A Whoopdeedo from Jersey and Washington State Parents Celebrate Losing Race To The Top

This text just came in from Leonie Haimson (not the picture.)

See below from NJ; but substitute NY and it expresses my sentiments exactly.  Meanwhile, check out WA parents who are celebrating their state losing the race: 

Washington State Remains Free from “Race to the Top” Extortion at http://seattleducation2010.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/washington-state-remains-free-from-race-to-the-top-extortion/

And more on why teacher evaluation linked to test scores is a random roll of the dice. Teachers will lose out and ultimately the kids will as well at
 
http://schoolfinance101.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/rolldice/

http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2010/07/whoop-de-friggin-do.html?spref=tw

Whoop-De-Friggin'-Do...

So NJ got into the next round of Race To The Top. Gee, swell.

Let's think about all the great stuff that's coming so that we "put the kids first":

- Merit pay. Hasn't worked yet, but full speed ahead!

- Charter schools. Weak to no gains so far, but full speed ahead!

- Teacher evaluations and dismissals based on standardized tests. Error rates of 25%-35%, but full speed ahead!

- Institutionalizing the testing culture of schools. Big problems looming with cheating as the stakes in these tests get higher - really big problems - but full speed ahead!

- Rewarding states for their commitment to educational reform. So far, some of the worst states have been rewarded, but full speed ahead!

Some race...