The letter below was sent to the New Jersey Star Ledger on Friday, March, 19th, 2010 at 5:42 P.M. They have not published it, and I am assuming at this point that they won’t. Even though it is framed to specifically discuss New Jersey, the topic and my points in this article can be attributed [...]

I am not anti-Charter Schools in the least, and I do not want anyone who reads this article to think such. My point here is to explain how the system is going to be altered over the next several years as states are cutting school funding throughout the country. We are about to enter the [...]

I’m starting to believe that there is no such thing as “large-scale” education reform unless the government steps in and mandates it. Quite frankly, I don’t think large scale reform should exist anyway (especially by bureaucrats). Right now, the educational world has thousands of people who all have the answers to the question of what [...]

Recently Diane Ravitch, former United States Assistant Secretary for Education under the Bush administration, has come under fire for an “about face” of her standpoint on NCLB. The whole situation is a shame for a number of reasons and yet no one is willing to look them in the face. I applaud her for finally [...]

I want to start the conversation off with a question: if we are working diligently to create lifelong learners, does an emphasis on exclusive teacher accountability denigrate the efforts of the system to cultivate this trait in kids? By the way, I am NOT talking exclusively about standardized testing. In my mind, I am ALWAYS [...]

In his book Linchpin, Seth Godin outlines the difference between an artist and a cog quite extensively. Bottom line, cogs can be easily replaced because they offer nothing special (think worksheets and questions from 2.4). Artists bring something different and unique to the table that is valued by the organization (think engaging, innovative activities) Studies [...]

A lot of politicians and business elitists seem to think that there is some severe crisis in American education as a result of scores on international tests like the NAEP and the TIMMS. There are a number of reasons why we should be wary of this kind of assertion in doing a statistical analysis, but [...]

This week, several states announced their desire to pilot a program that would allow students to graduate high school early and immediately enroll in community college. These states should be applauded for taking steps in the right direction to customize education for all students. Note the fact that they are NOT pushing students out of [...]

I support standardized testing and so do you even if you don’t know it or want to admit it. What you don’t support is standardized testing in its current form or for that use that has become synonymous with the term. Imagine if standardized testing was not mentioned in the same sentence as the “No [...]

In reading Drive by Daniel Pink, I have to tell you that the more I read, the more agitated I have become, and it has minimal to do with Pink’s content or discussion. I can’t help but take specific notice of an underlying theme of the book that strikes a particular chord with education. Pink [...]