Monthly Archives: October 2008

Studs Terkel, 1912-2008

Two quotes: “Someone who does an act. In a democratic society, you’re supposed to be an activist; that is, you participate. It could be a letter written to an editor.” “But once you become active in something, something happens to … Continue reading

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Filed under Best Practices, Take Action, Uncategorized

Quote of the Day — “Most Powerful” Data

“I am not a number,” from The Prisoner. It’s one reason why the most impressive data we used at the schools I’m most familiar with were the results of interviews with alumnae conducted years after they left us. But even … Continue reading

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Filed under Accountability, Best Practices, education, National News, nclb, No Child Left Behind, Quote of the Day

News from CAST

From the Community and Schools Together website: Many things going on and many new things on the web site. We are in the last weeks of literature distribution.  Almost 20,000 homes have been reached, another 10,000 or so will be … Continue reading

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Filed under "education finance", Best Practices, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Take Action, Uncategorized

We Are Not Alone #25 — Class Size and Segregation Edition

I’ve written about the Student Achievement Guaranty in Education (SAGE) as an underfunded mandate, and noted the trend toward increasing class sizes around the state, especially but not exclusively in districts where referenda have failed.  A report from Verona shows … Continue reading

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Filed under "education finance", Best Practices, Budget, education, Equity, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Uncategorized, We Are Not Alone

24,189 Reasons — My Referendum Letter

To be sent to The Capital Times, The Wisconsin State Journal, The Capital City Hues, The Madison Times and maybe more (I may do another edit before sending).  Click on the links to send your own letter! 24,189 Reasons to … Continue reading

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Filed under "education finance", Accountability, AMPS, Best Practices, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Take Action, Uncategorized

City Budget and Education II

Maybe these children wouldn’t be smiling if they knew what the Mayor had in store for them. I’ve been working on a post on the Community Agenda for America’s Public Schools, this reaction to the agenda and the lack of apparent … Continue reading

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Filed under Accountability, Best Practices, Budget, education, Local News, Referenda, referendum

New Name

The name of this blog has been changed from Advocates For Madison Public Schools to Advocating on Madison Public Schools.  Not much else will change. When I participated in a focus group as part of the MMSD Superintendent selection process, … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, education

Quote of the day — Not welcome

“We must not continue to welcome into Madison more at-risk populations from elsewhere because we will never have sufficient resources to provide for them.” Madison Alder Thuy Pham-Remmele This attitude makes me sick. We are a wealthy and prosperous city … Continue reading

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Filed under AMPS, Best Practices, education, Equity, Local News, Quote of the Day, Uncategorized

Moneyball

1969 Chicago Cubs, “Pennant Fever” (click to listen or download) Willie Sutton supposedly once replied to the question, “Why do you rob banks?” with the answer “Because that’s where the money is.” In his protests against the broken state school … Continue reading

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Filed under "education finance", AMPS, Budget, education, finance, National News, School Finance, Take Action