PE + CO

in Louisiana

Quick Take: Six Concerns in the Proposed JPPSS-JFT Contract Big Question: Does the union actually represent a majority of employees?

by Peter Cook 19 July 2015, 22:23

Well, we knew this was coming. After the American Federation of Teachers spent almost $450,000 last fall (significantly more than was raised by all 19 candidates combined) to get pro-union candidates elected to the Jefferson Parish School Board (JPSB), it was clear that the Jefferson Federation of Teachers (JFT) would use their newly elected influence […] More

in OPSB

New Orleans Needs To Reform Its School Board Before RSD Schools Return, OPSB Needs To Make Equity Its Priority

by Peter Cook 11 June 2015, 16:39

The question of whether eligible Recovery School District (RSD) charters should be returned to the control of the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) has gotten a lot of attention in recent weeks, thanks to House Bill 166, a proposal from Rep. Joseph Bouie, which would have forced eligible RSD charters to return to OPSB within […] More

in Media

Don’t Tell Us More, Just Tell Both Sides of the Story NPR's Michel Martin Is Hosting A Forum on NOLA Schools - So Why Aren't RSD Educators Invited?

by Peter Cook 21 April 2015, 11:22

Michel Martin, host of NPR’s Tell Me More, is in New Orleans today to host Chartered Waters, a discussion on the changes that have taken place in the city’s school system since Hurricane Katrina, that NPR will stream live on its website tonight. A press release for the event quotes Martin as saying: “We hope this will be […] More

in Policy

Education Research Annoyances In New Orleans Three Questions Raised By ERA's Latest Study On Competition Among NOLA Schools

by Peter Cook 2 April 2015, 12:57

The Education Research Alliance (ERA) at Tulane University released a new study last week that attempted to gauge how New Orleans principals responded to competition in the city’s supposedly “market-based” public education system. The report – “How Do School Leaders Respond To Competition?” – was authored by Huriya Jabbar, an assistant professor of education policy […] More

in LaLege

Jindal vs. Common Core: Round 3 Three things to keep in mind about Jindal’s latest attack on the Common Core State Standards

by Peter Cook 22 March 2015, 17:53

Bobby Jindal wanted to be a contender. He wanted to be somebody… …specifically, President of the United States. And for a while, at least – back in the days before his disastrous State of the Union response – everyone thought Jindal was the next big thing. However, over the course of his tenure as Governor, […] More

in NOLA

No Excuses for This Charter School Lagniappe's Total Disregard for its Special Needs Students is Detestable, But not the norm in New Orleans Charters

by Peter Cook 6 March 2015, 16:23

On Tuesday, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) released a scathing report detailing the findings from an investigation into Lagniappe Academies by LDOE and Recovery School District (RSD) officials. The accusations in the report [see full report below] include: Failing to provide legally-mandated services to special education students, then doctoring forms to make it appear […] More

in Louisiana

Is This The Best Louisiana Democrats Can Do? John Bel Edwards' anti-CCSS, anti-reform rhetoric at debate doesn't bode well for his gubernatorial ambitions.

by Peter Cook 25 February 2015, 08:00

I’ll tell you, it’s pretty depressing being a Louisiana Democrat these days. It’s hard to believe that when I moved to this state just 13 years ago, Democrats occupied six statewide offices, including Governor, as well as both U.S. Senate seats. Since that time, the GOP has proceeded to systematically demolish the Democrats’ once-dominate position […] More

in NOLA

About Those ACT Scores… Mercedes Schneider Desperately Wants to believe the RSD has failed, but the data tells a different story

by Peter Cook 19 February 2015, 22:19

St. Tammany Parish teacher, blogger, and inveterate pessimist Mercedes Schneider desperately wants to believe New Orleans’ Recovery School District – and by extension, its students – have failed. For years, she has taken to her blog to malign the district at every available opportunity, dismissing evidence of the RSD’s progress as either smoke-and-mirrors or outright […] More

in LaLege

It begins… 55 days to go until the 2015 regular session of the Louisiana Legislature

by Peter Cook 17 February 2015, 21:42

We’re just 55 days out from the start of the 2015 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, and once again, I’ll be covering all of the edu-legislative action this spring over at my other blog: PE + CO: Louisiana Education Legislation Update. In the meantime, read more about the upcoming legislative session below… More

in NOLA

Fact-Checking Kristen Buras’ Flood of Lies Objective Truth Drowns in Attack on New Orleans Schools

by Peter Cook 23 January 2015, 10:23

In the past few years, Georgia State University professor Kristen Buras1 has tried to make a name for herself by bashing the progress made in New Orleans’ public school system since Hurricane Katrina. She recently reached a new low with an article she wrote for The Progressive entitled, “Charter Schools Flood New Orleans.” For those […] More

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