Education
Commentary
San Mateo County schools show up on “unsafe” lists
A number of Bay Area schools — including several in San Mateo County — have struggled with high levels of safety-related problems such as disruptive behavior, student alcohol use and vandalism, according to a study released earlier this week. The study by the San Francisco-based think tank Pacific Research Institute ...
Crime
Time for Parents to Overthrow School Safety “Czars”
Similarly The Detroit News reported numerous shootings in or around the city’s public schools this year, acknowledging that “for each high-profile shooting, there are hundreds of assaults and other violent crimes on school campuses that go unreported each year.” Furthermore, the Detroit Police Department reported that they have responded to ...
Education
Not As Safe As You Think
The Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a free-market think tank based in California, found that ninety percent of California students currently attend schools with reported incidents of violence, physical injuries or weapons that resulted in disciplinary actions. Not as Safe as You Think, by Vicki E. Murray, Ph.D., and Evelyn Stacey, ...
Commentary
New Study Finds State Definition of Dangerous Schools is a Flawed Measure of School Safety
Note: The 2007-08 data used for the appendix tables was based on data supplied directly by the California Department of Education in early 2009. The authors are currently reviewing the appendices against publicly reported school level data. San Francisco — The Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a free-market think tank based ...
Commentary
How to Improve National Math Scores
The New York Times – Room for Debate Blog, October 15, 2009 Only 39 percent of fourth graders and 34 percent of eighth graders scored at or above the proficient level on the nationwide math test given this spring. With little improvement over the past six years, it’s seems unlikely ...
Commentary
Education Reform is Everyone’s Problem
The National Education Association wants to reform hiring practices to help move highly qualified teachers into the classrooms of troubled schools. This is a laudable effort, but the problems in America’s public schools extend far beyond poor areas. Indeed, many middle-class schools are failing to educate their students. The NEA ...
Commentary
Against the odds
Principal’s success at poor school captures national attention VICTORVILLE • When Linda Mikels took the helm as principal of Sixth Street Prep eight years ago, the elementary school near Old Town had seen its test scores sink three straight years. It’d be easy to blame poor performance on the demographics ...
Commentary
Duncan Wrong Again on School Choice
Freedom Politics, October 6, 2009 As grassroots momentum builds to save the Washington, DC school-choice voucher program from the congressional chopping block, U.S. education secretary Arne Duncan continues to dig in his heels in opposition. His comments betray a fundamental misunderstanding of how the education market works and what parents ...
Commentary
The Moment of Truth for Secretary Duncan
Scheduled speakers at the “Save School Choice” rally organized by the “Put Kids First” coalition included U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), former U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, D.C. Councilman Marion Barry, former D.C. Councilman Kevin P. Chavous, Pennsylvania State Senator Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia), ...
Charter Schools
Louisiana Lifts Limit on Charter Schools
Just in time to be considered for federal Race to the Top funds, Louisiana legislators removed the state’s cap on charter schools. State Rep. Walt Leger III (D-New Orleans) introduced the bill and added an amendment to remove the charter cap, previously set at 70 schools statewide. “We applaud the ...
San Mateo County schools show up on “unsafe” lists
A number of Bay Area schools — including several in San Mateo County — have struggled with high levels of safety-related problems such as disruptive behavior, student alcohol use and vandalism, according to a study released earlier this week. The study by the San Francisco-based think tank Pacific Research Institute ...
Time for Parents to Overthrow School Safety “Czars”
Similarly The Detroit News reported numerous shootings in or around the city’s public schools this year, acknowledging that “for each high-profile shooting, there are hundreds of assaults and other violent crimes on school campuses that go unreported each year.” Furthermore, the Detroit Police Department reported that they have responded to ...
Not As Safe As You Think
The Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a free-market think tank based in California, found that ninety percent of California students currently attend schools with reported incidents of violence, physical injuries or weapons that resulted in disciplinary actions. Not as Safe as You Think, by Vicki E. Murray, Ph.D., and Evelyn Stacey, ...
New Study Finds State Definition of Dangerous Schools is a Flawed Measure of School Safety
Note: The 2007-08 data used for the appendix tables was based on data supplied directly by the California Department of Education in early 2009. The authors are currently reviewing the appendices against publicly reported school level data. San Francisco — The Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a free-market think tank based ...
How to Improve National Math Scores
The New York Times – Room for Debate Blog, October 15, 2009 Only 39 percent of fourth graders and 34 percent of eighth graders scored at or above the proficient level on the nationwide math test given this spring. With little improvement over the past six years, it’s seems unlikely ...
Education Reform is Everyone’s Problem
The National Education Association wants to reform hiring practices to help move highly qualified teachers into the classrooms of troubled schools. This is a laudable effort, but the problems in America’s public schools extend far beyond poor areas. Indeed, many middle-class schools are failing to educate their students. The NEA ...
Against the odds
Principal’s success at poor school captures national attention VICTORVILLE • When Linda Mikels took the helm as principal of Sixth Street Prep eight years ago, the elementary school near Old Town had seen its test scores sink three straight years. It’d be easy to blame poor performance on the demographics ...
Duncan Wrong Again on School Choice
Freedom Politics, October 6, 2009 As grassroots momentum builds to save the Washington, DC school-choice voucher program from the congressional chopping block, U.S. education secretary Arne Duncan continues to dig in his heels in opposition. His comments betray a fundamental misunderstanding of how the education market works and what parents ...
The Moment of Truth for Secretary Duncan
Scheduled speakers at the “Save School Choice” rally organized by the “Put Kids First” coalition included U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), former U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, D.C. Councilman Marion Barry, former D.C. Councilman Kevin P. Chavous, Pennsylvania State Senator Anthony H. Williams (D-Philadelphia), ...
Louisiana Lifts Limit on Charter Schools
Just in time to be considered for federal Race to the Top funds, Louisiana legislators removed the state’s cap on charter schools. State Rep. Walt Leger III (D-New Orleans) introduced the bill and added an amendment to remove the charter cap, previously set at 70 schools statewide. “We applaud the ...
