"Least influential of education's most influential information sources."
-- Education Week Research Center
"full of very lively short items and is always on top of the news...He gets extra points for skewering my high school rating system"
-- Jay Mathews, The Washington Post
"a daily dose of information from the education policy world, blended with a shot of attitude and a dash of humor"
-- Education Week
"unexpectedly entertaining"..."tackle[s] a potentially mindfogging subject with cutting clarity... they're reading those mushy, brain-numbing education stories so you don't have to!"
-- Mickey Kaus
"a very smart blog... this is the site to read"
-- Ryan Lizza
"everyone who's anyone reads Eduwonk"
-- Richard Colvin
"designed to cut through the fog and direct specialists and non-specialists alike to the center of the liveliest and most politically relevant debates on the future of our schools"
-- The New Dem Daily
"peppered with smart and witty comments on the education news of the day"
-- Education Gadfly
"don't hate Eduwonk cuz it's so good"
-- Alexander Russo, This Week In Education
"the morning's first stop for education bomb-throwers everywhere"
-- Mike Antonucci, Intercepts
"…the big dog on the ed policy blog-ck…"
-- Michele McLaughlin
"I check Eduwonk several times a day, especially since I cut back on caffeine"
-- Joe Williams
"...one of the few bloggers who isn't completely nuts"
-- Mike Petrilli, Thomas B. Fordham Foundation
"I have just three 'go to' websites: The Texas Legislature, Texas Longhorn sports, and Eduwonk"
-- Sandy Kress
"penetrating analysis in a lively style on a wide range of issues"
-- Walt Gardner
"Fabulous"
-- Education Week's Alyson Klein
"thugs"
-- Susan Ohanian
Smart List: 60 People Shaping the Future of K-12 Education
Ahem. DoD did TROOPS TO TEACHERS.
They subsidized the pay of new teachers in math and science to the tune of 10K for three years.
How do I know this. A former airdale buddy of mine ran the California program. What were the results?
Only 2 in 10 retired military in math and science stuck it out past four years. In order to get the ten thousand they had to commit to at least three years.
So, TFA is doing absolutely nothing new, and in fact I bet you they will get WORSE RESULTS. Adopting my more cynical attitude, as I did with contractors on my boat in the yards, Wendy’s TFA needs a good polishing. She knows it has gained the reputation as a cleverly concealed attack dog on teachers.
Wendy is going to wrap herself in the flag. How inspiring.
To finish my story: Where did all of the retired military go when they fled teaching?
They went to higher paying, more autonomous jobs working for military contractors or local, state, or federal governments.
Imagine, if you will, the expense to local taxpayers for training these guys and gals. THE EXPENSE!
The Troops to Teachers program became a holding tank, not a rubber room, for really smart guys and gals who had one eye on the door the entire time. They spent four years filling out applications and keeping an eye on ALL interesting job openings. Then, poof, they were gone.
A fishing analogy that R can appreciate is that first freshet of water that send those silver bright steelhead shooting up the Sacramento River. They have NO intention of staying where they are. They pay it little attention.
Now, THAT is education reform!