This week's Gadfly is a must read. Starting us off are Checker's thoughts on the bankruptcy of the public education system--and it's not just financial insolvency. But unlike the large broke companies who've recently toppled, there is no "Chapter 11" for the school system. That won't stop Arne Duncan, though, who is convinced he can give this industry a fresh start, too. Then, discover how charter schools really pay for performance. Just because they don't follow the positive incentive model, i.e., financial bonuses, that typical teacher merit pay schemes espouse, doesn't mean they don't have an incentive program of their own--or that we should scrap merit pay for traditional public schools. Then, learn more about the 46-state national standards pledge, math-test folly in Minnesota, voucher regulation reform in Milwaukee, the end of Abbott v. Burke, and the silly flip-floppery of a few students in Ohio. Plus, read up on TNTP's evaluation of teacher effectiveness and teacher evaluation systems, how teachers sort themselves according to student demographics, and what we can learn about content standards from our international neighbors. Don't forget the podcast, wherein Rick and Mike discuss why Rick cried "get me out of here!" as soon as Spencer and Heidi jumped ship (though word has it "Speidi"??want to go back! Can't blame them since Rod "Trying-To-Remake-My-Career-On-Reality-TV" Blagojevich is ALSO on this show)...as well as many more less, ahem, weighty topics.
Finally, Fordham is on the hunt for a new Research Assistant. Want to know what we're looking for? Check out the job description right here. All this and more inside this week's Education Gadfly.
Update (Monday 6/8 9:42 am): Rod Blago is actually not on the show--it's his wife. An Illinois judge would not let Rod leave the country for filming in Costa Rica because of pending federal charges so he sent Patti Blago in his stead. We prize accuracy here at Flypaper, especially in cases of such momentous information.
