Monthly Archives: September 2008
Quotes of the Day – Broken System, Broken Record Edition (#1)
John Hartford, “Dont leave your records in the sun” (click to listen or download) Last week, Milwaukee Superintendent William Andrekopoulos strung together the words “State, “Finance,” “Schools,” “System,” and “Broken.” At AMPS, we’ve strung those words together in a variety … Continue reading
Broken System, Hard Choices
Lorette Velvette, “Broke the Circle” (click to listen or download) Some updates on the hard and harmful choices Wisconsin’s broken system of funding schools is forcing on districts much like MMSD. It looks like raising class sizes and cutting teachers … Continue reading
Filed under "education finance", AMPS, Best Practices, Budget, Elections, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Uncategorized
Quote of the Day — Faith Based Policy
We should have no difficulty conceding Milwaukee’s [Parental Choice Voucher Program's] disappointing record while remaining coolly confident that sensible K–12 market reforms have the potential to boost productivity, spur purposive innovation, provide more nuanced accountability, and make the sector a … Continue reading
Filed under Best Practices, education, Gimme Some Truth, Quote of the Day
Smart, Caring Students, Working for Good
Among the items in the MMSD Philosophy of Education is this call for students to be given the tools to engage historical, political and social knowledge to create a “faith in our future:” To develop faith in our future by … Continue reading
Mad City GRUMPS Are Back
There are lots of good new things on the Mad City GRUMPS (Grandparents United for Madison Public Schools) web site. Here is their “mission statement” Let’s Pass the November 4th Referendum!! We are Grandparents United for the Madison Public Schools … Continue reading
Quotes of the Day and Sources to Consider
Excerpted from Wisconsin State Journal editorial: Wisconsin received more evidence this week that its taxes are too high…. The study, from the Pacific Research Institute in association with Forbes magazine, should give state and local policymakers new incentive to control … Continue reading
“The System…Is Broken”: Milwaukee Public Schools Dissolution Vote
Joan Jett, “You dont know what you got (till it’s gone)” (click to listen or download) The big news from Milwaukee this week was the 6-3 vote to explore dissolving the school district This is news so big that even … Continue reading
Most Excellent Band-Aids: Elizabeth Burmaster, State of Education and Budget Proposal
Excerpted. Full presentation, including Madison Supt Dan Nerad, at WisconsinEye. [SAGE section edited to correct a misunderstanding, TJM] Yesterday, Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster gave her annual “State of Education” speech and released a budget proposal which … Continue reading
Filed under "education finance", Best Practices, Budget, Elections, finance, Local News, School Finance, Uncategorized
Schools and the Common Good
Elsewhere, I’ve touched on the history of public education and the important idea of the “Common,” as in the Common School and the Common Good. My whole thinking about public education is that our schools are where we express our … Continue reading
A Blow to School “Choice” in Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau has released their legislatively mandated report on Test Score Date for Pupils in Milwaukee’s Pupil Choice Program (voucher schools). The news is not good for choice advocates. In every instance where there was a statistically … Continue reading
Filed under Accountability, Best Practices, education, Local News
