Education policy and advocacy groups are like neckties, don’t toss out the ones that go out of style because they’ll come back at some point and you can wear them again. For instance, there is a forum on assessment and accountability in D.C. on May 7-8. That’s hardly unusual, seems to be one of these about every week right now. Yet this one stands out for two reasons. First, it’s co-sponsored by the NEA and FairTest. Publicly, at least, FairTest has tried to demonstrate independence from the NEA and the NEA has tried to minimize its public involvement with FairTest to keep alive the fiction that they’re really serious about accountability. That’s getting harder all the time, which is perhaps why this love can now speak its name. Second, as interesting, and presumably just in keeping with his open door policy, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is apparently planning to speak. More than one Eduwonk reader wants to know if they’re going to make time to discuss this recent FairTest report on Chicago’s education efforts (pdf)?
Sadly, might be hard to find out because it doesn’t appear the event is open to “lazy, stupid, and vain” journos…
More than one eduwonk reader wants eduwonk to connect the dots.
Are you suggesting that Duncan is going to use this conference as a convenient (because FairTest was critical of CPS) “Sistah Souljah” moment?
Are you saying that if you read the Aesopian language of the FairTest article carefully (forgive us: not all of us are trained as Educationologists) it’s not all that critical of Duncan?
Just what are you suggesting?