Massachusetts Continues to Dismantle Its World-Class Educational System
When we last checked in on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (God save it!), we observed that teachers were being drowned in administrative work and subject to ridiculous teacher evaluation procedures....
View ArticleThe Educational Crisis of Absenteeism
We’ve discussed before how missing school has a significant effect on student achievement, which can be greater than teacher effects. Not surprising–not only can’t a teacher teach when the student...
View ArticleMassachusetts Regains Sanity Regarding Teacher Licensure
A while ago, we discussed the stupidity of a Massachusetts proposal to tie teacher licenses to teacher evaluations. Not employment at a particular school, but the ability to teach anywhere. Good news:...
View ArticleThe Faith in the Not Seen Evidence For Education Reform
To use a phrase. One of the most infuriating things regarding education reform has been its ongoing and slow-motion implementation in Massachusetts. Massachusetts, certainly circa 2010, had an...
View ArticleSome Thoughts on Charter Schools
So Monday’s post seemed to set off the charter school advocates. I’ll blame instructor error, but the little Twitter storm that erupted didn’t seem to deal with the larger–and factually accurate–claim...
View ArticleThe Unasked Question About Sen. Warren’s Opposition To The TPP
President Obama’s recent mansplaining to Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren about the TPP reeks of desperation: if there is one lawyer in the Senate with the brains to understand the Trans-Pacific...
View ArticleMassachusetts Proposes a Millionaire’s Tax
Over two years ago, when I lived in Massachusetts, I proposed a 10% income tax on every dollar over $780,000 (at the time, Massachusetts had a flat tax of 5.25%): With those assumptions, I find that...
View ArticleSome NAEP Thoughts
The NAEP (The National Assessment of Educational Progress) released the 2015 scores, and, surprisingly, the ensuing discussion was calm and supported with rigorous data-analysis. HA HA! I make the...
View ArticleCharters And Following The Money
Recently, a broad coalition of groups, including the NAACP, sued the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (God save it!) to prevent the state from lifting the cap on the number of charter schools. If you want...
View ArticleVoters Don’t Always Think Linearly: The Coakley/Brown Edition
And, as always, people have to like this crap. I recently finished Ryan Grim’s We’ve Got People–which is excellent–and I came across this bad memory of Martha Coakley’s Massachusetts failed senate...
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