Posted on by arotherham

CA Cluster, Housing And Schools, And Edujobs Up And Down The East Coast Corridor

Don’t worry about me, no? Three from CA: John Fensterwald takes a look at ELL students. Also Aspire Public Schools and Rocketship both expanding nationally, important and interesting to watch. EdSource takes a look.  And, in case you haven’t heard pensions are a mess in California.

Two new analyses: From New York: Schott Foundation points out that New York schools don’t work so well for minority students (pdf).  From Brookings, housing patterns and policy are part of the problem (pdf).

And here’s an evergreen headline, just change the name of the administration and you can use it again and again… “Obama Administration Seeks to Remake Career-Tech Programs.”

Edujobs: Some positions at Excel charter schools in Massachusetts, including a principal role.  And a government relations role at 50Can.  Want to work at GreatSchools?  Here’s your chance.

7 Replies to “CA Cluster, Housing And Schools, And Edujobs Up And Down The East Coast Corridor”

  2. Seems Missouri Baptist University was the charter schools sponsor in St. Louis. Not surprising that a “university” which teaches Genesis as a scientific fact had trouble with other aspects of reality.

    Also not surprising Brookings thinks that if only poor kids could go to wealthy neighborhood schools, it would all be better–because that’s where the good schools are. They insist a change in zoning patterns would work and they claim that a 4-7% difference in the test score gap is significant. They don’t say how that percentage is distributed, bringing the low up or the high down or both. But gosh darn it, it’s always about the school, the school, the school…

  3. Thought experiment:

    Interviewer: Hi, we are a failed company and we think you should work for us. It will be a great challenge. We will not pay you a whole lot. You will not have much to work with. Your get no vacation, no health care, no respect, and no potential for promotion. Our pay is also not competitive. And if you fail, we will make sure you never work again in your field.

    Interviewee: Man, I do not know. That does not sound like a very good deal.

    Invr: What does a good applicant like you have to fear? If you are as good as you say, then you should be able to turn everything around. We will help. We will produce data on you, measure you, and punish you if you do not turn the whole thing around.

    Intee: That is still a pretty lousy deal. Are you serious?

    Intvr: Absolutely. Our legion of consultants have told us that this is what attracts talent like you: Public humiliation and punishment.

    Intee: Yeah, right. Dude, you are an idiot. Stop bothering me.

  4. Thought experiment:

    Interviewer: Hi, we are a charter school and we think you should work for us. It will be a great challenge. We will not pay you a whole lot. You will not have much to work with. Your get no vacation, no health care, no respect, and no potential for promotion. Our pay is also not competitive. And if you fail, we will make sure you never work again in your field.

    Interviewee: Man, I do not know. That does not sound like a very good deal.

    Invr: What does a good applicant like you have to fear? If you are as good as you say, then you should be able to turn everything around. We will help. We will produce data on you, measure you, and punish you if you do not turn the whole thing around.

    Intee: That is still a pretty lousy deal. Are you serious?

    Intvr: Absolutely. Our legion of consultants have told us that this is what attracts talent like you: Public humiliation and punishment.

    Intee: Yeah, right. Dude, you are an idiot. Stop bothering me.

  5. Now wrap that thought experiment in a little bit of the bible and patriotism and you have the entire edu-reform movement.

    Smart people will never get within a country mile of this gaggle of dishonest buffoons and political hangers on.

    Give it a year. The edu-reformers will be toast.

    In fact, in many ways they already are. Smart people have tuned them out. They are now background noise.

  6. Thought experiment five years from now:

    Interviewer: Hi, we are a charter school and we think you should work for us. It will be a great challenge. We will not pay you a whole lot. You will not have much to work with. Your get no vacation, no health care, no respect, and no potential for promotion. Our pay is also not competitive. And if you fail, we will make sure you never work again in your field.

    Interviewee: I am very interested but I never took mathematics or physics and I have an arrest record for domestic battery, lewd and lascivious conduct, and grand theft. Is that OK?

    Invr: Don’t worry. We can get around that. All you teach are poor kids and we can send you to a six week teacher cram course.

    Intee: That is still a pretty good deal. I promise you I will never let you down and I will never say a word about this deal.

    Intvr: Good. Now you know I hate unions and I hate teachers who think too much of themselves. I need people who will do what I tell them to do and keep their mouths shut.

    Intee: You can count on me.

    The adverse selection problem IS headed your way.

    Stop the edu-reform movement NOW.

  7. Nice, Bill. You know, I doubt any of these reformers have actually thought-through how they are going to attract new people to be teachers. Eventually, even the TFA’ers and the young kids will catch on to the con.

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