semester in late … Continue reading Dr. Anthony Fauci sends a message to Wisconsin school governance

Chicago Teachers Union: ‘The Push To Reopen Schools Is Rooted in Sexism, Racism, and Misogyny’

Robby Soave: The Chicago Teachers Union, which represents more than 28,000 educators in the nation’s third largest city, tweeted on Sunday: “The push to reopen schools is rooted in sexism, racism and misogyny.” That was the entire tweet; the union provided no additional comment or clarifying statement. There was no acknowledgment that many people who … Continue reading Chicago Teachers Union: ‘The Push To Reopen Schools Is Rooted in Sexism, Racism, and Misogyny’

Civics: The Biden-led political restoration is an elite project. It offers nothing to the working class.

Joel Kotkin: Yet the era of global kumbaya, ended by Trump, is not likely to return. It has become painfully obvious that ‘free trade’, as carried out by our own companies, benefited the already affluent at the expense of most people. As the liberal New Statesman has put it succinctly, ‘the era of peak globalisation … Continue reading Civics: The Biden-led political restoration is an elite project. It offers nothing to the working class.

MTI head says district ‘interfered with the union’ in wage negotiation, files complaint

Scott Girard: Madison Teachers Inc. filed its second grievance against the Madison Metropolitan School District this year on Wednesday. The complaint filed with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WERC) comes after the district sent out a Nov. 30 communication stating “the MMSD Board of Education, MTI and the trades have ratified the agreement to increase … Continue reading MTI head says district ‘interfered with the union’ in wage negotiation, files complaint

Madison mulls safety plans for police-free schools, including student-led oversight panel

Elizabeth Beyer: Under Freedom Inc.’s proposal the committee would have complete decision-making power over school safety and accountability policies within the district; oversee all district investigations of student, parent or family member complaints against school staff; and establish a process to protect students against retaliation after filing a complaint, among other measures. Freedom Inc. is … Continue reading Madison mulls safety plans for police-free schools, including student-led oversight panel

The Tragedy of Black Education Is New

Walter Williams: Several years ago, Project Baltimore began an investigation of Baltimore’s school system. What it found was an utter disgrace. In 19 of Baltimore’s 39 high schools, out of 3,804 students, only 14 of them, or less than 1%, were proficient in math. In 13 of Baltimore’s high schools, not a single student scored proficient in math. In … Continue reading The Tragedy of Black Education Is New

School chaos is why you should teach your kids the truth about politicians

Karol Markowicz: “Why is my school closed, Mommy?” asks the sweet fictional child who has stopped going to school for no apparent reason. “I haaaaaaaaate Zoom,” screams the real child rolling on the floor, while his teacher repeatedly asks little Sally to mute herself and little Billy to put his shirt back on. In-person school … Continue reading School chaos is why you should teach your kids the truth about politicians

How DeVos May Have Started a Counterrevolution in Education

Jack Schneider and Jennifer C. Berkshire: Together, led by federal policy elites, Republicans and Democrats espoused the logic of markets in the public sphere, expanding school choice through publicly funded charter schools. Competition, both sides agreed, would strengthen schools. And the introduction of charters, this contingent believed, would empower parents as consumers by even further … Continue reading How DeVos May Have Started a Counterrevolution in Education

The reading wars are over – and phonics has won

Sarah Mitchell: Of all the debates in education, none are quite as absurd as the reading wars. On the one hand there are those who advocate for a phonics-based approach to reading instruction in the early years – making sure children understand sound-letter relationships so they can read words accurately without guessing from the context … Continue reading The reading wars are over – and phonics has won

Madison School Board President Gloria Reyes Will Not Seek Re-election

Gloria Reyes: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 1, 2020 Madison School Board President Gloria Reyes Will Not Seek Re-election Statement by Gloria Reyes I am announcing today that I will not seek re-election to the Madison School Board. This has been a difficult decision. I’ve made it after much consideration, consultation with my family, and as … Continue reading Madison School Board President Gloria Reyes Will Not Seek Re-election

Federal Data Reveals No Relationship Between Spending and Academic Outcomes in Wisconsin Schools

Will Flanders: Flying under the radar amidst the continuing pandemic is the news that the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) finally released school-level spending data for Wisconsin’s public schools. Required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), DPI appears to have dragged its feet as long as possible before providing this information to families … Continue reading Federal Data Reveals No Relationship Between Spending and Academic Outcomes in Wisconsin Schools

Racine still enforcing school closures under Safer Racine ordinance, despite Supreme Court pausing similar order

Adam Rogan: The City of Racine is still banning schools from having students and teachers in their buildings within city limits through Jan. 15, despite a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision last week that put the local order closing schools on pause. The legal reason the city is citing for continuing to enforce school closures is … Continue reading Racine still enforcing school closures under Safer Racine ordinance, despite Supreme Court pausing similar order

195 Million Chinese Students Are In School. Why Aren’t Our Kids?

Evita Duffy: Right now in China, 195 million students K-12 are learning in-person in Chinese public schools. Meanwhile, millions of American public school students are learning in a failed remote system that can’t even keep track of thousands of students who haven’t shown up for class all year.   In 2018, 15-year-olds in dozens of countries … Continue reading 195 Million Chinese Students Are In School. Why Aren’t Our Kids?

K-12 Governance Rhetoric & Reality

A 0.28% covid positive test rate in New York City schools during the last six weeks—a ????? of the 3% rate in the city in general. It would’ve been so reasonable and right (and politically painless!) for ⁦@NYCMayor⁩ to keep the schools open. Crazy. pic.twitter.com/MXGsvQzSCI — Kurt Andersen (@KBAndersen) November 29, 2020 Related: Catholic schools will … Continue reading K-12 Governance Rhetoric & Reality

Estimation of US Children’s Educational Attainment and Years of Life Lost Associated With Primary School Closures During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH, Wil Van Cleve, MD, MPH2; Frederick J. Zimmerman, PhD3: Question  Based on the current understanding of the associations between school disruption and decreased educational attainment and between decreased educational attainment and lower life expectancy, is it possible to estimate the association between school closure during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and decreased life expectancy of publicly … Continue reading Estimation of US Children’s Educational Attainment and Years of Life Lost Associated With Primary School Closures During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

One of the most powerful ways to close the racial gap in academic performance: Black boys need to see more Black men reading

James E. Causey: He read in the hallway. Over his lunch hour. After school. He did it first as assistant principal at John Early Magnet School and then in the same role at East Nashville Magnet High School. Curious, students would approach him. “What are you reading?” they’d ask. “Must be a good book.” Pratt … Continue reading One of the most powerful ways to close the racial gap in academic performance: Black boys need to see more Black men reading

Failing grades spike in Virginia’s largest school system as online learning gap emerges nationwide

Hannah Natanson: A report on student grades from one of the nation’s largest school districts offers some of the first concrete evidence that online learning is forcing a striking drop in students’ academic performance, and that the most vulnerable students — children with disabilities and English-language learners — are suffering the most. Fairfax County Public … Continue reading Failing grades spike in Virginia’s largest school system as online learning gap emerges nationwide

Excess Deaths Associated with COVID-19, by Age and Race and Ethnicity

CDC.gov: What is already known about this topic? As of October 15, 216,025 deaths from COVID-19 have been reported in the United States; however, this might underestimate the total impact of the pandemic on mortality. What is added by this report? Overall, an estimated 299,028 excess deaths occurred from late January through October 3, 2020, … Continue reading Excess Deaths Associated with COVID-19, by Age and Race and Ethnicity

‘I’ll leave the city for my kids to get educated’

Joanne Jacobs: Several parents noted that many private schools are teaching in person. City-funded preschool programs are operating if they’re in private schools, but closed if they’re in district buildings. If the chaos and incompetence drives middle-class families out of the city or into private schools and students who remain have learned little but knock-knock … Continue reading ‘I’ll leave the city for my kids to get educated’

Wisconsin high court must rule on Racine’s power overreach

Racine Journal Times: It’s one thing when an individual school district, such as Racine or Kenosha Unified, decide that they are going to go virtual. It’s another thing for the Racine health department to step in and rule that all schools, including private schools, in its jurisdiction must also shut their doors. Yet that is … Continue reading Wisconsin high court must rule on Racine’s power overreach

Madison Schools’ Safety and Security Ad Hoc Committee November Meeting Documents

Administration slides: 1) Call to order 2) Approval of minutes dated Nov. 5, 2020 3) Review Charge Statement/Purpose & Timeline 4) Update of responses to questions & comments 5) What we heard from last meeting? a) Successful Implementation of RJ Practices & MMSD- Critical Response Teams 6) Partnering with Law Enforcement- Flow and Guidance 7) … Continue reading Madison Schools’ Safety and Security Ad Hoc Committee November Meeting Documents

‘Mr Biden, the COVID task force said it’s safe for children to be back in class,’

“An emphasis on adult employment” Asked Biden if he will encourage teacher unions to cooperate to get kids back in school because the COVID task force said it is safe to be in the classroom. He didn’t answer. “Why are you the only guy that always shouts out questions?” he said. pic.twitter.com/x2DsG5Fmgo — Bo Erickson … Continue reading ‘Mr Biden, the COVID task force said it’s safe for children to be back in class,’

Charter-school networks are outperforming traditional public schools

The Economist: NEW YORK CITY’S schools may be closing, but the pupils at Success Academies, a network of charter schools which has placed all of its 20,000 pupils in remote learning, will still be wearing their uniform (vivid, pumpkin-orange shirts with navy trousers) every day of the week. Unlike traditional public schools in the city, … Continue reading Charter-school networks are outperforming traditional public schools

Parents Are Watching Like Never Before. ‘Trust Us’ Isn’t Enough

Sonja Brookins Santelises: Since March, when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools across the country, district leaders and educators have worked to navigate the challenges of this “new normal” in education. And nowhere have the challenges been steeper than in districts like the one I lead in Baltimore. Like other districts already battling historic and systematic … Continue reading Parents Are Watching Like Never Before. ‘Trust Us’ Isn’t Enough

The kids aren’t alright: How Generation Covid is losing out

Federica Cocco: When Mary Finnegan, 27, and her sister Meg, 22, left their Brooklyn apartment to return to their parents’ home in March, they took enough clothes to last two weeks. Their stay stretched into months. “It was like a return to homeschooling: no boys, no play dates, nowhere to go, except home and the … Continue reading The kids aren’t alright: How Generation Covid is losing out

“Try as best as possible to keep the schools open…”

From Dr. Anthony Fauci today: “Try as best as possible to keep the schools open…” @GovInslee #waleg @lauriejinkins2 https://t.co/zUmp12Cww3 — Beth Sigall (@btsigall) November 17, 2020 Related: Catholic schools will sue Dane County Madison Public Health to open as scheduled Notes and links on Dane County Madison Public Health. (> 140 employees). Molly Beck and Madeline Heim: which … Continue reading “Try as best as possible to keep the schools open…”

“Schools Should Be the Last Things We Close, Not the First/Why do we keep asking children to bear the brunt of a lockdown?”

Aaron Carroll: Cases have definitely been more common in school-age children this fall. But when schools do the right things, those infections are not transmitted in the classroom. They’re occurring, for the most part, when children go to parties, when they have sleepovers and when they’re playing sports inside and unmasked…. The playbook for keeping … Continue reading “Schools Should Be the Last Things We Close, Not the First/Why do we keep asking children to bear the brunt of a lockdown?”

Projecting the Potential Impact of COVID-19 School Closures on Academic Achievement

Megan Kuhfeld: As the COVID-19 pandemic upended the 2019–2020 school year, education systems scrambled to meet the needs of students and families with little available data on how school closures may impact learning. In this study, we produced a series of projections of COVID-19-related learning loss based on (a) estimates from absenteeism literature and (b) … Continue reading Projecting the Potential Impact of COVID-19 School Closures on Academic Achievement

Teachers unions have kept schools closed. Now they want more money?

Frederick Hess: Since March, millions of students have been out of school. Nearly half of the nation’s 50 largest school districts haven’t yet reopened or are only now planning to do so. Hybrid reopening plans have been a start-and-stop, hit-and-miss endeavor. Given the mounting evidence that the public health risks of reopening schools are modest … Continue reading Teachers unions have kept schools closed. Now they want more money?

Unions, political affiliation more predictive of virtual learning decision than COVID cases

https://www.reopenourschools.org. Scott Girard: Political affiliation and union representation were more strongly related to Wisconsin school district decisions to opt for virtual or in-person instruction this fall than COVID-19 positivity rate, according to a new report. The study from the conservative Wisconsin Institute For Law & Liberty (WILL) published Monday found that 14% of districts in the … Continue reading Unions, political affiliation more predictive of virtual learning decision than COVID cases

“Why are Madison Schools Closed?”

https://www.reopenourschools.org. Related: Catholic schools will sue Dane County Madison Public Health to open as scheduled Notes and links on Dane County Madison Public Health. (> 140 employees). Molly Beck and Madeline Heim: which pushed Dane County this week not to calculate its percentage of positive tests — a data point the public uses to determine how intense infection … Continue reading “Why are Madison Schools Closed?”

Wisconsin education chief seeks $1.6 billion tax & spending increase for schools in 2021-23

Annysa Johnson: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Stanford Taylor is seeking an additional $1.6 billion for education over the next two years, along with changes that would cushion districts as they weather the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Stanford Taylor’s proposed 2021-23 budget, announced this week, reflects many of the same priorities as her predecessor, … Continue reading Wisconsin education chief seeks $1.6 billion tax & spending increase for schools in 2021-23

England: ‘shocking’ decline in primary pupils’ attainment after lockdown

Sally Weale: There has been a “shocking” decline in primary school pupils’ levels of attainment in England after lockdown, testing has revealed, with younger children and those from disadvantaged backgrounds worst affected. The results provide the first detailed insight into the impact of the pandemic on academic attainment among young children and show an average … Continue reading England: ‘shocking’ decline in primary pupils’ attainment after lockdown

State Technology & Science Index Ranking: Wisconsin is 25th

Milken Institute: The State Technology and Science Index (STSI) provides a benchmark for evaluating the knowledge economies of all 50 US states. The index compares each state’s capacity for achieving prosperity through scientific discovery and technological innovation, using the latest available data from US federal government and private-sector sources to perform a cross-sectional analysis of … Continue reading State Technology & Science Index Ranking: Wisconsin is 25th

Replace school with ‘pandemic camp’

Joanne Jacobs: Remote learning isn’t working, especially for younger children, but “normal” schooling wasn’t working well either, writes Erika Christakis, an early childhood educator, in The Atlantic. She envisions an alternative — year-round “pandemic camp” — to focus on children’s needs for “exercise, outdoor time, conversation, play, even sleep.” Parents should demand “a broader and deeper curriculum with more … Continue reading Replace school with ‘pandemic camp’

Civics & Unrules: The administrative state

Cary Coglianese, Gabriel Scheffler & Daniel Walters: At the center of contemporary debates over public law lies administrative agencies’ discretion to impose rules. Yet, for every one of these rules, there are also unrules nearby. Often overlooked and sometimes barely visible, unrules are the decisions that agencies make to lift or limit the scope of … Continue reading Civics & Unrules: The administrative state

UMich students were locked down for two weeks, data show it was unnecessary

Charles Hilu: The Health Department of Washtenaw County, which governs the University of Michigan, recently put Michigan undergraduates under a “stay-in-place” order for two weeks. Once the order had expired, cases had slightly fallen in students, but they rose in older, more vulnerable populations, data show. The October 20 order said “all U-M undergraduate students enrolled in … Continue reading UMich students were locked down for two weeks, data show it was unnecessary

Voters approve 43 of 51 school ballot measures around Wisconsin

Scott Girard: The largest measures were here in Madison, where voters approved a total $350 million investment in the district. That includes $33 million in operating funds phased in over four years and $317 million for capital projects, including renovations to the four comprehensive high schools and a new elementary school. Statewide, 30 of the … Continue reading Voters approve 43 of 51 school ballot measures around Wisconsin

Madison K-12 Tax, Referendum and Spending Climate: Operating referendum gains support over 2016, capital referendum down from 2015

Scott Girard: With wide margins of success on recent ballot measures, the Madison Metropolitan School District’s $350 million questions were almost certain to pass ahead of Tuesday’s ballot count. Four years ago, the district’s operating question won by a 74.2% to 25.8% margin, while a capital referendum the year prior passed with 82.2% of voters … Continue reading Madison K-12 Tax, Referendum and Spending Climate: Operating referendum gains support over 2016, capital referendum down from 2015

In San Francisco, Closed Public Schools, Open Private Schools

Amelia Nierenberg: In San Francisco, restaurants, movie theaters and museums are open at reduced capacity. The share of coronavirus tests that come back positive in the city has stayed low since a surge over the summer. But as some of San Francisco’s private and parochial schools have begun to reopen their doors, its public school … Continue reading In San Francisco, Closed Public Schools, Open Private Schools

Voters approve Madison’s Substantial K-12 Tax & SPending Increase Referendums

Scott Girard: Immediately, the operating referendum approval means district officials can implement the “passing referendum budget,” which includes $6 million in extra funds. That will go toward initiatives including early literacy, Black Excellence and a slight base wage increase for staff. The School Board passed two versions of the 2020-21 budget Oct. 30, one for … Continue reading Voters approve Madison’s Substantial K-12 Tax & SPending Increase Referendums

Brookline teachers to strike Tuesday in dispute over classroom virus safety measures

Boston Globe: Brookline teachers have voted to go on strike on Tuesday, accusing school leaders of reneging on a promise to maintain six feet of social distancing in schools. “An emphasis on adult employment” Wisconsin Public Policy Forum Madison School District Report[PDF] 2020: Booked, but can’t read (Madison): functional literacy, National citizenship and the new face of … Continue reading Brookline teachers to strike Tuesday in dispute over classroom virus safety measures

School Spending Research Needs More Skepticism and Humility

Jay Greene: There has been a flurry of research recently claiming to find compelling causal evidence that increasing school spending would significantly improve student outcomes and avoiding cuts in spending would prevent significant harm.  This research has been embraced so quickly as settled fact that over 400 researchers and advocates signed a group letter citing … Continue reading School Spending Research Needs More Skepticism and Humility

Decisions on in-person or online school in two neighboring Wisconsin school districts mirror national debate

Samantha West: Jordan Meulemans’ weekday routine used to begin at 6:30 a.m., when she would wake up and get ready for school. But for the past month, the De Pere High School junior’s days have looked starkly different. Meulemans rolls out of bed around 7:30 a.m., puts on some sweats, wakes her little sister, eats breakfast and … Continue reading Decisions on in-person or online school in two neighboring Wisconsin school districts mirror national debate

K-12 Tax, Referendum and Spending Climate: Madison Civics and Governance Exam…

Chris Rickert: “There’s no room for dialogue. There’s no room for compromise,” he said. “It’s happening across the country. It’s not just Madison.” Every single day I am proud that I refused an endorsement interview with this trash ass publication. Omg, they really just are unapologetic piece of shit excuse for journalism. And don’t come … Continue reading K-12 Tax, Referendum and Spending Climate: Madison Civics and Governance Exam…

Madison School District should improve communication between 4K, kindergarten teachers, report finds

Scott Girard: Better communication between 4-year-old kindergarten teachers and their 5-year-old kindergarten counterparts in the Madison Metropolitan School District could improve student outcomes in transitioning to kindergarten, a new report found. A Madison Education Partnership research brief released this month outlines some of the challenges facing teachers during student transitions from 4K to elementary school and offers … Continue reading Madison School District should improve communication between 4K, kindergarten teachers, report finds

How Families are Pushing Schools to Teach Reading Skills More Effectively

Vanessa Rancano: For as long as Connie LuVenia Williams can remember, letters have been giving her trouble. Sure, she learned the ABCs, but making sense of how these symbols we call letters combine to form the sounds that make up the English language – that part stumped her. And from what she remembers nobody taught … Continue reading How Families are Pushing Schools to Teach Reading Skills More Effectively

Madison K-12 Administration Early Literacy Presentation

5.7MB PDF. 2017: West High Reading Interventionist Teacher’s Remarks to the School Board on Madison’s Disastrous Reading Results Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 school district, despite spending far more than most, has long tolerated disastrous reading results. My Question to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Teacher Mulligans and our Disastrous Reading Results “An emphasis on adult employment” Wisconsin Public Policy Forum Madison … Continue reading Madison K-12 Administration Early Literacy Presentation

Can too many brainy people be a dangerous thing?

The Economist: Ten years ago Peter Turchin, a scientist at the University of Connecticut, made a startling prediction in Nature. “The next decade is likely to be a period of growing instability in the United States and western Europe,” he asserted, pointing in part to the “overproduction of young graduates with advanced degrees”. The subsequent … Continue reading Can too many brainy people be a dangerous thing?

School boards have too much power they aren’t using to fix education

Chris Stewart: This past Sunday my 8 Black Hands crew did a show on the missing importance of school boards, and then this article pops up saying the National School Boards Association (NSBA) has launched a campaign called “Public School Transformation Now!” The goal, flimsy as ever, is to “bring equity issues front and center.” … Continue reading School boards have too much power they aren’t using to fix education

Wisconsin NAEP Scores Tell Familiar Tale

Will Flanders: The results for the 2019 administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) have just been released. The NAEP is given to samples of students around the country on a biannual basis and provides the best method for comparing performance among students in different states. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, the story is yet another riff … Continue reading Wisconsin NAEP Scores Tell Familiar Tale

Madison K-12 budget proposals don’t include raise levels pushed by union

Scott Girard: As the Madison School Board is set to consider a vote on two 2020-21 budgets next Monday, the final proposals do not include the maximum base wage increase Madison Teachers Inc. has pushed for. The board must approve two spending measures: a $495.7 million version in case the Nov. 3 operating referendum passes … Continue reading Madison K-12 budget proposals don’t include raise levels pushed by union

UW study: High school sports have not spread the coronavirus (Madison K-12 Students are stuck at home)

Todd Richmond: new study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that the state’s high school sports have not caused an increase in COVID-19 infections among athletes. The UW School of Medicine and Public Health released the study Thursday. Researchers led by Dr. Andrew Watson surveyed 207 schools that restarted fall sports in September, representing more … Continue reading UW study: High school sports have not spread the coronavirus (Madison K-12 Students are stuck at home)

Urban Reform Institute Releases Report on Upward Mobility

Charles Blain, Wendell Cox and Joel Kotkin: Really? California, well known for its wealth, had the sixth highest median household income in the nation in 2019, yet has had the highest housing-cost-adjusted poverty rate among the states since data was first published in 2011.2 A net 2.4 million residents left California between 2000 and 2019, … Continue reading Urban Reform Institute Releases Report on Upward Mobility

$1.2 Billion in Property Tax Increases Up for Vote in November School Referenda (Madison, by far the largest)

Ola Lisowski: Voters will consider nearly $1.2 billion in property tax increases in the November election, thanks to school district referenda. Taxpayers in 41 school districts across the state will consider a total of 51 questions on their ballots for projects ranging from brand new buildings, upgrades to existing facilities and permission to spend beyond … Continue reading $1.2 Billion in Property Tax Increases Up for Vote in November School Referenda (Madison, by far the largest)

The pandemic has eroded democracy and respect for human rights

The Economist: People were hungry during lockdown. So Francis Zaake, a Ugandan member of parliament, bought some rice and sugar and had it delivered to his neediest constituents. For this charitable act, he was arrested. Mr Zaake is a member of the opposition, and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has ordered that only the government may … Continue reading The pandemic has eroded democracy and respect for human rights

“I’ve heard parents say that they feel like their children have wilted,”

David Wahlberg: Suicides are up in Dane County this year compared to last year, especially among youth and young adults, with mental health providers seeing a link to COVID-19 and a related uptick in treatment for depression. The county had 57 suicides this year as of last week, more than the total of 54 for … Continue reading “I’ve heard parents say that they feel like their children have wilted,”

West Ada cancels school Monday after more than 650 teachers call out sick

CBS2: Hundreds of teachers are taking a sick day for Monday, according to the West Ada School District, one day after the board voted in favor of a hybrid schedule. A spokeswoman for the district says out of 2,145 classroom teachers, 652 have taken a sick day for Monday. The sick calls leave approximately 500 … Continue reading West Ada cancels school Monday after more than 650 teachers call out sick

California teacher unions fight calls to reopen schools

Howard Blume and Laura Newberry: As parents express widespread dissatisfaction with distance learning, two influential California teachers unions are pushing against growing momentum to reopen schools in many communities, saying that campuses are not yet safe enough amid the pandemic. Leaders with the California Teachers Assn., with 300,000 members, and United Teachers Los Angeles, representing … Continue reading California teacher unions fight calls to reopen schools

Influential literacy expert Lucy Calkins is changing her views

Emily Hanford: The author of one of the nation’s most influential and widely used curriculum for teaching reading is beginning to change her views.  The group headed by Lucy Calkins, a leading figure in the long-running fight over how best to teach children to read, is admitting that its materials need to be changed to … Continue reading Influential literacy expert Lucy Calkins is changing her views

San Francisco Mayor Urges Opening Schools

Today I issued a statement on the need for our School District to focus on reopening our public schools, not renaming them. To address inequities, we need to get our kids back in the classroom. pic.twitter.com/nHnauVZzFe — London Breed (@LondonBreed) October 16, 2020 Related: Frustrated Middleton-Cross Plains parent group calls (school board) recall effort a … Continue reading San Francisco Mayor Urges Opening Schools

Frustrated Middleton-Cross Plains parent group calls (school board) recall effort a ‘last resort’

Elizabeth Beyer: She said the curriculum offered to students was not intended to be delivered digitally and her children now have online meetings with their teachers for five hours each week compared to 30 hours of live teaching prior to the pandemic. “We need to give parents options so those who feel safe sending their … Continue reading Frustrated Middleton-Cross Plains parent group calls (school board) recall effort a ‘last resort’

Poor numerical literacy linked to greater susceptibility to Covid-19 fake news

Natalie Grover: People with poor numerical literacy are more likely to believe Covid-19 misinformation, according to a survey conducted in five countries. Researchers at Cambridge University said the findings suggested improving people’s analytical skills could help turn the tide against an epidemic of “fake news” surrounding the health crisis. Five national surveys – reflecting national … Continue reading Poor numerical literacy linked to greater susceptibility to Covid-19 fake news

Civics: How a Road Trip Through America’s Battlegrounds Revealed a Nation Plagued by Misinformation

Charlotte Alter: A lifetime ago, on Sept. 14, Greg Vanlandeghem sat outside a café in Holly, Mich., and explained to me that he planned to vote for the President’s re-election because he saw the race as a contest between two bad options. “We’ve got a guy trying not to die,” he told me, “and we’ve … Continue reading Civics: How a Road Trip Through America’s Battlegrounds Revealed a Nation Plagued by Misinformation

As the Governor and the Mayor Disagree, NYC Parents and Educators Search for Clear Guidance on In-Person Schooling

Zoe Kirsch: For Brooklyn parent Priscilla Santos, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Tuesday announcement that he was releasing his own plan for temporary New York City COVID-related school closures dispelled any lingering remnants of faith she had in political leadership after a bleak, confusing summer. Santos is the special education representative for her district’s Community … Continue reading As the Governor and the Mayor Disagree, NYC Parents and Educators Search for Clear Guidance on In-Person Schooling

Covid-19 and Madison’s K-12 World

Hi, I’m cap tines K-12 education reporter Scott Gerard. Today. Our cap times IDFs panel will discuss how will COVID-19 change K-12 education. I’m lucky to have three wonderful panelists with me to help answer that question. Marilee McKenzie is a teacher at Middleton’s Clark street community school, where she has worked since the school was in its planning stages.

She’s in her [00:03:00] 11th year of teaching. Dr. Gloria Ladson billings is a nationally recognized education expert who was a U w Madison faculty member for more than 26 years, including as a professor in the departments of curriculum and instruction, educational policy studies and educational leadership and policy analysis.

She is also the current president of the national Academy of education. Finally dr. Carlton Jenkins is the new superintendent of the Madison metropolitan school district. He started the districts top job in August, coming from the Robbinsdale school district in Minnesota, where he worked for the past five years, Jenkins began his career in the Madison area.

Having worked in Beloit and at Memorial high school in early 1990s before moving to various districts around the country. Thank you all so much for being here. Mary Lee, I’m going to start with you. You’ve been working with students directly throughout this pandemic. How has it gone? Both in the spring when changes were very sudden, and then this fall with a summer to reflect and [00:04:00] plan, it’s been interesting for sure.

Um, overall, I would say the it’s been hard. There has been nothing about this have been like, ah, It’s really, it makes my life easy. It’s been really challenging. And at the same time, the amount of growth and learning that we’ve been able to do as staff has been incredible. And I think about how teachers have moved from face-to-face to online to then planning for.

Does Money Matter More in the Country? Education Funding Reductions and Achievement in Kansas, 2010–2018

Emily Rauscher: The U.S. Department of Education made recent technical changes reducing eligibility for the Rural and Low-Income School Program. Given smaller budgets and lower economies of scale, rural districts may be less able to absorb short-term funding cuts and experience stronger negative achievement effects. Kansas implemented a state-level finance change (block grant funding) after … Continue reading Does Money Matter More in the Country? Education Funding Reductions and Achievement in Kansas, 2010–2018

Lockdowns Intended To Preserve Our Health Are Making Us Poorer and Angrier

JD Tuccille: The U.S. economy may be slowly pulling itself out of the doldrums inflicted by social distancing and government lockdown orders promoted as efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19, but many Americans continue to suffer. Half of Americans who lost their job because of the pandemic are still out of work, and the … Continue reading Lockdowns Intended To Preserve Our Health Are Making Us Poorer and Angrier

Stats Hold a Surprise: Lockdowns May Have Had Little Effect on COVID-19 Spread

Jay Richards, William Briggs and Douglas Axe: In 1932, Supreme Court justice Louis Brandeis famously called the states “laboratories of democracy.” Different states can test out different policies, and they can learn from each other. That proved true in 2020. Governors in different states responded to the COVID-19 pandemic at different times and in different … Continue reading Stats Hold a Surprise: Lockdowns May Have Had Little Effect on COVID-19 Spread

Civics: High court strikes down Michigan Governor Whitmer’s emergency powers; gov vows to use other means

Beth LeBlanc, Craig Mauger and Melissa Nann Burke: In a landmark ruling with far-reaching implications, the Michigan Supreme Court decided Friday that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer violated her constitutional authority by continuing to issue orders to combat COVID-19 without the approval of state lawmakers. The state’s high court ruled 4-3 that a state law allowing the … Continue reading Civics: High court strikes down Michigan Governor Whitmer’s emergency powers; gov vows to use other means

Commentary on Taxpayer supported Madison Schools’ compensation practices (and budget)

Scott Girard: The budget vote this summer took place in a June 29 public meeting, and district spokesman Tim LeMonds pointed to a mention in the June 26 staff newsletter, which he called “the primary mechanism used for communicating to all staff.” In that newsletter, a “Budget Update” section on page two includes a mention … Continue reading Commentary on Taxpayer supported Madison Schools’ compensation practices (and budget)

Schools reopen, no surge

Joanne Jacobs: Florida reopened schools for in-person teaching in August. The feared coronavirus surge didn’t happen, reports a team of USA Today reporters. “The state’s positive case count among kids ages 5 to 17 declined through late September after a peak in July. More than half of Florida families returned their children to school in-person, while the rest chose remote … Continue reading Schools reopen, no surge

Dane County school districts reevaluating role of police in schools

Chris Rickert: Amid a national conversation on policing and race, Dane County school districts are taking a closer look at the work officers do in their schools but so far have not gone as far as the Madison School District and removed them entirely. Of the 16 districts completely or predominantly within the county, 12 … Continue reading Dane County school districts reevaluating role of police in schools

Fact-check: Does Joe Biden want to end school choice?

Statesman: What Biden says about school choice The Biden campaign said he’s firmly against using public money for private K-12 schools. Here’s the full statement we received: “Joe Biden opposes the Trump/(Betsy) DeVos conception of ‘school choice,’ which is private school vouchers that would destroy our public schools. He’s also against for-profit and low-performing charter … Continue reading Fact-check: Does Joe Biden want to end school choice?

We are throwing the working class under the bus – an interview with Professor Martin Kulldorff

Alastair Benn: In this interview with Reaction’s Deputy Editor Alastair Benn, Martin Kulldorff, Professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and leading figure in the field of infectious disease epidemiology, argues for an age-targeted response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Lockdowns result in too much collateral damage, he argues, and impose unreasonable costs on the working … Continue reading We are throwing the working class under the bus – an interview with Professor Martin Kulldorff

Reimagining a more equitable and resilient K–12 education system

McKinsey: The COVID-19 pandemic has upended school systems around the world. The pace has been frenetic as systems have had to stand up remote learning overnight, plan whether and how to reopen schools amid changing epidemiological circumstances, and support students academically and emotionally. The scope of the challenge has thus far left little time for deeper … Continue reading Reimagining a more equitable and resilient K–12 education system

Activist Brandi Grayson says she’s an ‘agitator,’ fighter for Black lives

Emily Hamer: Grayson also consistently fights for Madison’s Black community on smaller stages. At a recent City Council meeting, Grayson urged council members to pass police oversight measures to hold the city’s law enforcement accountable, something protesters have pushed for. She said voting in support would be to “do what’s right in the lives of … Continue reading Activist Brandi Grayson says she’s an ‘agitator,’ fighter for Black lives

Dane County Board continues to duel with the University of Wisconsin; budget assumes status quo (!)

Kelly Meyerhofer: Brenda Gonzalez, director of community relations at UW-Madison who spoke during the County Board meeting in opposition of the resolution, said testing and protocol put in place should keep the number of positive cases on campus low. She said Public Health Madison and Dane County is monitoring possible transmission of cases from campus … Continue reading Dane County Board continues to duel with the University of Wisconsin; budget assumes status quo (!)

COVID-19 emergency measures and the impending authoritarian pandemic

Stephen Thomson, Eric C Ip: COVID-19 has brought the world grinding to a halt. As of early August 2020, the greatest public health emergency of the century thus far has registered almost 20 million infected people and claimed over 730,000 lives across all inhabited continents, bringing public health systems to their knees, and causing shutdowns of … Continue reading COVID-19 emergency measures and the impending authoritarian pandemic