But like Ravitch I know that Charters ("school choice") by themselves are no answer to our societal and educational problem. And Ravitch documents the incompetence, theft and corruption associated with Charter schools such as The California Charter Academy which declared bankruptcy in 2004 stranding over 6000 students in more than 60 "storefront" schools. I was intrigued by the author's appearance on "The Daily Show" and her columns on CNN.com. This book provides some interesting insight into the process behind all the current national programs and the resulting affects in several notable school districts. Ms Ravitch is an education insider who writes extremely well. Her style is a fine balance of heartfelt concern and clear, lucid analysis of why we are failing in public education.
Public schools are legally required to educate these children. So the charter school current model does provide a choice and very definitely leaves children behind.
When she wanders beyond her area of expertise, some of her statements are bizarre. I shall offer just one of several I noticed. Ravitch provides plenty of alarming statistics showing just how little American students know about these subjects. She also takes the stance that this emphasis isn't even very effective at ensuring that students develop good reading and math skills, and she has the data to prove it.
Testing and school choice do not increase student achievement and they are undermining the very goals of public education in America. This is the book to read if you don't understand why anyone would object to closing "failing" schools, firing teachers and turning kids' education over to private enterprise.
This work altered my life. I quit my public school job and took a teaching job in a parochial high school.
It was the third most downloaded review (out of hundreds put up) last year. Diane Ravitch is America's most prominent historian of education, and currently its best. The reasons for all this include some pretty unsavory ones. The Republicans make no secret of their hatred of teachers' unions and their desire to break same.
Drawing on numerous empirical studies, Ravitch reviews the findings that have dramatically changed her perspective of education policy. Initially an ardent support of the choice, accountability, and charter school reforms, Ravitch has come to steadfastly oppose such reforms.
All then would understand the fallacies of NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB), the worst piece of legislation ever created in the history of American education, as well as the problems that arise from high stakes testing. It's all in the book; all they have to do is read.
We know how to identify the schools that are not doing well. The remedies for each of those schools need to be appropriate for each particular school. I appreciate that she confesses and explains her naivety when she supported No Child Left Behind and the reforms leading up to that. The facts and history in this book were a page-turner, shedding light on how we have arrived at a point where our public school system is in danger of absolute collapse. Ravitch provides a very powerful indictment of the corporate reform movement. Her history of education reform, critique of overemphasis on testing and clear demonstration of the tight grip that corporate foundations (Gates, Walton, Broad) have on the education world show that we are headed in the wrong direction to provide our children with a high quality 21st century education.
Public schools are legally required to educate these children. So the charter school current model does provide a choice and very definitely leaves children behind.
When she wanders beyond her area of expertise, some of her statements are bizarre. I shall offer just one of several I noticed. Ravitch provides plenty of alarming statistics showing just how little American students know about these subjects. She also takes the stance that this emphasis isn't even very effective at ensuring that students develop good reading and math skills, and she has the data to prove it.
Testing and school choice do not increase student achievement and they are undermining the very goals of public education in America. This is the book to read if you don't understand why anyone would object to closing "failing" schools, firing teachers and turning kids' education over to private enterprise.
This work altered my life. I quit my public school job and took a teaching job in a parochial high school.
It was the third most downloaded review (out of hundreds put up) last year. Diane Ravitch is America's most prominent historian of education, and currently its best. The reasons for all this include some pretty unsavory ones. The Republicans make no secret of their hatred of teachers' unions and their desire to break same.
Drawing on numerous empirical studies, Ravitch reviews the findings that have dramatically changed her perspective of education policy. Initially an ardent support of the choice, accountability, and charter school reforms, Ravitch has come to steadfastly oppose such reforms.
All then would understand the fallacies of NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB), the worst piece of legislation ever created in the history of American education, as well as the problems that arise from high stakes testing. It's all in the book; all they have to do is read.
We know how to identify the schools that are not doing well. The remedies for each of those schools need to be appropriate for each particular school. I appreciate that she confesses and explains her naivety when she supported No Child Left Behind and the reforms leading up to that. The facts and history in this book were a page-turner, shedding light on how we have arrived at a point where our public school system is in danger of absolute collapse. Ravitch provides a very powerful indictment of the corporate reform movement. Her history of education reform, critique of overemphasis on testing and clear demonstration of the tight grip that corporate foundations (Gates, Walton, Broad) have on the education world show that we are headed in the wrong direction to provide our children with a high quality 21st century education.
About the Author:
The difficulty lies not in the models, but in the interests arrayed against reform. WAND SCANNER.
