Read Terry Gross’ interview with Dale Russakoff, author of “The Prize,” which describes the 5-year $100 million plan to fix Newark’s public schools. Major players: Mark Zuckerberg, Senator Cory Booker (then Mayor of Newark) and Chris Christie. The transcription of the NPR “Fresh Air” interview is here.
BTW, the NY Regents just voted to evaluate teachers based on 50% of their students’ standardized test scores. Last year it was 40%. Doesn’t matter if you teach gifted and talented or learning disabled. It’s 50%, dude.
Dale Russakoff interviewed the scientist who developed the evaluation plan who is not happy with the way it’s being used:
“And this measurement scientist said that the system was never intended to judge teachers. It was only intended to measure whether children are growing or not because it doesn’t tell you why they’re growing or who caused them to grow or why they’re failing and who caused them to fail. All it tells you is whether they are progressing or regressing. And the teacher is a factor in that, but there are so many other factors that he said, you know, this is just not the way this data should have been used.”
Teachable moment for Booker, et al. Bring community leaders, teachers, parents and students into the discussion. Don’t bulldoze the “flavor of the week, month or 5 year initiative.” Mark Z gets it now. He’s starting a new initiative in the Bay Area and he’s bringing teachers and parents into the discussion.
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