Every week, State Supt. Mark Johnson releases an "NC Reads Reading Tip" on his Twitter account to give suggestions to parents and guardians about how to help foster and greater love of reading at home. Considering those who have propped up Johnson as the state's leader of the public school system also intentionally wrote the … Continue reading #NCReadsConfusingNewAmendments – Taking Mark Johnson’s #NCReads Tips to Understand the Wording of the Constitutional Amendments
Top 10 Reasons You Can’t Fairly Evaluate Teachers on Student Test Scores
I’m a public school teacher.
Am I any good at my job?
There are many ways to find out. You could look at how hard I work, how many hours I put in. You could look at the kinds of things I do in my classroom and examine if I’m adhering to best practices. You could look at how well I know my students and their families, how well I’m attempting to meet their needs.
Or you could just look at my students’ test scores and give me a passing or failing grade based on whether they pass or fail their assessments.
It’s called Value-Added Measures (VAM) and at one time it was the coming fad in education. However, after numerous studies and lawsuits, the shine is fading from this particularly narrow-minded corporate policy.
Most states that evaluate their teachers using VAM do so because under President Barack Obama they…
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North Carolina Has a Huge Urban/Rural Divide – Our Public Education System Can Build and Be a Strong Bridge
Below is a map of how counties voted in the past presidential election. Lots of red in rural areas. Blue in metropolitan places and where the most attended colleges and universities are located. Those blue counties in the northeast are mostly African-American in population. Mix these colors up as they are shaded and we get … Continue reading North Carolina Has a Huge Urban/Rural Divide – Our Public Education System Can Build and Be a Strong Bridge
Friday Night Lights – The Power of the Student Section
Not long ago, I caught a tweet from my school’s spirit club about “theme nights” for the upcoming football season. Those themes are for all of the games – home and away. And students will come to those games – home and away. And they will scream their heads off. And they will chant. And … Continue reading Friday Night Lights – The Power of the Student Section
The Amendment to Lower the Cap on Taxes, Also Known as TABOR – A Tourniquet Around the Bloodlines of Our Republic and it Could Cripple Our Public Schools
In the current session, it’s called Senate Bill 75. To many around the country, it’s called TABOR. The TAxpayer Bill Of Rights. Makes it sound like it truly benefits those in our state. It doesn’t. It’s just another catchy acronym that acts like a Trojan horse for something more destructive. Acronyms are easy to shape and easier … Continue reading The Amendment to Lower the Cap on Taxes, Also Known as TABOR – A Tourniquet Around the Bloodlines of Our Republic and it Could Cripple Our Public Schools
Dear NCGA, Where is the $730 Million You Owe Us? Signed, North Carolina School Districts
As the midterms approach and partisan electioneering is ramping up, there is one particular item that hopefully voters will not forget when deciding to cast a ballot in November, especially if public education is a focal point for making a decision. On Aug. 1st, the News and Observer ran a report entitled "Give us the … Continue reading Dear NCGA, Where is the $730 Million You Owe Us? Signed, North Carolina School Districts
Malcolm is Ready for Titan Athletics – The Village Opens This Week
Classes may not start for another couple of weeks and teachers will be in classrooms for pre-planning beginning Thursday, but... the Village is open. Football. Soccer. Volleyball. Women's Tennis. Field Hockey. Cross-Country. Women's Golf. Cheerleading. Dance Team. The summer camps. The scrimmages. The workouts. The practices. Now go out and support them. All of them. … Continue reading Malcolm is Ready for Titan Athletics – The Village Opens This Week
HB17: The Power Grab for Mark Johnson From That Special Session in December of 2016 – Remembering Why We Marched in May and Will Vote in November
With the effects of House Bill 17 from the surreptitious special session of December in 2016, Mark Johnson became the most enabled incoming state superintendent in state history. He has powers that even his predecessor did not possess one-tenth the magnitude of. And considering that he ran against her adherence to the “status-quo”, that’s rather … Continue reading HB17: The Power Grab for Mark Johnson From That Special Session in December of 2016 – Remembering Why We Marched in May and Will Vote in November
3 Members of the NC State Board of Education Have Resigned To Help Public Schools
When Bill Cobey announced his resignation from the State Board of Education in July effective in September, it seemed coincidental. But maybe not. Since then two other members have submitted resignations from the SBE. Alex Granados reported today for EdNC.org: "Also since the resolution of the Supreme Court case and reorganization at DPI, Cobey, as … Continue reading 3 Members of the NC State Board of Education Have Resigned To Help Public Schools
The Myth of the Buzzwords – About “Personalized Instruction” in North Carolina and the Need to Invest in PEOPLE
“At DPI, we want to transform our education system to one that uses 21st century best practices so students and educators have access to unique learning experiences personalized for their individual needs and aspirations.” – Mark Johnson from “North Carolina Public Schools Accelerating into 2018” in EdNC.org (https://www.ednc.org/2017/12/20/north-carolina-public-schools-accelerating-2018/). The term “personalized learning” has become a bit … Continue reading The Myth of the Buzzwords – About “Personalized Instruction” in North Carolina and the Need to Invest in PEOPLE
