With so much of my blogging lately being focused on cause for alarm, I want to focus today on some reasons to be encouraged:
1) In New York City, an advisory panel of eight members appointed by New York State Education Commissioner David Steiner voted yesterday against granting a waiver to publishing executive Cathie Black to become NYC Schools Chancellor. According to a Quinnipiac University poll, sixty-two percent of NYC public school parents didn't approve of Black's appointment. The battle is not over yet, but hooray for the panel's drawing the line and for successful activism.
2) This study done by the non-partisan Education Trust blasts the for-profit university sector. It seems like the politicians might actually listen and act on this one. Maybe they'll start to listen to and act on the alarms being sounded about the K-12 for-profit education industry.
3) Some school districts in states that won Race to the Top funding are giving the money back, either because it will cost more than it's worth to implement the changes or because they don't think the reforms are the right thing to do.
I applaud the courage and good work of the activists, researchers, and leaders who have made these positive developments happen. I am grateful to them for giving me some edu-things to be thankful for this holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving, all.
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