Are some Kentucky school systems using special education classes to cover up shortcomings in their regular education programs? Are some staffers who decide which kids need special education not properly trained and qualified to make those determinations? The disturbing answer to both questions at the November 15, 2011 meeting of the Kentucky Legislature’s Education Assessment…
A group of Kentucky education organizations testified before the Kentucky Legislature’s Interim Joint Education Committee on November 14, 2011 that the tribunal process to review disciplinary actions against Kentucky teachers and other certified school staff “doesn’t seem to work well.” KERA created the tribunal system, which allows any teacher who is disciplined to request a…
Yesterday in Danville, Jim joined KY Chamber President David Adkisson, Education Commissioner Terry Holliday, & Danville Superintendent Carmen Coleman to discuss Education Reform.
This time, its our out of line exclusion of English language learners Questions have already been raised by me and others about Kentucky’s nation-leading exclusion of students with learning disabilities from the National Assessment of Educational Progress reading tests in 2011. Now, Education Week reports that Kentucky is also being spotlighted for abnormally high exclusion…
Two researchers say definitely not, once you consider fringe benefits There is an interesting article in the November 8, 2011 Wall Street Journal from two researchers at the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute. According to Heritage’s Jason Richwine and AEI’s Andrew G. Biggs, once you consider the long summer break that teachers enjoy,…
Jim Waters, vice president of communications, will speak Tuesday on education reform at the final in a series of public policy luncheons presented by AT&T and the Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Danville Country Club, 1486 Lexington Road in Danville. Waters also will join a panel that includes Education Commissioner Terry…
But, not getting value for the money WLKY in Louisville is waking up. They’ve been tracking the huge number of Jefferson County Public School employees who make over $100,000 a year. Not only is the number of high-paid staffers impressive, but it is growing like a fungus. WLKY says just six months ago when it…
Matthew Ladner, who is analyzing the 2011 NAEP scores in the Jay P. Greene Blog, just posted “Something Rotten in the State of NAEP?” Ladner writes: “Last week, the Bluegrass Institute’s Richard Innes alerted me in the comments and by email about fishy exclusion rates for children with disabilities and English Language Learners. I had…
Choice in education needs to become reality in Kentucky. This video by the Foundation for Excellence in Education communicates that in one of the best ways I have seen. This is worth sharing..
US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was in Mason, Ohio on November 9, 2011 and made some surprisingly candid – and disturbing – comments about the state of education in US schools. Duncan certainly wants more money to feed his bureaucracy’s interest area (what bureaucrat ever wanted different?), but WCPO TV also reports: “Duncan says…