On Sunday I wrote about Diane Ravitch's new book and her criticism of school reforms in New York City under School Chancellor Joel Klein and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, noting that Indiana seems to be borrowing all of the city's unsuccessful approaches.
On Monday, I came across this news release from the Indiana Department of Education. Special guest at the Indiana Education Roundtable meeting on Tuesday? Joel Klein, of course.
As was the case after former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush addressed the Roundtable last year, I'm sure the NYC public schools will be held up as a shining model.
Dr. Ravitch would disagree: She dedicates an entire chapter of her book to "The Business Model in New York City."
An excerpt: "In 2005, when test scores rose sharply across the city on state tests (as they did in other urban districts in the state), Mayor (Michael) Bloomberg 'trumpeted the results as an election-year affirmation of his stewardship of the public schools," as the New York Times described it. The mayor and Chancellor Klein made a 'triumphant visit' to P.S. 33 in the Bronx to praise the school's astonishing gains. The proportion of fourth graders meeting state standards on the reading test more than doubled, rising by a staggering 46.7 points in a single year to 83.4 percent. The mayor lauded the good work of the principal. Soon after the principal's star turn, she retired with a $15,000 bonus, which added $12,000 a year for life to her pension. The following year, P.S. 33's astonishing gains evaporated. The meteoric rise and fall of test scores at the school was mysterious."
Coincidentally, Dr. Ravitch's Bridging Differences blog at Edweek.com today is on another dubious education idea out of Florida.
