Monthly Archives: March 2007

Best Candidates for School

This year I have stayed away from endorsing candidates for the Madison School Board because I was concerned that the media seemed to focus more on who was supporting whom than on the candidates themselves. The recent endorsement editorials have … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Elections, Local News

The Company We Keep or Cole Not Beholden to Special Interests–You decide?

Here are two very different perspectives on the candidates running for seat 5 on the Madison School Board Cole/Passman. One is written by Nancy Donahue, one of the organizers of the Studio School and the other is written by Russell … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Elections, Local News

We Are Not Alone #6

Another in a series on school finance and referenda in Wisconsin. Unless you believe that mismanagement is endemic to public schools, I think it should be pretty clear that the budget problems in MMSD are not the result of bad … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Budget, Elections, Referenda, School Finance, We Are Not Alone

We Are Not Alone #5

Part of a series of posts on school finance and referendums around the state. Too many referendums and too much news to cover it all. Just a once over this time. Shell Lake and Spooner have referenda questions on the … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Budget, Elections, Referenda, School Finance, We Are Not Alone

School Finance Advocacy Session This Evening

From Arlene Silveira, Communications Committee Chair Thomas J. Mertz All – the Communications Committee of the BOE is holding an informational/advocacy meeting on March 29. Details are attached. This is the first in a series for meetings. The next meeting … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Budget, Local News, School Finance, Take Action

Dept. of Education “What Works” Clearinghouse Rates Reading Recovery Highly

Here’s a link to a detailed article on how Reading Recovery has been rated highly by the rigorous Dept. of Education’s Institute on Educational Sciences “What Works” Clearinghouse. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/03/28/29recovery.h26.html? For those who are really interested in evidence-based practices in education, … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Best Practices

Observations, Endorsements

There has been much talk on the campaign trail about the need for a “cost benefit” analysis and the lack of forward planning. I find it disturbing that some of our candidates seem unaware of the 2002 Functional Analysis that … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Best Practices, Budget, Elections, Local News

We Are Not Alone #4

I’m going to try to pull together some excerpts from local reports on April 3d school referenda in the next few days (for the next We Are Not Alone entry). This is just an overview of those measures from the … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Elections, Referenda, School Finance, We Are Not Alone

Accountability Frankenstein Published

The long awaited (at least in my house) book from Sherman Dorn is now available for order. There will be a series of podcasts from the book, the first is here. This is what the publisher has to say: Accountability … Continue reading

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Filed under Accountability, AMPS, Best Practices, No Child Left Behind

Nan Youngerman on REACH

At the MUAE forum to discuss education for gifted and talented students, it was disturbing to hear one candidate, Maya Cole for Seat #5, talk about eliminating REACH as a way to trade money to keep Eastside schools open. I … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Best Practices, Elections, Local News