Joe Williams' Blog
As Park Slope Goes, So Goes The Nation?
The newspaper which dubs itself "Brooklyn's Real Newspaper" makes it sound like charter schools are the hot new thing among well-off parents. Charter school fever?
Wait until these moms and dad get their charter and find their local elected officials have been such stubborn resisters of quality public schooling. Don't forget the politics, Slopers!
Continue reading "As Park Slope Goes, So Goes The Nation?"....
Posted by Joe Williams on July 1, 2007 1:27 PM
Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy Comes Through
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a Democrat who represents Long Island and parts of Queens , stepped up for quality public schools last week by signing on as a co-sponsor of the Charter Schools Program Enhancement Act of 2007.
According to the folks at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools , the act officially kicks off the discussion of charters in the NCLB reauthorization process.
Highlights include:- Continuing support for charter start-up
- Providing greater support for the expansion and replication of successful charter models.
- Strengthening the Education Secretary's ability to use grant selection criteria to encourage improvements in state charter laws.
- Allowing charter school authorizers to serve as grant administrators in addition to state education agencies
- Allowing the Secretary of Education to allocate funds between the Charter Schools Program and State Facilities Incentive Grants Program.
- Creating a national dissemination program to encourage the sharing of charter schools’ best practices among public schools across the nation.
If you are a Democrat and you support the creation (and continued support) of high-performing public schools through charter school laws in your state, please call Rep. McCarthy (202-225-5516) and let her know you appreciate her sponsorship of this important act.
Posted by Joe Williams on July 1, 2007 1:02 PM
Thanks Paris Hilton Fans!
Special thanks to all of you who found our DFER site by Google searching Paris Hilton in the last week! We hope you take some time to look around. (Please note, the original post didn't include the word "threesome". but this one does!)
Also, thanks to Alexander Russo for linking to our Paris Hilton Education Reform post and for calling it the "pop-culture school reform mashup of the week."
This is so hot!
Posted by Joe Williams on July 1, 2007 12:49 PM
Additional Thought on Deseg Ruling
There has been so much thoughtful commentary out there in the blogosphere about last week's SCOTUS ruling on race-based assignments. It is obviously historic and hugely important.
But it is also worth remembering that this another one of those areas within public education where we sometimes find a huge disconnect between our lofty ideals and the ugly reality that the same kids we're trying to help end up getting screwed no matter what policies we put in place.
This is one I wrote on this topic back when I was at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Posted by Joe Williams on July 1, 2007 12:32 PM
June 26, 2007
New Democrats In New York State On Education
As described by our Republican friend up north in Albany, Tom Carroll, on the issue of public charter schools:
"The under 50 crowd in the Democratic party is pro-charter. The old guard is anti-charter. The Young Turks are now in power. Eventually, the old guard will fade away."
Perhaps I'll start changing the "DFER Qoute of the Week" feature on the front page of this site to a daily feature, as this would make a good one. Also, the National Education Association is doing its annual national hand-wringing session next week, meaning all of the Democrats running for president will be on hand to pander. Should be lots of good quotes there.
Continue reading "New Democrats In New York State On Education"....
Posted by Joe Williams on June 26, 2007 8:05 AM
Paris Hilton Released From Jail
Meanwhile, millions of American students remain locked up in schools that aren't getting the job done while the Democratic party stands watch.
Do any of the Democrats running for president have the guts to do something about it?
Do any of them care about winning? Ever?
Posted by Joe Williams on June 26, 2007 7:56 AM
June 20, 2007
Reality Check for DC?
In response to some of the enthusiastic things I've had to say about new DC Superintendent Michelle Rhee and the decisive leadership we've seen on the school issue lately from Democratic Mayor Adrian Fenty, one DFER friend writes in to urge caution:
I have the utmost respect for Michelle.
But, I worry that people do not understand the gravity of the task and that we still believe the system can be reformed.
With all due respect to Joel Klein, etc. This system can not be reformed deep enough and fast enough.
Plus, she is walking into a racial mine field.
Fair point, and it gets at a question that makes most people extremely uncomfortable but has to be asked: Have we reached the point where some of our broken school systems have pushed past the point of no return? You can debate the answer, but it is irresponsible to not ask the question, no?
Posted by Joe Williams on June 20, 2007 2:50 PM
