Ed Reform 101

This week, I'm concentrating my energies over at Blue Jersey for a special series: Ed Reform 101.

Today we had Part I - Testing. Tomorrow we'll focus on Teacher Quality, with a special emphasis on using tests to evaluate teachers. Those of you who drop by regularly will recognize a lot of the work. What's different here is that we are putting it all together in one place.

Chris Christie has made it clear that he is going to roll out "reform" as his product for the fall; he is staking his political reputation on it. There needs to be pushback or he we'll wind up killing one of New Jersey's greatest assets - our schools.

But as much as this is a local fight, it's national as well. This stuff is being crammed down the throats of teachers everywhere, and it's time to stand up and stop it. I'm hoping this series is a first step in that long and important fight.

The writing is mine, but this really is a collaborative effort between myself and several other Blue Jersey bloggers. And, as always, I am shamelessly stealing from the many great writers listed to the left on my blogroll. Of particular help are the invaluable Bruce Baker, the prolific Matt DiCarlo, the estimable Valerie Strauss, and the indefatigable Leonie Haimson. (Thank you, Roget...)

I want you to go the Blue Jersey and read, so I'm not going to repost the series here. But I thought I'd do a supplement each day to give you some additional thoughts on the content of the series. The thoughts will be mine alone and not a reflection of anyone else at Blue Jersey. I'll have a post about Part I up in a little while.

If you would like to comment, please do so here or at BJ; I'd really like to hear what you have to say.

Are you ready, Merit Pay Fairy?

You don't scare me none, Jazzman - I got my wand!