tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post2707366328474157588..comments2024-03-28T19:47:39.985-04:00Comments on CURMUDGUCATION: Does Reformster Character Matter?Peter Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511193640285760299noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-3463793608649999122014-08-04T22:53:01.932-04:002014-08-04T22:53:01.932-04:00It's facile to paint everyone interested in re...It's facile to paint everyone interested in reform as greedy charlatans. And it doesn't advance the discussion of what to do about problems in education.<br /><br />Does teacher character matter? If a reformer states that teachers are a bunch of self-interested pension hogs who refuse all attempts at objective evaluation, how is that different from what you are doing here?<br />MattyShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16477643969232178526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-64303283605355137782014-08-04T13:53:38.530-04:002014-08-04T13:53:38.530-04:00Agreed! Character & history tell valuable stor...Agreed! Character & history tell valuable stories that powerful officials should heed. <br /><br />One story that continually flies under the radar is Michael & Lowell Milken's other edu-bidness- teacher & school wide evluation. <br /><br />I posted this comment The Truth About K-12 and thought it was appropriate for your Character Counts!™ article. <br /><br />The Milkens are receiving loads of Dept of Ed federal grants through NIET- National Institute for Teaching Excellence teacher evaluation. TN mandated using NIET’s TEAM/TAP teacher/school evaluation program in 2010. TEAM/TAP is essentially a stacked ranking eval. and has no peer reviewed evidence demonstrating overall efficacy. The only reports making extraordinary claims of its effects were done inside The Milken Foundation and put out as white papers.<br /><br />In 2012, Duncan’s DoEd gave NIET $40 million in Teacher Incentive Fund Grants. In this grant, the MIlkens have fiscal agency over several poor, rural school systems. Here is a paragraph from their press release:<br /><br />http://www.niet.org/niet-newsroom/niet-press-releases/niet-expands-scope-with-new-teacher-incentive-fund-grants/<br /><br />“Introduced in 1999, the TAP system revitalizes the teaching profession through leadership opportunities, professional development, evaluation and performance-based compensation.<br /><br />NIET will serve as fiscal agent in partnership with the primarily rural Central Decatur and Saydel Community School Districts in Iowa; the Emily O. Goodridge-Grey Accelerated Charter School, Sojourner Truth Academy, Hmong College Prep Academy and the Partnership Academy in Minnesota; and Athens City Schools and Morgan County Schools in Tennessee, both rural districts.”<br /><br />Could this be any more a recipe for theft & corruption from poor school systems? Recall that convicted Wall St. felon Michael Miliken has requested several presidential pardons since his release from prison in the early 1990’s and even George Bush refused to pardon him.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12813056667733621829noreply@blogger.com