No person of color is well-served by removing the need to compete (“the tyranny of low expectations”)

Shannon Whitworth: My problems with the letter are legion, particularly as an African American man myself. The one that stands out for me is that this does absolutely nothing to advance the causes of people of color. In fact, it would diminish the credibility of any movement on top of creating resentment and division by … Continue reading No person of color is well-served by removing the need to compete (“the tyranny of low expectations”)

Advocating Parent and Student K-12 choice

Common Sense Wisconsin: Among the policies the POWER paper recommends: Promoting the existing open enrollment process to inform parents of their options Providing curriculum transparency so parents can enroll or transfer with full understanding of what’s being taught Eliminating the per-pupil funding disparities between choice, charter and brick and mortar students Expanding school choice to … Continue reading Advocating Parent and Student K-12 choice

Commentary K-12 Curricular Awareness & Transparency

“What we saw Wednesday was…nothing new— the maintenance of white supremacy just has new packaging.” Thanks @ToneMSN for letting my write about the audacity that was last week’s committee hearings on Critical Race Theory. https://t.co/jsg0M9LOcg — Nada Elmikashfi (@nadaelmikashfi) August 16, 2021 2017: West High Reading Interventionist Teacher’s Remarks to the School Board on Madison’s Disastrous … Continue reading Commentary K-12 Curricular Awareness & Transparency

K-12 Tax & Spending Climate: So, Why Didn’t the 2009 Recovery Act Improve the Nation’s Highways and Bridges?

Bill Dupor: Although the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act) provided nearly $28 billion to state governments for improving U.S. highways, the highway system saw no significant improvement. For example, relative to the years before the act, the number of structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridges was nearly unchanged, the number … Continue reading K-12 Tax & Spending Climate: So, Why Didn’t the 2009 Recovery Act Improve the Nation’s Highways and Bridges?

A new law allows students to graduate from high school without the ability to read, write, or do math.

Frederick Hess: Despite these numbers, some on the left have decided that the answer is not to insist that schools use the $190 billion in emergency federal COVID school aid to help students catch up and even excel, but to launch a nihilistic crusade in service to a warped mantra of “equity.” This is the same notion … Continue reading A new law allows students to graduate from high school without the ability to read, write, or do math.

Advocating teacher content knowledge requirements

National Council on teacher quality: The quality of the teacher workforce is especially important in the early grades, when teachers bear an extraordinary responsibility, building a solid foundation for students in both the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in later grades, as well as in their future lives. The past year and … Continue reading Advocating teacher content knowledge requirements

84% Growth in Wisconsin Virtual School Enrollment

Alyssa Lyons: According to Wisconsin’s Policy Forum, virtual charter enrollment rose 84% in 2020-21. Here in Eau Claire that trend holds true.  Last year, while offering virtual school in addition to the district’s online COVID-19 cohort, the Eau Claire Virtual School had 40 students enrolled in grades four through 12. This year, now offering K-12, that number has … Continue reading 84% Growth in Wisconsin Virtual School Enrollment

Commentary on the ACLU and K-12 Curricular Transparency

Rick Eisenberg: These things — not “talking about race” or teaching American history in full — are why Americans object to CRT. Proposals to limit curriculum or teaching derived from CRT differ and are of varying merit, but the best of them seek to prohibit schools from advocating for or requiring students to assent to a … Continue reading Commentary on the ACLU and K-12 Curricular Transparency

COVID Cases Fell 40% in the UK After Restrictions Were Lifted

Jon Miltimore: Weeks later, however, we have an abundance of empirical evidence that show the prognosticators were once again wrong. Cases did not double or quadruple as Ferguson had predicted. Nor did cases “surge,” as many had warned. On the contrary, cases fell—a lot. Related: Catholic schools will sue Dane County Madison Public Health to open as scheduled Notes and … Continue reading COVID Cases Fell 40% in the UK After Restrictions Were Lifted

Baltimore High School Students Perform Math & Reading at Grade School Level

Chris Papst: “My son is really in desperate need of tutoring in math,” Gray told Project Baltimore. “And, how did my son pass if he didn’t know none of this math?” Now, Project Baltimore has obtained student assessment scores from just one class, in one high school, that show how widespread the problem appears to … Continue reading Baltimore High School Students Perform Math & Reading at Grade School Level

Gov. Kate Brown signed a law to allow Oregon students to graduate without proving they can write or do math. She doesn’t want to talk about it.

Hillary Borrud: For the next five years, an Oregon high school diploma will be no guarantee that the student who earned it can read, write or do math at a high school level. Gov. Kate Brown had demurred earlier this summer regarding whether she supported the plan passed by the Legislature to drop the requirement … Continue reading Gov. Kate Brown signed a law to allow Oregon students to graduate without proving they can write or do math. She doesn’t want to talk about it.

Amidst ongoing Madison taxpayer Supported K-12 spending growth, 59% Believe Increased Government Spending Leads to Inflation

Rasmussen: Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters nationwide believe increased government spending leads to inflation. A Scott Rasmussen survey found that only 14% disagree and 27% are not sure. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Republicans see a connection between spending and inflation. Democrats, by a 45% to 21% margin, tend to agree. Among Independent voters, 45% believe … Continue reading Amidst ongoing Madison taxpayer Supported K-12 spending growth, 59% Believe Increased Government Spending Leads to Inflation

Wisconsin Homeschool enrollment increased by 47% in the 2020-21 school year

Wisconsin Policy Forum: Yet some schooling options did see sizable enrollment increases during the pandemic, DPI data show. Homeschool enrollment increased by 47% in the 2020-21 school year, following several previous years of much more modest increases (see Figure 2). This enrollment increase was the largest since at least 1984, the earliest year for which … Continue reading Wisconsin Homeschool enrollment increased by 47% in the 2020-21 school year

Madison taxpayers pay more as school district enrollment drops 3.7% (despite > $70m in new redistributed federal taxpayer funds)

Elizabeth Beyer: The state’s $0 increase in each district’s per-pupil spending limit coupled with the district’s unprecedented 3.7% drop in enrollment during the 2020-21 school year could have a long-term negative effect on Madison’s budget, MacPherson said. A district’s enrollment affects how much money it receives in state aid. Madison could have lost more state … Continue reading Madison taxpayers pay more as school district enrollment drops 3.7% (despite > $70m in new redistributed federal taxpayer funds)

Germany’s largest newspaper BILD apologizes for harming society over its coverage of the covid-19 pandemic during the past 18 months

Daniel Levi: In a 5-minute YouTube video, BILD editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt said:“Millions of children in this country, for whom we are all responsible as a society, I would like to say what our Federal Government and our Chancellor have not dare to say so far: We ask your forgiveness. We ask your forgiveness for a … Continue reading Germany’s largest newspaper BILD apologizes for harming society over its coverage of the covid-19 pandemic during the past 18 months

Commentary on the benefits of Wisconsin Act 10

Rick Eisenberg & Will Flanders However, the left is still working to say otherwise, so two prevalent myths deserve to be dispelled. The passage of Act 10 and “right-to-work” legislation — which gave employees in Wisconsin the same freedom to choose whether to be in the union as is enjoyed in 26 other states — did not increase income … Continue reading Commentary on the benefits of Wisconsin Act 10

New Orleans Did Away with its Troubled Public Schools, Can Milwaukee do the Same?

Free exchange We talk to a Milwaukee native who helped lead school reform in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Now back home, Colleston Morgan Jr. tells us whether Milwaukee can follow the same path in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2017: West High Reading Interventionist Teacher’s Remarks to the School Board on Madison’s Disastrous Reading … Continue reading New Orleans Did Away with its Troubled Public Schools, Can Milwaukee do the Same?

Mission vs Organization: Milwaukee’s taxpayer supported K-12 Schools vs successful charters

Alan Borsuk: So why does the education system — especially Milwaukee Public Schools — treat them the way it does? Each of these schools has a long and discouraging history of getting hassled (or worse) by the system. You want to know what’s wrong with Milwaukee’s overall response to its education crisis? Start with looking … Continue reading Mission vs Organization: Milwaukee’s taxpayer supported K-12 Schools vs successful charters

On lagging learning during 2020-2021

McKinsey: Our analysis shows that the impact of the pandemic on K–12 student learning was significant, leaving students on average five months behind in mathematics and four months behind in reading by the end of the school year.” Related: Catholic schools will sue Dane County Madison Public Health to open as scheduled Notes and links on Dane County Madison Public Health. … Continue reading On lagging learning during 2020-2021

Ongoing substantial Wisconsin K-12 tax & spending growth

Right now, K-12 ed in WI benefits from: – A $17.9 bil budget this biennium (that’s 17% more than last budget) – $2.6 bil in federal COVID-19 aid (included in the $17.9 bil) – A $5.1 bil increase in their budget since 2013 pic.twitter.com/fHnHuQRLg1 — MacIver Institute (@MacIverWisc) July 27, 2021 2017: West High Reading … Continue reading Ongoing substantial Wisconsin K-12 tax & spending growth

K-12 Health Governance: We failed to find that countries or U.S. states that implemented SIP policies earlier, and in which SIP policies had longer to operate, had lower excess deaths than countries/U.S. states that were slower to implement SIP policies.

Virat Agrawal: As a way of slowing COVID-19 transmission, many countries and U.S. states implemented shelter-in-place (SIP) policies. However, the effects of SIP policies on public health are a priori ambiguous as they might have unintended adverse effects on health. The effect of SIP policies on COVID-19 transmission and physical mobility is mixed. To understand … Continue reading K-12 Health Governance: We failed to find that countries or U.S. states that implemented SIP policies earlier, and in which SIP policies had longer to operate, had lower excess deaths than countries/U.S. states that were slower to implement SIP policies.

House Democrats call for cutting federal funding for charter schools

Katie Lobosco: A small provision tucked into a massive federal budget proposal put forth by the House Appropriations Committee would cut money for charter schools by $40 million and could potentially limit many charter schools from receiving federal funds altogether.  The National Alliance for Public Charters Schools is calling the cut “particularly egregious” and said … Continue reading House Democrats call for cutting federal funding for charter schools

Commentary on mask requirements in taxpayer supported K-12 schools

Elizabeth Beyer: The DeForest, Middleton-Cross Plains, Monona Grove, Mount Horeb, Stoughton, Verona and Wisconsin Heights school districts have not yet made a decision regarding mask requirements in school buildings for the 2021-22 school year. Most of the Dane County districts that responded to requests for comment said they plan to finalize safety plans in August. … Continue reading Commentary on mask requirements in taxpayer supported K-12 schools

“Social Justice Math” & California

Joanne Jacobs: California’s new Mathematics Curriculum Framework has become a political hot potato, reports Lawrence Richard on Yahoo News. The state education board will postpone a decision on implementation for 10 months in response to critics who charged it would “de-mathematize math” and prevent high achievers from taking advanced classes. 2007 Math Forum Connected Math Discovery … Continue reading “Social Justice Math” & California

Small California school districts will refuse to follow mask mandate

Joe Hong: Some school officials are flouting the updated state rules, saying students will be allowed to return to the classroom with or without a mask. California’s smallest school districts say they will refuse to send kids home for not wearing a mask despite a new state mandate.  Superintendents in these tight-knit and typically more … Continue reading Small California school districts will refuse to follow mask mandate

The district has refused to release the investigative report.

Chris Rickert: East was largely shut down to in-person learning during Kearney’s tenure as principal. Madison high schools were the last in Dane County to welcome back students amid the COVID-19 pandemic when they began reopening to two half-days per student in late April. Kearney dealt with most of the fallout from two high-profile incidents … Continue reading The district has refused to release the investigative report.

Proposed change to Wisconsin K-12 Taxpayer Funding Priority: Students vs System

Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty: The Problem: Current school funding is a complex combination of state, local and federal aid. Funding in districts is largely based on antiquated revenue limits that have cemented in place funding gaps for 25 years. Students are worth more, or less, depending on where they happen to live, or whether … Continue reading Proposed change to Wisconsin K-12 Taxpayer Funding Priority: Students vs System

Replace the Proposed New California Math Curriculum Framework

Independent Institute: California is on the verge of politicizing K-12 math in a potentially disastrous way. Its proposed Mathematics Curriculum Framework is presented as a step toward social justice and racial equity, but its effect would be the opposite—to rob all Californians, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, who always suffer most when schools fail to teach … Continue reading Replace the Proposed New California Math Curriculum Framework

Rarely seen: School Board Accountability (!), San Francisco edition

Heather Knight: Siva Raj often receives gifts of thanks when he’s at farmers’ markets collecting signatures to qualify a recall effort of three San Francisco school board members for the ballot. Coffee, doughnuts, cookies, strawberries. “Everything!” he said with a laugh. But a new memo from a top Bay Area pollster outlining very grim unfavorable … Continue reading Rarely seen: School Board Accountability (!), San Francisco edition

Finding Children with Dyslexia in a Sea of Struggling Readers: The Struggles are Real

Tim Odegard As a result, a push to transform reading instruction is underway in classrooms across the nation. A transformation motivated by an honest acknowledgment of reality – most children in the United States struggle to read. These struggles are not the exception reserved for the minority of kids with a disability – such as … Continue reading Finding Children with Dyslexia in a Sea of Struggling Readers: The Struggles are Real

At the bottom, 10 states earned Fs, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Alaska.

Fordham Institute: Is America a racist country? Or the greatest nation on earth? Or both or neither or some of each?For the sake of our children’s education (and for any number of other reasons), we need a more thoughtful and balanced starting point for the whole conversation—one that leaves space for nuance, mutual understanding, and … Continue reading At the bottom, 10 states earned Fs, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Alaska.

The State of Madison Governance and Discourse

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, most families in {city name} will receive monthly#ChildTaxCredit payments. It’s a guaranteed income through December. I joined@mayorsforagi because all Americans deserve an income floor. This is a step in that direction. — Mayor of Madison (@MayorOfMadison) July 17, 2021 Via Ann Althouse Commentary here. 2017: West High Reading Interventionist … Continue reading The State of Madison Governance and Discourse

Baltimore City Schools: 41% of high school students earn below 1.0 GPA

Chris Papst: Project Baltimore obtained a chart assembled by Baltimore City Schools. The chart shows the average GPA for every high school grade in the city – freshman through senior. In the first three quarters of this past school year, according to the chart, 41% of all Baltimore City high school students, earned below a … Continue reading Baltimore City Schools: 41% of high school students earn below 1.0 GPA

A parent’s account of how the relatively well-staffed education team at the Seattle Times failed to hold the school district accountable.

Alexandra Olins: On March 11, 2020, a few months after the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in the United States, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) was the first large school district in the country to close. First, we were told there would be no school during the closure because the district couldn’t distribute laptops to everyone — despite … Continue reading A parent’s account of how the relatively well-staffed education team at the Seattle Times failed to hold the school district accountable.

Competing “letters” on “critical race theory”

Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty: Dear School Boards, Administrators, and Concerned Parents of Wisconsin: It has come to our attention that, in the guise of providing (unsolicited) advice, the Wisconsin chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has sent a letter to district administrators purporting to tell them what the law “requires” that they … Continue reading Competing “letters” on “critical race theory”

“We (Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 school district) have to design a program that will be like none other in Wisconsin and we can do that.”

Scott Girard: The School Board approved $840,000 in the 2021-22 budget to fund MPA, covering teacher and administrator costs for one year of the program. Many school districts in Wisconsin and around the country are considering virtual options, an acknowledgement that some parents and families preferred online learning. Online learning has been around for decades. 2017: West … Continue reading “We (Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 school district) have to design a program that will be like none other in Wisconsin and we can do that.”

unhappy elites leads to political instability?

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 unhappy elites leads to political instability?

K-12 Tax & Spending Climate amidst increased Parent curricular awareness

Recent polls suggest that as many as one quarter of parents plan to keep their children home for remote learning this fall. But the past 18 months suggest that most children would fair very poorly with another year of remote learning. 🧵 — David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) July 12, 2021 2017: West High Reading Interventionist Teacher’s Remarks … Continue reading K-12 Tax & Spending Climate amidst increased Parent curricular awareness

Most Voters Want Schools To Teach Traditional Values

Rasmussen Reports: At a time when many schools are embroiled in controversy over the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT), voters still think it is important that kids learn traditional values in school. A new national telephone and online survey by Rasmussen Reports finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters say it’s at least somewhat … Continue reading Most Voters Want Schools To Teach Traditional Values

Advocating taxpayer supported K-12 curriculum transparency

Scott Girard: The report also pointed to the difficulty in accessing course materials via open records requests, citing expensive costs from certain districts to receive requested materials, including more than $5,000 from the Madison Metropolitan School District and more than $1,000 from the Kenosha Unified School District. The proposed bill would require districts to post … Continue reading Advocating taxpayer supported K-12 curriculum transparency

Comparing 2020-2021 online vs in person student climate

Bruce Murphy: The study also found a significant racial difference in the percent of students getting full-time, in-person instruction: nationally an average of 75% of non-Hispanic white students were getting in-person instruction as of April versus 63% of Black students and 59% of Hispanic students. In 43 states, access to in-person learning was higher for … Continue reading Comparing 2020-2021 online vs in person student climate

Commentary on the taxpayer supported Madison School District Leadership Climate

Scott Girard: “There is this saying that MMSD has kind of always wanted to do it the MMSD way, whatever that means,” Nichols said. “Sometimes, you’re trying to find a balance of the things that are important to our Madison school district and our educators and at the same time wanting to push sometimes in … Continue reading Commentary on the taxpayer supported Madison School District Leadership Climate

The impact of a lack of mathematical education on brain development and future attainment

George Zacharopoulos, Francesco Sella & Roi Cohen Kadosh: Formal education has a long-term impact on an individual’s life. However, our knowledge of the effect of a specific lack of education, such as in mathematics, is currently poor but is highly relevant given the extant differences between countries in their educational curricula and the differences in … Continue reading The impact of a lack of mathematical education on brain development and future attainment

Proposal to rename Madison Memorial High School generates 88 pages of public comment

Scott Girard: The committee that will make recommendations on renaming James Madison Memorial High School already has its hands full as its first meeting approaches. The Citizens’ Naming Committee will convene virtually at 5 p.m. Wednesday to begin the next step in the renaming process, 10 months after the School Board received a proposal from a Memorial graduate to … Continue reading Proposal to rename Madison Memorial High School generates 88 pages of public comment

School Choice Marches Ahead

Wall Street Journal: It’s been a banner year for school choice in the states, and legislatures aren’t finished expanding scholarship and education savings account programs (ESAs). In four state budgets that passed in the last two weeks, lawmakers included provisions that give families more educational opportunities. In New Hampshire last week, Republican lawmakers approved Education … Continue reading School Choice Marches Ahead

John Lewis slams UK education system and offers staff literacy lessons

Sahar Nazir: // John Lewis to offer basic literacy and numeracy classes to young staff // Dame Sharon White said young staff members have been “completely failed” by the education system John Lewis Partnership chair Sharon White has said the company will provide basic literacy and numeracy classes to young staff because they have been … Continue reading John Lewis slams UK education system and offers staff literacy lessons

Wisconsin Supreme Court Declares Racine School Closure Order Invalid

WILL: The News: The Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously declared that an order from the City of Racine’s public health officer closing all schools, public and private, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is invalid and lacked proper legal authority. The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) filed an original action to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on November 19, on … Continue reading Wisconsin Supreme Court Declares Racine School Closure Order Invalid

Sun Prairie K-12 administration eliminates ‘high stakes’ exams

Chris Mertes: Sun Prairie School Board members who questioned district administrative team decisions to end “high stakes summative” semester and final exams on Monday, June 21 were cautioned to remember board governance procedures and reminded it was not an area over which the board could take action. The questioning of administrators began during the board’s … Continue reading Sun Prairie K-12 administration eliminates ‘high stakes’ exams

Inside the risky bat-virus engineering that links America to Wuhan: China emulated US techniques to construct novel coronaviruses in unsafe conditions.

Rowan Jacobsen: In 2013, the American virologist Ralph Baric approached Zhengli Shi at a meeting. Baric was a top expert in coronaviruses, with hundreds of papers to his credit, and Shi, along with her team at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, had been discovering them by the fistful in bat caves. In one sample of … Continue reading Inside the risky bat-virus engineering that links America to Wuhan: China emulated US techniques to construct novel coronaviruses in unsafe conditions.

Madison Plans a 7% (!) Spending increase for 2021-2022

Elizabeth Beyer: e Madison School Board voted unanimously Monday night to adopt the district’s $529.8 million preliminary budget, a 7% increase over the previous year, amid state funding uncertainty… The Madison School District is scheduled to receive $70.6 million over the course of the three payment installments. The district’s first installment, ESSER I, was approximately … Continue reading Madison Plans a 7% (!) Spending increase for 2021-2022

“There have been huge success’s in putting ‘butts in seats’. Unfortunately, this has not, by and large, been accompanied by increases in the levels of education.”

Lant Pritchett in conversation with Ann Bernstein: Ann Bernstein: Let’s move to education now. You’ve made a controversial statement, which forms part of the title of your book, that ‘schooling ain’t learning’. And more recently, you’ve followed that up with ‘spending ain’t investment’. What do you mean by these phrases and why are they so … Continue reading “There have been huge success’s in putting ‘butts in seats’. Unfortunately, this has not, by and large, been accompanied by increases in the levels of education.”

Covid: Loneliness a ‘bigger health risk than smoking or obesity’

Catherine Evans: NHS prescriptions for gardening and dancing are “vitally needed” to help tackle rising levels of loneliness after lockdown, people suffering from isolation have said.Social prescribing has been included in the Welsh government’s list of priorities for the next five years. A Mind Cymru pilot project is looking into its impact on mental health. … Continue reading Covid: Loneliness a ‘bigger health risk than smoking or obesity’

Wisconsin Governor Evers chooses organization over mission

Kelly Meyers: The governor says he doesn’t want to expand the program because he doesn’t want to take money away from traditional public schools. 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. … Continue reading Wisconsin Governor Evers chooses organization over mission

At Height of the 1918 Pandemic, NYC and Chicago Schools Stayed Open. Here’s Why

Sarah Pruitt: But for social and educational reformers, it wasn’t enough that children attend school—they also needed to stay safe and healthy when they got there. Schools were renovated and reorganized to allow better ventilation in classrooms and ensure access to fresh drinking water. Beginning in the 1890s, many cities launched medical inspection programs, with … Continue reading At Height of the 1918 Pandemic, NYC and Chicago Schools Stayed Open. Here’s Why

Parent group seeks recall of four Mequon-Thiensville School Board members

Alec Johnson: Citing an abdication of duties since March 2020, a group of parents filed paperwork June 21 seeking to recall four of the seven Mequon-Thiensville School Board members. A news release from the group said the group wants to recall board members Wendy Francour, Erik Hollander, Akram Khan and Chris Schultz. The group has 60 days to … Continue reading Parent group seeks recall of four Mequon-Thiensville School Board members

High-profile S.F. parent advocate abandons public schools over son’s pandemic learning loss

Jill Tucker: After her son fell behind during distance learning, and his school appeared to have no specific plan to address learning loss in the fall, she and her husband decided to make the move to private school. Laguana’s high-profile departure from the district — which includes resigning from her parent leadership role — is … Continue reading High-profile S.F. parent advocate abandons public schools over son’s pandemic learning loss

Closing the world’s schools caused children great harm; Governments are going shockingly little to help

The Economist: The immense harm this has done to children’s prospects might be justified if closing classrooms were one of the best ways of preventing lethal infections among adults. But few governments have weighed the costs and risks carefully. Many have kept schools shut even as bars and restaurants open, either to appease teachers’ unions, … Continue reading Closing the world’s schools caused children great harm; Governments are going shockingly little to help

The pandemic has been a catastrophe for school children. But it could inspire reforms to make schools more efficient

The Economist: n the first three months of the pandemic Shawnie Bennett, a single mother from Oakland in California, lost her job and her brother, who died of covid-19. Grief made the trials of lockdown more difficult—including that of helping her eight-year-old daughter, Xa’viar, continue her schooling online. In November Ms Bennett signed her daughter … Continue reading The pandemic has been a catastrophe for school children. But it could inspire reforms to make schools more efficient

Mississippi’s Reading Progress

Mississippi’s remarkable NAEP progress was dismissed by some as “nowhere to go but up.” This regression to the mean theory often gets used to dismiss progress in previously low performing states, including AZ and FL. There however is **nothing** inevitable about progress/THREAD pic.twitter.com/fQDhBEpdnh — Matthew Ladner (@matthewladner) June 21, 2021 2017: West High Reading Interventionist … Continue reading Mississippi’s Reading Progress

Commentary on Wisconsin’s Growing K-12 Tax & Spending Budget Plans

Libby Sobic: On Thursday, the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) finalized the state budget, which now heads for a full vote of the legislature. Legislative Republicans voted to invest in our students, their families and Wisconsin taxpayers.  Here are four takeaways you should know: JFC Republicans updated the budget and addressed the issue of the federal … Continue reading Commentary on Wisconsin’s Growing K-12 Tax & Spending Budget Plans

Covid Proved the C.D.C. Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed?

Jeneen Interlandi: Scientists there had been far too slow to detect the virus, to develop an accurate diagnostic test for it or to grasp how fast it was mutating. Their advisories on mask-wearing, quarantine and ventilation had been confusing, inconsistent and occasionally dead wrong. And during the Trump administration, agency leaders stood by while politicians … Continue reading Covid Proved the C.D.C. Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed?

Commentary on Wisconsin K-12 Tax & Spending Growth + 2.3B in additional Federal taxpayer funds

Mitchell Schmidt: At the same time, Stein noted that the infusion of $2.3 billion could ease some of that pressure on school districts to pursue tax increases. Madison recently received $70M ! in additional redistributed taxpayer funds.. along with substantial recent tax and spending increase referendums. Madison has long spent far more than most taxpayer supported … Continue reading Commentary on Wisconsin K-12 Tax & Spending Growth + 2.3B in additional Federal taxpayer funds

Wisconsin Governor Evers Vetoes an update to the Parent Choice Program

Statement: TO THE HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY: I am vetoing Assembly Bill 59 in its entirety. This bill increases the income eligibility threshold for the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) for the 2021-22 school year to 300 percent of the federal poverty level; allows pupils to submit full-time open enrollment applications to more than … Continue reading Wisconsin Governor Evers Vetoes an update to the Parent Choice Program

Opting Out: Enrollment Trends in Response to Continued Public School Shutdowns

Will Flanders: Research has found that fall 2020 school district reopening decisions appear to be driven more by politics and teachers unions than by the local presence of COVID-19. But what are the implications of those decisions for enrollment trends? Using recently released enrollment data from the state of Wisconsin, this study goes further to … Continue reading Opting Out: Enrollment Trends in Response to Continued Public School Shutdowns

Rise in catalytic converter thefts leaves few vehicles safe in Madison

Addison Lathers: Catalytic converters thefts are on the rise again, and few neighborhoods have been left unscathed. Madison has long been a hotspot for converter thefts, in part due to an abundance of street parking available throughout the city. In 2020, the city experienced 142 cases involving catalytic converter thefts. Some cases involved more than … Continue reading Rise in catalytic converter thefts leaves few vehicles safe in Madison

Political Posturing, interests and “adult employment” on taxpayer supported Dane County Madison public health ordering schools closed

Wisconsin Supreme Court: For the respondent, there was a brief filed by Remzy D. Bitar, Sadie R. Zurfluh, and Municipal and Litigation Group ̧ Waukesha. There was an oral argument by Remzy D. Bitar. For the petitioners Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools, et al., there was a reply brief filed by Richard M. … Continue reading Political Posturing, interests and “adult employment” on taxpayer supported Dane County Madison public health ordering schools closed

Teacher Union sues the taxpayer supported Madison School District

BREAKING: Madison Teachers Inc. leaders, including union president Michael Jones, have filed a lawsuit against @MMSDschools over the ongoing teacher contracts dispute. Here’s a story from yesterday updating where things were: https://t.co/eiyGBlS8Ps — Scott Girard (@sgirard9) June 9, 2021 Lester Pines (Pines Bach law firm) has long represented local and state Teacher unions. Related: Catholic schools will sue … Continue reading Teacher Union sues the taxpayer supported Madison School District

K-12 Governance and Curriculum climate

This speech at the #loudouncounty school board meeting was absolute 🔥🔥🔥 #alldayeveryday #mustseetv pic.twitter.com/UQuwEjNAWZ — Ian Prior (@iandprior) June 9, 2021 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 … Continue reading K-12 Governance and Curriculum climate

Civics: Only 40% of Voters Think Dr. Fauci Told the Truth About Virus Research

Rasmussen: The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Fauci has told the truth about U.S. government funding for so-called “gain-of-function” virus research. Forty-six percent (46%) of voters believe Fauci has not told the truth about U.S. funding of such research, and 15% are not sure. … Continue reading Civics: Only 40% of Voters Think Dr. Fauci Told the Truth About Virus Research

Commentary on Teacher Union interactions with the taxpayer supported Madison K-12 School District

Elisabeth Beyer: The Madison School District has reissued next year’s teacher contracts along with a letter outlining expected pay increases for education and experience, but the union says its related dispute remains unresolved because the raises are still missing from the document members must sign by June 15. Scott Girard: At issue is a change … Continue reading Commentary on Teacher Union interactions with the taxpayer supported Madison K-12 School District

“Facts” were facts, until the facts suddenly changed.

Maximilian Forte: The documentary itself establishes its lead questions at the outset. Nico Sloot, described as an international entrepreneur, acts as the main voice in the film and our lead detective. What struck me from the start was how he framed the central problem that provoked his investigative journey: when would herd immunity be achieved? … Continue reading “Facts” were facts, until the facts suddenly changed.

San Francisco schools see enrollment drop as families flee the district (Madison?)

Jill Tucker: Yet it’s clear many families vowed to leave after losing faith in the district because of the slow reopening of classrooms and ongoing drama among district leadership. That includes an $87 million lawsuit filed by board member Alison Collins against five colleagues after they removed her from the vice presidency and committee positions following the … Continue reading San Francisco schools see enrollment drop as families flee the district (Madison?)

Commentary on the Taxpayer Supported Madison School District’s Curriculum Experiences

Monica Wichgers says @MMSDschools teachers are promoting racial division through #CriticalRaceTheory. Republican lawmakers announced new legislation that would ban Wisconsin schools from teaching the divisive, Marxist ideology. #WIright pic.twitter.com/mNN2rjMi4d — MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) June 3, 2021 Machine generated transcript: My mother was the first African-American graduate of Edgewood college. She was a first grade … Continue reading Commentary on the Taxpayer Supported Madison School District’s Curriculum Experiences

K-12 Tax & Spending Climate: Ongoing Wisconsin $pending growth

Libby Sobic and Will Flanders, Ph.D. Wisconsin invests in our K-12 schools by creating options for families. On average, Wisconsin school districts average revenue (of local, state and federal funding) per student was $14,737 in 2019-2020. The majority of K-12 education funding is directly distributed to school districts. Under current law, even the lowest funded … Continue reading K-12 Tax & Spending Climate: Ongoing Wisconsin $pending growth

Muldrow’s policies continue to drive (Madison) schools’ decline

Peter Anderson: The Capital Times editorializes, “Madison has a great public schools system” and Board President “Ali Muldrow, is a dynamic leader “who will move Madison schools in the right direction” — sentiments reminiscent of the acclaim it offered former Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham, whose policies Muldrow seems poised to continue. But is it really great? … Continue reading Muldrow’s policies continue to drive (Madison) schools’ decline

Ongoing K-12 tax and spending growth: Wisconsin edition

🚨Today WI will have a big debate about K-12 spending. If you are following it, you must understand these 3 charts by @LibbySobic @WillFlandersWI. Want more $? Explain where the current $ went & new federal COVID $$ will go – and commit to #transparency so parents are informed pic.twitter.com/ll9c7iiiPa — CJ Szafir (@CJSzafir) May … Continue reading Ongoing K-12 tax and spending growth: Wisconsin edition

“Our children are experiencing unprecedented levels of pediatric mental health issues,”

Carina Julig: He teared up while discussing a conversation he had with the father of a high school boy who had attempted suicide. “Our kids have run out of resilience,” he said. “Their tank is empty.” Chief nursing officer Pat Givens said that the hospital system does not have enough capacity for the number of … Continue reading “Our children are experiencing unprecedented levels of pediatric mental health issues,”

School Funding and the Pandemic: How Much Money Is Enough?

Libby Sobic and Will Flanders: Without fail, each state budget cycle always results in cries from the public school establishment that “we need more money in public schools!” Governor Evers continues this status quo assertion with his 2021-23 budget proposal for massive increases in spending for K12 education (about $1.7 billion). These declarations are often made … Continue reading School Funding and the Pandemic: How Much Money Is Enough?

“We do not find any correlations with mask mandates”

Emily Oster, Rebecca Jack, Clare Halloran, John Schoof, Diana McLeod: This paper reports on the correlation of mitigation practices with staff and student COVID-19 case rates in Florida, New York, and Massachusetts during the 2020-2021 school year. We analyze data collected by the COVID-19 School Response Dashboard and focus on student density, ventilation upgrades, and … Continue reading “We do not find any correlations with mask mandates”

Politics vs Students in Racine

Libby Sobic: Wisconsin parents have spent the last year scrambling to help cover learning loss created by the pandemic. For students living in Racine, any learning loss is particularly harmful considering the district was a low-performing school district prior to the pandemic. Despite this unfortunate reality, local leaders in Racine continue to purposefully confuse parents … Continue reading Politics vs Students in Racine

An early look at the 2022 budgets of Wisconsin’s two largest school districts; +$70M for Madison!….

Wisconsin Policy Forum: Since 2013, the Wisconsin Policy Forum has produced an annual report on the superintendent’s proposed Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) budget that analyzes and describes the key elements and provides an independent assessment for school board members as they deliberate its contents. Last year, for the first time, we produced a similar budget … Continue reading An early look at the 2022 budgets of Wisconsin’s two largest school districts; +$70M for Madison!….

Report: State-level test scores improve the more school choice options are given

Bethany Blankley: As school choice bills continue to make their way through state legislatures, a report on student achievement published by the University of Arkansas’s Department of Education Reform argues that the more educational options are afforded parents, the better statewide test results are. “We find that higher levels of school choice are significantly associated … Continue reading Report: State-level test scores improve the more school choice options are given