They're At It Again

From Joan Sias, word that the "highly qualified teachers" item that was inserted in a Senate appropriations bill to allow teachers such as TFA recruits to be considered "highly qualified" for NCLB is back in the bill.

Here's a link to the Washington Post blog, The Answer Sheet, with info on this story.

This is complete nonsense. On the one hand they want better teachers and want to direct districts to tell parents their student has a teacher who is "highly qualified" and that means a bachelor's and 5 weeks training? Look, if you want to put these student teachers into difficult to fill posts, fine. But to argue that they are highly qualified is wrong.

If you think so, please contact Senator Murray's office http://murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe

The phone numbers are there. To get directly to her aide who focuses on education, call Sarah Bolton in her DC office - 202-224-2621.

I would also contact Senator Cantwell as well.

Comments

dan dempsey said…
Along the lines of "they are at it again." Read MGJ's latest line of disinformation, as referenced by Linda Thomas "News Chick".

Here is what MGJ wrote complete with a blue spin detector.
12/20/10, 1:49 PM
mirmac1 said…
I strongly encourage contacting the White House as well, at 202-456-1111 since this kind of pandering to moneyed interests seems along the lines of Obamacare and tax cuts for the rich and famous.
12/20/10, 1:50 PM
dan dempsey said…
Amazing, do any of these advocates for TfA know the difference between beginning a program and completing a program?

“There is broad, bipartisan agreement among members of Congress and the Obama administration that it is the intent of Congress for alternative-route teachers to be considered highly qualified, consistent with the regulation that has been in place for several years. Chairman Harkin strongly believes that teacher quality is essential to student success, and intends to address this issue as part of a comprehensive ESEA reauthorization.

Senator Harkin is clearly MGJ's kind of guy. Perhaps we can consider all 9th graders in school for 5 weeks as high school graduates as well. That way no worries about either credits or GPA.
12/20/10, 3:07 PM
Kathy said…
TfA wants $50M year from the feds. This would allow them to double in size. We've got this pesky 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Decision.. What are the ramnifications of this bill in regards to the 9th Circuit Ruling?

http://landrieu.senate.gov/mediacenter/pressreleases/07-28-2010-1.cfm
12/20/10, 7:38 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday Open Thread

The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested.  It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio.  (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Read more

Breaking It Down: Where the District Might Close Schools

Update 2: an absolutely fabulous interactive map made by parent Beth Day (@thebethocracy on Twitter - she covers Board meetings and is fun to read).   end of update    Update 1: Mea culpa, I did indeed get Decatur and Thornton Creek mixed up. Thanks to all for the correction. end of update   I suspect some who read this post will be irate. Why do this? Because the district seems very hellbent on this effort with no oversight skid marks from the Board.    To clearly state - I do not believe that closing 20 schools is a good idea. I think they hit on 20 because they thought it might bring in the most savings. But the jury is still out on the savings because the district has not shown its work nor its data. I suspect closing schools and THEN leasing/renting them is the big plan but that means the district really has to keep the buildings up.   But this district, with its happy talk about "well-resourced schools" is NOT acknowledging the pain and yes, gr...
Read more

Education News Roundup

From the ever-amusing Washington Policy Center : Vouchers are Pell Grants for students under 18.  Vouchers are no different than Pell Grants or GI benefits, except the money goes to the families of students younger than age 18.  Except they are. Pell Grants were created to help needy students and that's not really the goal of the voucher program.  The Pell grant website does have a couple of great studies on why low-income students drop out before finishing their higher ed and what makes a difference.
Read more