Comments on: Feinstein objects to cuts in K-12 jobs bill http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/07/09/feinstein-objects-to-cuts-in-k-12-jobs-bill/ Analysis, opinion and ruminations on California education policy Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:03:08 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John Fensterwald http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/07/09/feinstein-objects-to-cuts-in-k-12-jobs-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-19244 John Fensterwald Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:13:43 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/?p=2574#comment-19244 Tell you the truth, Caroline, I don't know but will look into it. The lack of paragraphing is annoying Tell you the truth, Caroline, I don’t know but will look into it. The lack of paragraphing is annoying

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]]> By: Jennifer http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/07/09/feinstein-objects-to-cuts-in-k-12-jobs-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-18912 Jennifer Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:12:59 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/?p=2574#comment-18912 Larger class sizes still mean teachers lose their jobs. Furloughs and pay cuts do save jobs, but a class size increase means fewer teachers. Regardless, there is something very disturbing about performance pay being regarded as more important to education than teachers. It suggests a real disconnect from reality. California's K-3 standards more or less require 20:1, particularly for students who have low school readiness. Larger class sizes still mean teachers lose their jobs. Furloughs and pay cuts do save jobs, but a class size increase means fewer teachers.

Regardless, there is something very disturbing about performance pay being regarded as more important to education than teachers. It suggests a real disconnect from reality. California’s K-3 standards more or less require 20:1, particularly for students who have low school readiness.

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]]> By: CarolineSF http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/07/09/feinstein-objects-to-cuts-in-k-12-jobs-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-18907 CarolineSF Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:31:00 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/?p=2574#comment-18907 John, what would it take to do whatever to your blog/site so that paragraphs could be inserted in comments? Or is there some complex techie way to do this? John, what would it take to do whatever to your blog/site so that paragraphs could be inserted in comments? Or is there some complex techie way to do this?

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]]> By: CarolineSF http://toped.svefoundation.org/2010/07/09/feinstein-objects-to-cuts-in-k-12-jobs-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-18906 CarolineSF Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:27:58 +0000 http://educatedguess.org/?p=2574#comment-18906 Feinstein and the other senators have it deeply, disastrously wrong. Veteran Washington Post education reporter Valerie Strauss explains why in a blog post: "the argument that was made in this letter is flawed. The letter, written to Rep. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, says that: *The targeted programs are “vital” and have driven “state- and local-level improvements for students across the country.” *Race to the Top “has given education stakeholders the leverage they need to reform systems and policies that for too long failed too many students.” *Cutting the funds as Obey’s bill proposes would be “pulling the rug out from under the efforts of thousands of communities around the country working together to improve their schools.” Well, not really, no, and not actually. Race to the Top is a contest in which states compete for federal grant money by promising to take reform measures that are favored by Education Secretary Arne Duncan. For one thing, there is no research behind some of the initiatives that win points for states on their application. Expanding the number of charter schools is just one. For another, researchers have determined that the 500-point system created to decide “the best proposals” for reform was created arbitrarily. ... It would be useful to remember that there is nothing scientifically sacrosanct about the amount of money initially deposited in these funds. And it would be useful if policymakers would look back nearly a decade ago, when they approved No Child Left Behind, certain that all of the changes that it forced upon public school systems were the best way to fix ailing schools and close the achievement gap. If they had been correct, legislators wouldn’t be in such a panic to fix public schools today. It has unfortunately not dawned on many of them that Duncan is adopting some of the same damaging approaches that doomed No Child Left Behind, including a reliance on high-stakes standardized tests. When exactly will Congress learn from its mistakes?" Again, those are the words of veteran Washington Post reporter Valerie Strauss, not mine. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/race-to-the-top/senators-confused-about-cuttin.html Feinstein and the other senators have it deeply, disastrously wrong. Veteran Washington Post education reporter Valerie Strauss explains why in a blog post: “the argument that was made in this letter is flawed. The letter, written to Rep. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, says that:

*The targeted programs are “vital” and have driven “state- and local-level improvements for students across the country.”

*Race to the Top “has given education stakeholders the leverage they need to reform systems and policies that for too long failed too many students.”

*Cutting the funds as Obey’s bill proposes would be “pulling the rug out from under the efforts of thousands of communities around the country working together to improve their schools.”

Well, not really, no, and not actually.

Race to the Top is a contest in which states compete for federal grant money by promising to take reform measures that are favored by Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

For one thing, there is no research behind some of the initiatives that win points for states on their application. Expanding the number of charter schools is just one.

For another, researchers have determined that the 500-point system created to decide “the best proposals” for reform was created arbitrarily. …

It would be useful to remember that there is nothing scientifically sacrosanct about the amount of money initially deposited in these funds. And it would be useful if policymakers would look back nearly a decade ago, when they approved No Child Left Behind, certain that all of the changes that it forced upon public school systems were the best way to fix ailing schools and close the achievement gap. If they had been correct, legislators wouldn’t be in such a panic to fix public schools today.

It has unfortunately not dawned on many of them that Duncan is adopting some of the same damaging approaches that doomed No Child Left Behind, including a reliance on high-stakes standardized tests.

When exactly will Congress learn from its mistakes?” Again, those are the words of veteran Washington Post reporter Valerie Strauss, not mine. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/race-to-the-top/senators-confused-about-cuttin.html

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