We all would like to believe in miracles. There aren’t many, especially with reference to schools that miraculously “turn around” in one year.
It is comforting to believe that a school can change from the worst to the best almost overnight. It is a made-for-Hollywood scenario.
Last night at the Democratic convention, Governor Deval Patrick talked about the one-year turnaround of a school named Orchard Gardens.
Gary Rubinstein checked and learned that 80% of the teachers were fired. Then he went to the Massachusetts Department of Education website. Not exactly one of the best schools in the state. Why do so many politicians think that the best way to fix a school is to fire almost everyone (or everyone) and start over?  Wouldn’t it be more productive to help the school, add resources where needed, remove those who are truly incompetent, do whatever it takes to make the school work well for its students? Why is mass firing the preferred solution?
And then we come to Clinton's speech, which I loved, though I'm still voting Green. Clinton really did what none of the Obama people seem capable of doing – actually defending him. But let's not forget how far to the right of the Democratic Party Clinton has been. Or moderate Republican.

When it comes to education policy, Clinton touched on it when he mentioned the Bushes. Clinton's "Goals 2000" preceded Bush's No Child Left Behind which led to Obama's Race to the Top, each iteration worse than the one before. What is not well-known but well covered Kahlenberg's Shanker bio was the work both Clintons did in Arkansas in the 80's in ed deform --- retesting of teachers for instance. Shanker and Clinton were on the same page in many areas on education.

Diane posted this soon after Clinton's speech.