In an educational climate (here in North Carolina and elsewhere) that seems to be changing as quickly as the Earth’s temperature, it might be time to suggest helping traditional schools gain some more resources and support from the North Carolina General Assembly. In the past four years, North Carolina has successfully taken a public education … Continue reading An Application for “The Traditional Public School” Charter School
Month: December 2017
NC State Board of Education Vs. Mark Johnson and the Fight to Keep Public Schools “Public”
The North Carolina State Supreme Court has agreed to hear the lawsuit that the State Board of Education has against State Superintendent Mark Johnson. Rather it is a lawsuit that the state board has against the certain GOP stalwarts within the NC General Assembly who view Johnson as the perfect puppet to help push through … Continue reading NC State Board of Education Vs. Mark Johnson and the Fight to Keep Public Schools “Public”
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When .gov Allows .edu To Be Governed By .com – North Carolina’s Allegiance to EVAAS
At the beginning of each school year, I am required to fully disclose my syllabus to all perspective students and parents. On the first day of class, I give each student a set of rubrics that I use to gauge written work throughout the year. Any student can ask how any assessment was graded and … Continue reading When .gov Allows .edu To Be Governed By .com – North Carolina’s Allegiance to EVAAS
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Open Letter to Fellow NC Public School Teachers – What We Do Still Cannot Really Be Measured
Dear Public school teachers, You can’t really be measured. In fact, those who are measuring you do not have instruments complex enough to really gauge your effectiveness - including EVAAS. If you are a public school teacher in North Carolina, you are always under a bit of a microscope when it comes to accountability. Everybody … Continue reading Open Letter to Fellow NC Public School Teachers – What We Do Still Cannot Really Be Measured
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The New North Carolina State Report Cards And What They Really Show
“The transformation of our public education system will open true pathways out of poverty.” – Mark Johnson, September 7th, 2016 from an op-ed entitled “Our American Dream” (https://www.ednc.org/2016/09/07/our-american-dream/). This week State Superintendent of Public Schools Mark Johnson presented a new school report card interface and “updated features” so that the public can view school … Continue reading The New North Carolina State Report Cards And What They Really Show
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Hamlet Tweets With The Hashtag #ClassSizeChaos
Search "#ClassSizeChaos" on Twitter and you will find the beginnings of a grassroots movement to get the North Carolina General Assembly to take action on the class size mandate that it is currently using to hold public school systems hostage because it is an unfunded directive designed to force LEA's to make cuts to certain … Continue reading Hamlet Tweets With The Hashtag #ClassSizeChaos
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Why We Need the North Carolina Association of Educators
Do any of you remember this billboard sprinkled around the state a few years ago? It was one of the many times the NC General Assembly has tried to weaken NCAE. In this instance the Civitas Institute tried to lure teachers to "buy" back their membership through a website. It showed NCAE members how to withdraw their … Continue reading Why We Need the North Carolina Association of Educators
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The Irony of Mark Johnson’s Latest Hire (And What It Communicates)
There’s a task force in Raleigh trying to blindly reformulate how public schools are funded. There are more studies coming out suggesting that charter schools are increasing segregation amongst students. There is an unfunded class size mandate that the state senate refuses to deal with. There’s a court case in which the mostly GOP-appointed state … Continue reading The Irony of Mark Johnson’s Latest Hire (And What It Communicates)
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Again, Why Do We Have Exams After The Winter Break? Change The Calendar!
I am just going to say it. Again. We need to start the school year earlier here in North Carolina. While it is nice to think of having a winter break to celebrate the holidays, the calendar system that North Carolina has adopted for traditional public schools is not helping our students AT ALL. I … Continue reading Again, Why Do We Have Exams After The Winter Break? Change The Calendar!
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“Pro-Life” Means Taking Care Of Those Who Are Already Born
Since we are nearing the holiday season, I tend to think of this part of Dickens’s classic holiday novella. “At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge,” said the gentleman, taking up a pen, “it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer … Continue reading “Pro-Life” Means Taking Care Of Those Who Are Already Born
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