<![CDATA[EWCommentary · Storify]]>http://storify.com/EdweekCommNodeJS RSS ModuleThu, 20 Jun 2013 02:31:30 GMT<![CDATA[Does Arne Duncan Deserve an Apology?]]>

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was greeted by a chorus of boos at the American Educational Research Association's annual meeting on April 30th. Were the boos warranted, or does Duncan deserve an apology?

Storified by EWCommentary · Thu, May 16 2013 12:39:19

Do you remember the former Education Week blogger known as eduwonkette? Outside of the blogosphere, she's known as Jennifer Jennings, and her Education Week Commentary, "An Apology to Secretary Duncan," has sparked a heated online debate over the past week. 
An Apology to Secretary DuncanAn Apology to Secretary Duncan
I agree with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on just about nothing. I think Race to the Top is an evidence-free mess. I think the...
Jennings criticizes her colleagues who booed Secretary Duncan at the AERA's annual meeting. “I was embarrassed—no, humiliated," Jennings writes.
edweek.org
Duncan came face to face with critics at the meeting, where he was one of many scheduled speakers. Attendees came prepared with anti-testing protest signs, pictured below. Education Week's Sarah Sparks describes the event in her blog.
AERA: Duncan to Speak, Protests Starting EarlyAERA: Duncan to Speak, Protests Starting Early
It's about 10 minutes until Education Secretary Arne Duncan is scheduled to speak for the first time at the annual American Educational R...
blogs.edweek.org
blogs.edweek.org
AERA: Duncan Faces Critics on Student TestingAERA: Duncan Faces Critics on Student Testing
Education Secretary Arne Duncan climbed up on the elephant in the room pretty much as soon as he started his invited address at the Ameri...
Jennings acknowledges that she is not a fan of many of Duncan's policies, but she still condemns the crowd reaction. 

"What saddens me is that the educational policy debate has become an overwhelming chorus of boos, of shout-downs, and of bitter personal insults, rather than a real debate about ideas and data and first principles," writes Jennings. "Unfortunately, this mirrors the direction that most American political debates have leaned in recent years. It is toxic. It is unnecessary. And it is not befitting of a community of researchers who stand in front of students on most days of the week and call ourselves educators."
Diane Ravitch responded to Jennings' Commentary. She says Duncan deserved the boos because he has shut educators out of the policy discussion.
Why Did Educators Boo Duncan? Jennings Apologizes
I did not go to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association in San Francisco, so was not aware of what is describ...
"I condemn his misguided and harmful policies, not the researchers who used the only means of protest available to them," writes Ravitch. "What he is doing to our children, our teachers, and our schools is far more offensive than booing. Will Arne Duncan ever apologize to the children, parents, and educators of America for what he has done and continues to do?"
Meanwhile, Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute also took up the issue on his blog. He says "the nation's proud edu-professoriate went out of its way to embarrass itself."
Back With a Full Dose of DistemperBack With a Full Dose of Distemper
Hidy all. Well, I'm back. I'd like to offer a big thanks to all the terrific folks who stepped in while I was off sabbaticalizing. (Not t...
"Having asked Secretary Duncan to come address AERA, the assembled faculty behaved like a bunch of wannabe Occupy Wall Streeters," writes Hess. "They waved banners reading, "Not In Our Name" (I have no idea what that meant). They booed Duncan. They called him a war criminal. They accused this guy of being disinterested in poverty. (Whatever his shortcomings, that's not one of them). Well, there are just desserts. AERA managed to infuriate and offend key allies at the Department of Education. Whoops."
Readers have not been shy with expressing their views on Jennings' piece. The majority of the readers agreed that booing was a last straw from a group of people cut out of discussion. 
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/does-secretary-duncan-deserve-an-apologyhttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/does-secretary-duncan-deserve-an-apologyThu, 16 May 2013 19:39:19 GMT<![CDATA[A Nation at Risk: Where Are We Now?]]>

For the 30th anniversary of the report A Nation at Risk, Education Week Commentary consulted the available data, education experts, and readers to examine just how far U.S. education has come since 1983.

Storified by EWCommentary · Wed, May 01 2013 13:00:30

Edweek
"Our Nation is at risk." In April of 1983, this alarming phrase opened the landmark report entitled A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform.

In the 30 years since the National Commission on Excellence in Education, formed by U.S. Secretary of Education Terrel H. Bell, released A Nation at Risk, sparking a wave of education reform, which some argue we are still riding today. A Nation at Risk declared that "the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a nation and a people." The word cloud above highlights frequently used words from the report.
For the 30th anniversary of A Nation at Risk, Education Week Commentary examined demographic, academic, and public opinion data to explore how education has changed since 1983. The coverage asks: Where are we now?
A Nation at Risk : Where Are We Now?A Nation at Risk : Where Are We Now?
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the release of A Nation at Risk by the National Commission on Excellence in Education formed by U...
Readers weighed in on the validity of the report's findings and progress in education since A Nation at Risk in comments on edweek.org, as well as on Facebook and Twitter. Some readers argued that the report has led U.S. education in the wrong direction. Others brought up the increased focus on high-stakes testing, citing A Nation at Risk as a contributing factor. Others simply argued that U.S. education is making progress in the classroom that can't be measured in tests, data, or reports.
This week marks the... | FacebookThis week marks the... | Facebook
Education Week wrote: This week marks the 30th anniversary of... Join Facebook to connect with Education Week and others you may know.
Education Week Commentary also launched the OpEducation blog--a roundtable opinion blog where several education experts debate A Nation at Risk's impact (if any) on U.S. public education.
OpEducation - A Nation at Risk: 30 Years Later Archives - Education Week TeacherOpEducation - A Nation at Risk: 30 Years Later Archives - Education Week Teacher
OpEducation is a roundtable opinion blog featuring the views of a wide variety of education thought leaders on timely questions related t...
Laura Goe, a former middle school teacher and current education researcher, discussed how A Nation at Risk has changed standards for teaching.
Putting Emphasis on Teacher QualityPutting Emphasis on Teacher Quality
OpEducation is a roundtable opinion blog featuring the views of a wide variety of education thought leaders on timely questions related t...
Luis Huerta, an associate professor of education and public policy, argues that education reform should not place so much emphasis on testing.
Doubling Down on Testing Is a Failed WagerDoubling Down on Testing Is a Failed Wager
OpEducation is a roundtable opinion blog featuring the views of a wide variety of education thought leaders on timely questions related t...
"We have endured 30 years of lies, half-truths, and myths," writes Professor David Berliner in his blog post. Berliner argues that A Nation at Risk created an  unnecessary culture of fear surrounding education.
Three Decades of LiesThree Decades of Lies
OpEducation is a roundtable opinion blog featuring the views of a wide variety of education thought leaders on timely questions related t...
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/a-nation-at-riskhttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/a-nation-at-riskWed, 01 May 2013 20:00:30 GMT<![CDATA[Chicago Teachers Strike: How Will It Impact School Reform?]]>

On Sept. 10, for the first time in 25 years, Chicago teachers went on strike after contract negotiations between the city's school board and the Chicago Teachers Union broke down over reform issues and teacher pay. We'll keep updating this package as the story evolves.

Storified by EWCommentary · Wed, Sep 19 2012 12:39:13

This package was updated at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 19. 
CTU STRIKE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED: Delegates of the Chicago Teachers Union voted to end the 7-day-old strike on Tuesday Sept.18 after agreeing to a deal offered by the district. Classes are scheduled to resume on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Read the story below for more information
Chicago Delegates Vote to Suspend StrikeChicago Delegates Vote to Suspend Strike
Stephen Sawchuk, a former federal education beat writer, turns his inner policy geek to digging around in the weeds of the teaching profe...
Update- Sept. 17: "Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to seek a court injunction to end the strike; he'll argue that many of the issues contested, such as teacher evaluation, weren't permissible areas of bargaining to begin with."
Chicago Strike Still On as CTU Delegates Mull DealChicago Strike Still On as CTU Delegates Mull Deal
Stephen Sawchuk, a former federal education beat writer, turns his inner policy geek to digging around in the weeds of the teaching profe...
More than 25,000 teachers and school support staff in Chicago went on strike on Sept. 10, 2012, leaving more than 350,000 public school students temporarily out of school. The breakdown of negotiations between Chicago school officials and the Chicago Teachers Union centered on issues playing out not just in Chicago but across the nation, including merit pay for teachers based on student achievement, teacher evaluations, tenure and job security, and teacher salary increases. The showdown in the nation's third-largest school system holds implications for the national school reform agenda and carries political reverberations as well.
undefined · Edweek
Chicago teachers walk a picket line outside Benjamin Banneker Elementary School on Sept. 10. Union and district officials failed to reach a contract agreement despite intense negotiations. Photo credit M. Spencer Green/AP
Long-term effects of the strike: Read below for insights into some of the more controversial elements of the strike negotiations and perspectives on the possible long-term impact of the strike. 
Chicago Strike Unfolds Amid Frustration, ConfusionChicago Strike Unfolds Amid Frustration, Confusion
Stephen Sawchuk, a former federal education beat writer, turns his inner policy geek to digging around in the weeds of the teaching profe...
Former D.C. mayor Adrian Fenty, and education analysts Diane Ravitch, Rick Hess, and Andy Rotherham discuss the CTU strike and its broader implications on The Diane Rehm show. Listen from 13:50 to hear the panel discussion. 
Chicago Teacher's Strike | The Diane Rehm Show from WAMU and NPRChicago Teacher's Strike | The Diane Rehm Show from WAMU and NPR
Members of the Chicago Teachers Union distribute strike signage at the Chicago Teachers Union strike headquarters on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2...
Strike Issues Stuck in Gray Areas, Political NuanceStrike Issues Stuck in Gray Areas, Political Nuance
Stephen Sawchuk, a former federal education beat writer, turns his inner policy geek to digging around in the weeds of the teaching profe...
Seven Issues at Stake in the Chicago Teachers' StrikeSeven Issues at Stake in the Chicago Teachers' Strike
Chicago public school teachers went on strike on Monday for the first time since 1987 in a clash with Mayor Rahm Emanuel that has nationa...
How much do Chicago teachers make?How much do Chicago teachers make?
Monday, I passed along the Chicago Public Schools' estimate of the mean teacher salary, which is $74,839. Pro-union sources are objecting...
Political ramifications: Many believe the strike holds implications not only for teachers and students in the Windy City, but for unions nationwide, schools across the country, and even the presidential race, given President Barack Obama's ties to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has pressed hard for reform in the city schools. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has condemned the strike, and his running mate, Paul Ryan, has said that they support Mayor Rahm Emanuel's opposition to the strike.
Chicago Teachers' Strike Forces Obama To Steer Carefully Between Two Allies : NPRChicago Teachers' Strike Forces Obama To Steer Carefully Between Two Allies : NPR
Getting caught in a fight between two important allies is not where a president locked in a tight re-election race would willingly choose...
Ryan Says He Stands With Emanuel on Chicago Teachers' StrikeRyan Says He Stands With Emanuel on Chicago Teachers' Strike
There may be no stranger bedfellows than Representative Paul D. Ryan and Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago, the former White House chief of s...
Chicago teachers strike: Mitt Romney slams union, walkoutChicago teachers strike: Mitt Romney slams union, walkout
Mitt Romney on Monday said Chicago teachers are turning their backs on thousands of students and that President Obama is rooting for the ...
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/chicago-teachers-go-on-strikehttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/chicago-teachers-go-on-strikeWed, 19 Sep 2012 19:39:13 GMT<![CDATA[Educators Share Their Back-to-School Hopes, Fears]]>

As educators head back to school, what are they most excited about? What are their biggest fears? What are they planning to change this school year? We polled Education Week readers to find out.

Storified by EWCommentary · Mon, Aug 27 2012 09:32:38

undefined · Edweek
On Tuesday, via @EducationWeek, @EdWeekTeacher, and @EdWeekComm, we asked our Twitter followers what they are most looking forward to this upcoming school year. 
Here, you'll find a sampling of their responses.
After asking what educators are most looking forward to on Tuesday, we took the opposite approach on Wednesday. We asked followers, "What are your greatest concerns for the upcoming school year?"
Below, you'll see a variety of opinions.
On Thursday, we asked followers what one thing they plan to change this upcoming school year. 
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/educators-share-their-back-to-school-hopes-fearshttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/educators-share-their-back-to-school-hopes-fearsMon, 27 Aug 2012 16:32:38 GMT<![CDATA[Women, Equality, and Education: Title IX Turns 40]]>

Title IX is most commonly known for its role in advancing gender equality for women in sports, but the extent of the law is far reaching. This package offers a thorough look into Title IX's past and present impact, and offers suggestions for the future. Check back through June 23rd for updates.

Storified by EWCommentary · Tue, Jul 10 2012 08:59:33

Edweek
Forty years ago, on June 23, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon signed Title IX into law. Read Education Week's complete anniversary coverage on our collection page: Title IX: How Far Have We Come. The package includes discussions on how Title IX has affected the lives of pregnant and parenting teens, female students and academics, and women in sports.We'll be discussing the package on Twitter from now until our live chat on June 27th. Follow @EducationWeek and @EdweekComm, and use the hashtag #EWTitleIX to join the conversation. 
Edweek
Espncdn
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.  --Title IX of Educational Amendments Act of 1972
Click through Education Week's interactive timeline to compare the number of female and male participants in high school sports, and read about some of the milestones that have shaped the law over the last four decades. Scroll to the bottom of this Storify to see more of Education Week's past coverage of Title IX. 
A History of Title IX and Boys/Girls Participation TrendsA History of Title IX and Boys/Girls Participation Trends
Since its passage, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 has spawned many changes in education. More girls than ever are taking pa...
Title IX Turns 40: What's Left to Do? Join Education Week's Erik Robelen, Nirvi Shah, and Bryan Toporek on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., ET, for a live chat on Title IX. 
Edweek
Title IX is most commonly known for its role in advancing gender equality in school athletics, however, Bryan Toporek reports that, despite the gains made over the last few years, more work remains to be done.
Title IX Progress: 'From Absolutely Horrid to Very Bad'Title IX Progress: 'From Absolutely Horrid to Very Bad'
More K-12 girls than ever are involved in sports since passage of the 1972 law, but the gap between boys and girls remains huge.
Hurdles Seen for Girls Despite Title IXHurdles Seen for Girls Despite Title IX
While the gender gap in high school sports has radically shrunk since the passage of Title IX in 1972, plenty of work remains to ensure e...
Fatima Goss Graves, the vice president for education and employment at the Washington-based National Women's Law Center, writes in an Education Week Commentary that while gains in equality for women because of Title IX should be celebrated, gender bias continues. 
Title IX: The Work ContinuesTitle IX: The Work Continues
June 23 marks the 40th anniversary of Title IX-the landmark civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. While the la...
Women make up half of today's college graduates, but experts find that substantial gender divides still exist in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics professions, Eric Robelen reports. 
Gender Gaps Persist in STEM SubjectsGender Gaps Persist in STEM Subjects
Female strides in schooling often don't spill over into the workplace Evidence abounds that women have made huge inroads in the academic ...
Evidence Persists of STEM Achievement Gap for GirlsEvidence Persists of STEM Achievement Gap for Girls
With the 40th anniversary of Title IX just days away, one key area where questions about gender equity persist is STEM education and the ...
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/titleixhttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/titleixTue, 26 Jun 2012 20:32:34 GMT<![CDATA[Teacher Appreciation Week 2012]]>

May 7-11 marks Teacher Appreciation Week. People across the nation are taking the time to honor their favorite educators and discuss the state of the teaching profession.

Storified by EWCommentary · Tue, Jul 10 2012 08:59:42

This week, students, parents, administrators, political officials, and others shared their admiration for teachers. Many have taken to Twitter to express their gratitude, often encouraging others to do the same. 
#Teacher #Appreciation Week May 7 - 12, 2012 #ThankYou http://pic.twitter.com/KNrOXS1v · Nicole S.
As part of its National Teachers Intiative, StoryCorps has compiled a series of conversations between teachers and the students whose lives they have touched. Listen to one of their stories below and hear the rest here. 
Antero Garcia and Roger Alvarez | StoryCorpsAntero Garcia and Roger Alvarez | StoryCorps
Antero Garcia (R) taught Roger Alvarez (L) in his 9th grade English class at Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles. Manual Arts has an o...
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan shares his appreciation for teachers in a Huffington Post opinion piece. Check out the piece below and read his Open Letter to American Teachers, published by Education Week last year. 
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/teacher-appreciation-weekhttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/teacher-appreciation-weekFri, 11 May 2012 19:07:08 GMT<![CDATA[Common Core State Standards: A Year in Review]]>

This fall the Common Core State Standards will be introduced in U.S. classrooms in all but four states. This collection features reactions to the new state standards from Commentaries and readers over the last year.

Storified by EWCommentary · Tue, Jul 10 2012 08:59:53

During the past 12 months, the common core has prompted numerous Education Week Commentaries and, in turn, reader responses. Authors and readers alike have expressed strong feelings, more negative than positive, about the standards: While some believe such an initiative is long overdue, others are underwhelmed by or critical of what they see as an inadequate set of academic guidelines and an absence of teacher input and instructional preparation.

In our most recent Common Core State Standards Commentary, Tom Loveless weighs in on the quality and rigor of the standards and whether they can make a dent in student achievement. 
Does the Common Core Matter?Does the Common Core Matter?
Commentary The 2012 Brown Center Report on American Education includes a study of the Common Core State Standards project. It attempts to...
"On the basis of past experience with standards, the most reasonable prediction is that the common core will have little to do no effect on student achievement." -Tom Loveless
Andrew Porter, who was once optimistic about the prospects of developing a national curriculum through the common core, explains why he has changed his mind. See his most recent Commentary below. 
Education Week: In Common Core, Little to Cheer AboutEducation Week: In Common Core, Little to Cheer About
The United States has long resisted a national curriculum, but that's changing. More than forty states, the District of Columbia, and the...
"I wish I could say that our progress toward common-core standards has fulfilled my hopes. Instead, it seems to me that the common-core movement is turning into a lost opportunity..." -Andrew Porter
We've pulled some of the most interesting quotes from writers and readers alike from the last 12 months. Scroll through for thoughts on how the Common Core State Standards will affect students and teachers in a variety of different subjects. 
COMMON CORE: ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS
A Flawed Approach to Reading in the Common-Core StandardsA Flawed Approach to Reading in the Common-Core Standards
In reading the recently proposed Common Core State Standards already accepted by all but four states, I could not see many elementary sch...
In my view, as a former elementary teacher and principal, the standards overestimate the intellectual, physiological, and emotional development of young children, asking them to think analytically as they read or write, extract subtle meanings from a text, and make fine distinctions within and across texts. Such deliberative and intensive behaviors are not supported by the research on child development, nor are they expected anywhere else in children's lives today.
...Taken together, the standards and the criteria project an aura of arrogance and ignorance in their assumptions about how and why children learn, what is actually needed to succeed in college or the workforce, and the extent of teachers' knowledge and expertise.- Joanne Yatvin 
Online Response:
 I categorically reject the over-emphasis upon nonfiction texts. Even Einstein knew that imagination was more important to learning than what Dickens long ago decried through a suspect teaching character who demanded for youth, "just the facts."

As badly written as much nonfiction is, I'll continue to engage students in the "beauty of language" rather than the cold and sterile world of "just the facts." -jt53, Feb. 27,2012
Letter to the Editor: 

[Joanne Yatvin] underestimates the capability and interest of young children. I, too, was an elementary school principal and saw firsthand the interest children took in the world around them. Kindergarten children devoured nonfiction about dinosaurs. They requested over and over again the Magic School Bus books about their bodies.

While I agree that the Common Core State Standards demand more of children and that analytical skills must be developed thoughtfully, young children can grapple with such texts. -Linda Diamond 

COMMON CORE : MATH
Education Week: Common-Core Math Standards Don't Add UpEducation Week: Common-Core Math Standards Don't Add Up
There is little question in my mind that national standards will be a blessing. The crazy quilt of district and state standards will beco...

The crazy quilt of district and state standards will become more rational, student mobility will stop causing needless learning hardships, and the full talents of a nation of innovators will be released to develop a vast array of products and services at a scale that permits even small vendors to compete to widen the field to all educators’ benefit.


That said, we are faced with a terrible situation in mathematics. In my view, unlike the English/language arts standards, the mathematics components of the Common Core State Standards Initiative are a bitter disappointment. In terms of their limited vision of math education, the pedestrian framework chosen to organize the standards, and the incoherent nature of the standards for mathematical practice in particular, I don’t see how these take us forward in any way. They unwittingly reinforce the very errors in math curriculum, instruction, and assessment that produced the current crisis.-Grant Wiggins 



Online Comments

I do agree with Mr. Wiggins that it would be extremely useful for the mathematics teachers to be exposed to professional development opportunities which would highlight the marriage of the of the standards along with the 6 shifts and 8 mathematical practices. Teachers need to be able to see what the new standards look like in practice so they can more accurately assess their own teaching styles. They could utilize this information to determine what changes need to be made to their style of teaching as well as their students' styles of learning.
Clear and simple, what we were doing was NOT working... -patrickmoses
COMMON CORE: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/common-core-state-standards-the-year-in-reviewhttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/common-core-state-standards-the-year-in-reviewTue, 24 Apr 2012 14:43:24 GMT<![CDATA[Are Teachers Satisfied? ]]>

Teacher dissatisfaction is at an all-time high, according to the recently released MetLife Survey of the American Teacher. Read Education Week’s news coverage of the survey results, as well as bloggers’ reactions to the findings, and be on the lookout for an EdweekTeacher webinar on April 19th.

Storified by EWCommentary · Tue, Jul 10 2012 09:00:08

Register for the upcoming EdweekTeacher webinar:  What Can Be Done To Improve Teacher Satisfaction?
Edweek
Survey: Teacher Job Satisfaction Hits a Low PointSurvey: Teacher Job Satisfaction Hits a Low Point
Teacher job satisfaction is at the lowest it's been in more than two decades, likely as a consequence-at least in part-of the economic do...
Click the link below to see the full MetLife survey. 
Teacher Survey | MetLife FoundationTeacher Survey | MetLife Foundation
This Teacher survey, conducted by MetLife, examines issues and trends affecting the nation's K-12 schools.
Several Education Week bloggers discuss the MetLife Survey results and the survey data. 
What Do Teachers Want?What Do Teachers Want?
Dear Deborah, We heard a lot last month about the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher. It showed that teachers across the nation are d...
Teacher Job Satisfaction...or Lack There of
"Teachers are also more than four times as likely now than they were five years ago to say that they do not feel their job is secure." Th...
The Problem with One-Size-Fits-All Approaches to Teacher Quality
Today's debates over teacher evaluation mostly just leave me tired. On the one side, we've got "reformers" who've accurately identified r...
Killing Teacher Morale Is Easy
The results of the annual MetLife Survey of the American Teacher confirm what has been apparent to anyone who has been paying attention t...
Interpreting the Teacher Job Satisfaction DeclineInterpreting the Teacher Job Satisfaction Decline
Writing in The Huffington Post, Kevin Wilner, director of the National Education Policy Center, laments the MetLife Survey's finding that...
81% of Teachers are Satisfied with Teaching: Going Beyond the Headlines of the MetLife Teacher Survey
Patrick Ledesma is a National Board-certified teacher and School Based Technology Specialist in Fairfax, Virginia, where he focuses on in...
Teacher Morale Plummets
Prior to leading the National Education Association and the N.C. Association of Educators, John Wilson taught special education for 23 ye...
K-12 Parents and the Public - Education Week
Michele Molnar is a veteran journalist who has written about education at the local and national levels, as well as about business and co...
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/are-teachers-satisfiedhttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/are-teachers-satisfiedTue, 10 Apr 2012 14:17:49 GMT<![CDATA[Rick Hess Calls Out AERA ]]>

What did Rick Hess write to provoke a response from the American Educational Research Association? Read this lively exchange between Hess, the AERA, and others, over AERA’s stance on a Mexican-American studies class in Tucson, Ariz., and its decision not to hold its 2013 meeting in Atlanta.

Storified by EWCommentary · Tue, Jul 10 2012 09:18:46

Edweek
AERA Erasing Line Between Scholarship and Partisanship
The American Educational Research Association (of which I am a member) modestly labels itself "the nation's leading scientific and schola...
AERA's responds to Rick Hess' Education Week blog post of March 7, 2012:


Scientific scholarly associations frequently link knowledge and expertise to public policy discourse. One could argue that it is the responsibility of such organizations to disseminate their research findings in order to facilitate an informed public policy decision-making process. 

In his blog, Dr. Hess recently questioned this practice, stating that it may lead to the "undermining of the profession's credibility." Dr. Hess pointed to two unrelated decisions by the American Educational Research Association (AERA). He failed to distinguish the nature of each, and in so doing, clearly misrepresented the association and its actions.

One of the cases Dr. Hess refers to dealt with AERA's decision to respond to the suspension of Mexican American Studies programs in the Tucson Arizona public schools. Last month, the AERA leadership passed two resolutions directed at local education policy makers. As AERA stated, "A substantial body of research has shown that ethnic studies courses advance important state and national interests, including the production of better informed and more skilled students and the reduction of minority and majority out-group stereotyping and bias."

AERA stands by the position that it based these resolutions on solid scientific findings. The same findings were the basis of amicus briefs that AERA filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003 in the University of Michigan cases (Grutter v. Bollinger et al.; Gratz v. Bollinger, et al.) and in 2006 in the K-12 race-conscious school assignment cases (Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No.1, et al.; Crystal D. Meredith, Custodial Parent and Next Friend of Joshua Ryan McDonald v. Jefferson County Board of Education, et al.). 

In 2003, the research findings were sufficiently compelling that Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor cited them in the majority decision specifically allowing for the narrow use of race in the admissions policy at the University of Michigan Law School.

In an unrelated matter, AERA recently decided to move its 2013 annual meeting from Atlanta, Georgia to another venue due to concerns over the impact of a recently passed immigration enforcement law. The new law empowers police in Georgia to investigate the immigration status of suspected undocumented immigrants. After hearing from concerned members, AERA made this decision in order to ensure that all meeting attendees, including large numbers of international participants and US persons of color, can participate fully in the meeting without fear of profiling, intimidation, or distraction from the purposes of an annual scholarly conference. AERA as an association has the obligation to host its meeting in venues conducive to scholarly discussion and debate, free of these types of distractions or chilling effects. 

In both cases, the AERA leadership acted in a responsible and professional manner consonant with our mission and purpose as a research association. We believe that these decisions enhance the professional credibility of the education research field and promote the continued vibrancy of open academic exchange. Such decisions are never taken lightly by scientific associations. We are confident that an examination of the record will show that AERA is in very good company among respected scholarly societies.

Felice J. Levine, PhD
Executive Director
Education Week opinion blogger Sara Mead finds fault with Rick Hess' argument.
Really, Rick?
"I'm Rick Hess, B@*#!" is in full-voice this week, at the level that can be provoked only by a discussion of the American Education Resea...
Rick Hess responds in his blog to the criticisms of his initial AERA post: "So long as AERA seems determined to hew to a politicized agenda, it seems reasonable to ask that members pay out of their own pockets to attend its gatherings or receive its publications." 
Time to End Public Subsidies of AERA
Last week, I questioned the American Educational Research Association's (of which I am a member) decision to adopt a partisan stance in c...
Read some of our edweek.org readers' responses below.
Ceolaf writes: 
Hess's call is as a dumb as saying that my tax dollars shouldn't be used to pay for programs I don't like (e.g. drilling industry subsidies, The Iraq War, etc..).
  
We can't say that just because I don't like a group's stance that it can't get any of OUR money. Some money goes to groups I don't like. Some money go to groups Hess doesn't like. 

I have no doubt that I could come up with a long list of groups that Hess supports but who hew to a political agenda that I disagree with. And he knows that.

So, he needs have some consistency and realize that the world does not revolve around him and his views.
Plthomas writes:
Thanks for acknowledging my perspective, Rick, but I see this falling apart on two fronts.

(1) Trying to argue that being "non-political" is possible. If AERA chooses NOT to make a statement on these issues, then they ARE still making a statement...

(2) The exact dynamic you are participating in, vibrant and open debate, IS politics...and AERA along with its members should stir the pot in order for there to be some understanding on key issues...

Every organization Hess and any of us is connected to is being political...Doing so transparently v. pretending to be "objective" is where the issue/argument should lie...
Sherman Dorn responds to the controversy in his own blog:
D***ed autocorrect by Edweek... / Rick Hess's comment re AERAD***ed autocorrect by Edweek... / Rick Hess's comment re AERA
I hate sock puppetry, and since Edweek's server would not let me add a display name to my account this morning, it is not clear on the we...
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/aera-right-or-wronghttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/aera-right-or-wrongThu, 22 Mar 2012 20:47:03 GMT<![CDATA[Are Teachers Really Overpaid? ]]>

Our Education Week readers reacted strongly when a recent study claimed that teachers are overpaid. This collection offers insights on whether teacher pay is sufficient, how it should be determined, and how teacher quality in the U.S. compares to other nations.

Storified by EWCommentary · Tue, Jul 10 2012 08:58:36

A study from the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation suggested that teachers are paid more than they would earn in the private sector. 
Education Week Teacher: Study: Teachers Make Too Much MoneyEducation Week Teacher: Study: Teachers Make Too Much Money
At an education forum in Washington this week, the authors of a new study on teacher compensation discussed their surprising conclusion t...
Public schools... | Facebook
Education Week wrote: Public schools teachers are paid 52%... Join Facebook to connect with Education Week and others you may know.
Are Teachers Overpaid? - Fox Business Video - Fox BusinessAre Teachers Overpaid? - Fox Business Video - Fox Business
Former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings on what needs to be changed about the education pay system.
Frederick Hess, the director of education policy studies at AEI and an Education Week opinion blogger, responds to the AEI and Heritage Foundation study on teacher compensation.
Are Teachers Overpaid or Underpaid? Answer: YesAre Teachers Overpaid or Underpaid? Answer: Yes
Published Online: November 8, 2011 Last week, the Education Week Teacher online site reported on a new study that used federal wage, bene...
Jason Richwine and Andrew Biggs defend the results of their controversial study in an Education Week Commentary. Teachers are mistakenly viewed as underpaid, they argue, based on a comparison to other college graduates with similar skills.
Are Teachers Overpaid? A Response to CriticsAre Teachers Overpaid? A Response to Critics
Published Online: January 11, 2012 By Jason Richwine and Andrew G. Biggs It is a view as ubiquitous as it is simplistic: To improve publi...
Jason Richwine and... | Facebook
Education Week wrote: Jason Richwine and Andrew Biggs defend... Join Facebook to connect with Education Week and others you may know.
How much should teachers be paid? We wanted specifics so we asked our Twitter followers how much a starting high school math teachers should earn.
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]]>http://storify.com/EdweekComm/are-teachers-really-overpaidhttp://storify.com/EdweekComm/are-teachers-really-overpaidTue, 17 Jan 2012 22:00:36 GMT