Joe Williams' Blog
September 14, 2008
NY Ed Reformers to Boston: You Suck!
In today's Boston Globe, Jim Peyser evokes some painful Beantown memories of Babe Ruth and Johnny Damon and then proceeds to smash an excellent point, Bucky Dent-style, over Fenway's Big Green Monster. Peyer's point is that just like the horribly mismanaged Red Sox were willing to part with superstars (who then were snatched up by the most dominant sports franchise in world history, the NY Yankees), the education reform scene in the Commonwealth is allowing/encouraging its best and brightest thinkers to bolt for Gotham.
And in a move that is sure to please the mothers and significant others of the people he is talking about, Peyser names names: Brett Peiser, Doug Lemov, John King, Evan Rudall, Michael Duffy, Josh Phillips, etc. All established careers as top-notched educators in Boston and were lured to greener educational pastures within a stone's throw of the House that Ruth Built.
So three questions emerge:
1. Since the barrier to their growth/happiness in Boston involves policies that are anti-entrepreneur and pro-same-old-same-old, when are strong leaders like Gov. Deval Patrick going to stand up and stop the brain drain by making Massachusetts a place where people with great ideas can actually implement them? Who is going to take the blame if the remaining homers like Mike Goldtsein get a better offer someplace else?
2. As we approach the final 365-days of the mayoral administration in NYC that created the climate in which all of these great folks were lured to the Big Apple, how long will it be before we start reading stories about how the best and brightest reformers in NYC are, in turn, being lured elsewhere because future mayors will erect similar brain and talent walls?
3. When Bostonian Chris Gabrieli is in NYC for our happy hour Tuesday night, will someone make a move to kidnap him and keep him within the confines of Manhattan, thus dramatically increasing our chances of extending school days in public schools for kids who need the extra time because they are 4-, 5-, and 6-years behind where they need to be academically?
Posted by Joe Williams on September 14, 2008 8:51 AM
September 9, 2008
Obama: It's Time To Get Real On Reforming Education
Joe Williams, executive director of Democrats for Education Reform, issued the following statement today following Sen. Barack Obama's education remarks in Dayton, Ohio:
Senator Obama today offered an urgent call to all of us - Democrat and Republican alike - to take responsibility for bringing our nation's public education system into the 21st Century.
For too long, we Democrats have not allowed ourselves to even talk about some of the messy issues surrounding the improvement of our schools, while Republicans in office have done nothing but talk. Millions of our nation's children have slipped through the cracks in the process. If Democrats don't more fully engage on issues like assuring high quality teaching, increasing the supply of accountable schools, and embracing the tools of innovation to arm our students for success, it simply won't happen.
This is one of the reasons members of Democrats for Education Reform have enthusiastically backed Senator Obama's candidacy since our first meeting with him in New York City in 2005. We saw that the Senator was a leader capable of getting this nation to think big, to imagine the kind of schools our children truly need to be competitive in the rapidly-changing global economy, and to break past the political gridlock holding back the most promising innovative reform ideas. This is also why we have pushed relentlessly within the Democratic Party to support the kind of change in our public schools that Senator Obama has outlined.
Senator Obama called today for doubling the federal investment in successful public charter schools (from $200 to $400 million), creating an "innovative schools fund," and shifting the focus of the federal government from mere compliance to performance and investing in what works.
Change is indeed happening on our side of the aisle. We used to be the party that wouldn't even admit that we had any ineffective teachers in some of our classrooms, much less a party that was realistically engaged on the issue of ensuring that every one of our children has access to a great teacher in a great school. We were the party that wanted more of everything yet offered few assurances that children would ultimately benefit.
We applaud Sen. Obama for advancing a new vision for federal education policy which is so strong on equity, accountability, and performance.
Democrats for Education Reform is a federal political action committee committed to making the Democratic Party a more hospitable place for education reformers like Senator Obama. For more information, go to www.dfer.org, or to get involved in the Obama education effort, email barackforeducation@gmail.com.
Posted by Joe Williams on September 9, 2008 5:57 PM
August 29, 2008
More Coverage From Sunday's DNC Ed Challenge for Change Event
Dem ed reformers take unions to task, Education News Colorado, Alan Gottlieb, August, 24 2008.Booker charges into Denver, Politicker NJ, NJ , Max Pizarro, August 24, 2008.
Dems Rally against Unions!, Slate, Mickey Kaus, August 24, 2008.
Education Overhaul?, Reader's Digest, NY , Carol Kaufmann, August 24, 2008.
Education Event Tags Unions, Roll Call (subscription), DC , Kate Ackley, August 24, 2008.
Rhee in Denver: Media to Blame for Teachers' Contract Holdup, Washington Post, David Nakamura, August 24, 2008.
Union Tensions at DNC, Education Week News, Michele McNeil, August, 24 2008.
Advocates draw attention to education, Denver Post, Allison Sherry, August 25, 2008.
DC Schools Chancellor Addresses Forum at DNC, WAMU (DC NPR affiliate), Rebecca Blatt, August 25, 2008.
The Democratic Education Divide, The American Prospect, Dana Goldstein, August 25, 2008.
Ed. Equality Project's 'Cheap Shot' at Unions, Education Week News, Michele McNeil, August 25, 2008.
Lesson plan: Put kids over teachers, Rocky Mountain News, Nancy Mitchell, August 25, 2008.
With the Democrats in Denver, Washington Post, Fred Hiatt, August 25, 2008.
An American Wife, New York Post, NY, August 26, 2008.
Obama and the NEA, Rocky Mountain News, August 26, 2008.
Rev. Al Sharpton, Other Prominent Democrats Break with Unions, School Reform News, The Heartland Institute, IL, Christin Coyne, September 1, 2008.
Blog Entries:
A Call for Longer School Days, MINDSprinting Blog.
An inspirational panel discussion? Believe it., Schools for Tomorrow Blog, Alan Gottlieb, August, 24 2008.
Are Dems finally getting into the discussion?, Eduwonk.
Change!, Joanna Jacobs.
Democrat Mayor Corey Booker: "[We] have to admit as Democrats we have been wrong on education.", Anchor Rising.
Democrats: All on Board in Attack on Teachers Unions, Education Notes Online.
Democrats against Teachers' Unions?, Ken Blanchard/South Dakota Politics.
Democrats fight teachers' unions, The Big Stick.
Dems v. Teacher Unions: More Cracks in the Facade, Jay P. Greene's Blog.
Mayor Cicilline Stands with Education Reformers, Passing Notes: Rhode Island Education Reform.
Mission Accomplished, Flypaper.
Randi Whine-garten feels dissed, Schools for Tomorrow.
Schmoozapallooza in Denver, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Sharpton, anti-union education reformers speak at DNC, Blah, blah, blah.
They all had one thing in common, Small Talk.
What the Convention Says about the Democrats and Education, Tapped.
Dems rally against unions! in Denver, Economic Freedom.
The "Teacher Agenda" Diffused, Education Notes Online.
New Generation of Democrats Embraces School Choice, Education Week: Campaign K-Posted by Joe Williams on August 29, 2008 11:15 AM
August 27, 2008
Change We Can Believe In (And Change You Can Bank Votes On)
Like everyone else in Denver this week for the Democratic National Convention, we've been running around like mad around the clock, attending event after exhausting event. Will try to quickly update some of the coverage - in blogs and in print - of the "Ed Challenge for Change" event on Sunday that we sponsored along with the Piton Foundation and several dozen other organizations.
Dan Gerstein gives it a mention in this Wall Street Journal piece from this morning. The relevant parts:
And the ideal issue for Mr. Obama to focus on in the speech and beyond, as Mayor Bloomberg can attest, is education. No challenge is more consequential for our country than closing the achievement gap in our urban schools and raising the competitiveness of our workforce. And no special interest has done more to stand in the way of change in our public schools than the teachers unions that dominate Democratic politics.
The unions' chokehold on the party (and by extension the futures of millions of black and Hispanic children) is starting to loosen. One sign of that was the impressive number of progressive leaders who showed up to support Mr. Obama's change agenda and embrace an aggressively pro-innovation set of principles at a forum sponsored by Democrats for Education Reform (full disclosure: the group is a client of mine) here in Denver on Sunday. That group included three of the country's most influential African-American mayors, all rising stars in the party -- Adrian Fenty in Washington, Cory Booker in Newark, and Michael Nutter in Philadelphia.
Imagine what the party's first African-American presidential nominee could do to liberate millions of low-income children of color, not to mention elevate his standing as a change agent, simply by declaring that the era of unequal education is over in America. Mr. Obama doesn't have to, nor should he, attack or even mention the unions. Just do what he has already done (but louder): challenge his own party to change its policies to put children first, and embrace innovative solutions like longer school days and years, high-quality charter schools, and performance pay for teachers.
That's not just change you can believe in. That's change you can bank votes on.
Posted by Joe Williams on August 27, 2008 4:19 PM
August 21, 2008
Ed Challenge For Change
On the eve of the Democratic National Convention, dozens of nation’s top education reformers to issue “Challenge for Change” to Democratic Party
Sunday, August 24th, 3:15-6:00 pm
WHAT: Over two dozen progressive elected officials, education reform advocates, school leaders, and civil rights groups from across the country come together to challenge Democratic Party leaders to embrace Barack Obama’s call for change on education policy.
WHEN: Sunday, August 24 from 3:15 to 6:00 p.m.
Speakers available to media from 4:00 to 4:15 and 5:15 to 5:45
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Frederic C. Hamilton Building, Sharp Auditorium, 100 W. 14th Avenue Parkway
WHO: Speakers will include:
Cory Booker, Mayor, Newark
Adrian Fenty, Mayor, Washington D.C.
Joel Klein, Chancellor, New York City Schools
Roy Romer, Chairman, Strong American Schools, former Colorado governor
Jonathan Alter, Newsweek
Michelle Rhee, Chancellor, D.C. Public Schools
Rev. Al Sharpton, Education Equality Project
Reporters unable to attend the event who wish to dial in may call in at 3:10 p.m. (MDT) at: 888-942-8686, enter conference ID: 9117020 and press #
Click here to read the complete "Ed Challenge for Change" media advisory.
And check back here for updates.
Posted by Joe Williams on August 21, 2008 9:18 PM
August 20, 2008
Caprice Young Moves On
I had no idea what to do for a headline for this post. I wanted to pay due respect to a DFER board member, good friend, and education warrior without making it seem like she had, uh, expired or something. So "Caprice Young Moves On" will have to suffice.
Caprice, a true Democrat for education reform, is stepping down from her post as head of the all powerful and everlasting California Charter Schools Association to become a bigwig at Knowledge Universe.
For those of you who don't keep up with what Caprice has done since her days on the LAUSD School Board and with the association, it is impossible to describe in a blog post the amazing level of productive/constructive ass-kicking that has occured because of her work/passion.
Caprice was supposed to join us at an education reform commune*** we have set up at the DNC convention next week, but will be otherwise busy dealing with a big change in her life. Like a soldier who has gone off to war, we will leave a chair at the picnic table empty in her honor.
Congrats Caprice!
*** There is talk that Eduwonk, one of the co-habitants at the commune, will be selling clothing made out of hemp, and then using the proceeds to buy locally-produced, organic eggs for edu-omelettes for the rest of the communist/ed reformers. I will update you if this turns out to be correct.
Posted by Joe Williams on August 20, 2008 9:19 PM
August 18, 2008
Look For Us In Denver (And Other Upcoming DFER Events)
Democrats for Education Reform has been working to help assemble a great cast of progressive groups to show the kind of "change we can believe in" when it comes to providing better opportunities for America's schoolchildren. The "Ed Challenge for Change" event at the Denver Art Museum on Aug. 24th represents a positive vision for what we can accomplish for kids if we put our political might behind it. It will feature some of the brightest change-agent elected officials (and Obama supporters) in the country, as well as cutting-edge practitioners who have got "Yes We Can" written all over them.
DFER and supporters will be making our presence felt throughout the rest of the convention as well. Drop me a line if you'd like to meet up.
Also, mark your calendars for these other DFER-related events (click on the links for more details):
-- Monday, August 18th, 6:30 p.m., NYC Fundraiser for Assemblyman Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo.)
-- Tuesday, September 16th, 6:30 p.m., Happy Hour With Chris Gabrieli, of the National Center for Time and Learning.
-- Tuesday, September 23rd, 7 p.m., Education BBQ with Stig Leschly and DeShawn Wright, of the Newark Charter School Fund.
-- Thursday, September 25th, 7 p.m., NYC Fundraiser for Kevin Johnson, Candidate for Mayor in Sacramento.
-- Thursday, October 16th, Education BBQ with Zeke Vanderhoek, founder of the Equity Project Charter School.
-- Thursday, October 30th, Brooklyn Charter Night, at the Brooklyn Museum.
Posted by Joe Williams on August 18, 2008 10:45 AM
