DOCUMENT RESUME ED 447 596 EA 030 756 TITLE Selected Readings on School Reform, Winter 2000. INSTITUTION Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, Washington, DC. PUB DATE 2000-01-00 NOTE 141p. AVAILABLE FROM Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, 1627 K Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006. Tel: 888-823-7474 (Toll Free); Fax: 202-223-9226; Web site: http://www.edexcellence.net. PUB TYPE Collected Works - Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT Selected Readings on School Reform; v4 n1 Win 2000 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Academic Standards; *Accountability; *Charter Schools; *Curriculum Problems; *Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education; Public Schools; *School Choice; Scores; Teacher Effectiveness ABSTRACT This collection of selected readings includes articles on the following subject areas: federal issues; charter schools; school choice; standards, tests, and accountability; teacher quality; curriculum and content; higher education; and miscellaneous subjects including absence in the classroom, school consultants, urban education, and principal vacancies in New York City schools. A "Network Notes" section contains short commentaries on various education subjects. (DFR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. THOMAS B: ORDHAM OUNDATION OUTSIDE THE BOX 4 ycelected _eadings ) on hool eform Winter 2000 Vol. 4, No. 1 - : The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation 1627 K Street, NW Suite 600 Washington, DC, 20006 (202) 223 -5452 (202) 223-9226 (fax) MENT OF EDUCATION 1(888) TBF-7474 (publications line) nal Research and Improvement ESOURCES INFORMATION http:www.edexcellenee.net NTER (ERIC) t has been reproduced as the person or organization have been made to uction quality. or opinions stated in this AVAILABLE of necessarily represent BEST COPY osition or policy. Selected Readings on School Reform Winter 2000 Vol. 4, No. 1 The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation 1627 K Street, NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 223-5452 (202) 223-9226 (fax) (888) TBF-7474 (publications line) http://www.edexcellence.net The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation is neither connected with nor sponsored by Fordham University. Chester E. Finn, Jr. Trustees President THOMAS B. Chester E. Finn Chester E. Finn, Jr. David H. Ponitz ORDHAM Thomas A. Holton Vice President Bruce Kovner OUNDATION Bruno V. Manno Thomas A. Holton OUTSIDE THE BOX David H. Ponitz Secretary I Treasurer Diane S. Ravitch January 2000 Dear Education Reformer, Welcome to the first (SR)2 of the new millenium. We hope that, before opening its cover, you have already completed our little survey (enclosed with this mailing) so we can benefit from your thoughts about the future of (SR)2.If not, kindly do so now. Then keep reading. There's plenty here that's worthy of your attention. In Front Lines, you will read that the ranks of the education reformers are swelling: organizations like the Education Commission of the States and individuals such as National Urban League president Hugh Price have recently come out with new declarations of support for "charterizing" the whole system. The "New Democrats" are making interesting noises, too. Another must-read section is Standards, Tests and Accountability. The long-predicted backlash against standards-based reform seems to have begun. Faced with test-based evidence of weak performance, a growing horde of parents and educators is beating up on the standards and accountability arrangements instead of the system that is producing the bad results. And some teachers, perhaps unable to contend honestly with new accountability measures, have been found cheating for their students. Several articles in this section amplify on these troubling developments. And, of course, The State of State Standards 2000, also enclosed with this mailing, gives you our latest take on which states are and aren't doing well at developing good standards and installing serious accountability systems. We hope you enjoy this issue of (SR)2 and thanks in advance for providing us with feedback on the survey. See you in a few months. Sincerely, /1) Chester E. Finn, Jr. K Ilymis President Prog am Director/ Editor 4 1627 K Street, NW Suite 600Washington, DC, 20006Telephone (202) 223-5452Fax (202) 223-9226 http://www.eClexcellence.netPublications: 1(888) 823-7474 U CONTENTS Vol. IV,No. 1 Winter 2000 Colleges Experiment With CharterSchools NET NOTES 1 By Julianne Bassinger. The Chronicle of Higher Education.*October 29, 1999... 48 THE FRONT LINES 7 Urban Education: A Radical Plan SCHOOL CHOICE 51 By Hugh B. Price. Education Week.* December 8, 1999. 8 The Voucher Seduction By Peter Schrag. New Democrats' 10 Key Reforms for Revitalizing The American Prospect.* November23, 1999. 52 American Education By Al From. A Liberal Case for Vouchers Blueprint: Ideas for a New Century. * Fall 1999. 11 By Paul E. Peterson. The New Republic. * October 4,1999.................57 Governing Well: Two Approaches From a National Commission For Honing the Enterprise to Support In Michigan, School Choice WeedsOut Costlier Students Better Schools By Tamar Lewin. By Donald McAdams & Adam Urbanski. The New York Times. October 26,1999. 59 Education Week. * November 24, 1999. 15 Whittling Away the Public SchoolMonopoly Lured Away and Forced Out, Principals Leave NYC By Thomas Toch. Schools at Record Pace The Wall Street Journal. November15, 1999. 60 By Lynette Holloway. The New York Times. September 20, 1999. .... 18 The Marriage of Standards-basedReform and the Education Marketplace Scientific Ignorance Wins a Small Victory By Chester E. Finn Jr. By Mark Winston 1999 National Education Summit 62 Vancouver Sun. December 9, 1999. ...20 STANDARDS, TESTS, AND 67 FEDERAL ISSUES 23 ACCOUNTABILITY The GOP Congress Fails Again Academic Standards Eased Asa Fear of Failure Spreads By Chester E. Finn Jr. By Jacques Steinberg. The Weekly Standard. November 29, 1999. 24 The New York Times. December3, 1999. 68 Department A Haven For Clinton Loyalists Soccer Moms vs. StandardizedTests By Judy Pasternak. By Charles Sykes. The Los Angeles Times. October 3, 1999. 26 The New York Times. December6, 1999. 70 If Schools Get to Hire New Teachers Ignoring State Curriculum CausedPoor Scores By Anjetta McQueen. By Anemona Hartocollis. Associated Press. November 12, 1999. 30 The New York Times. November9, 1999. 71 Colorado School Districts Promiseto Make the Grade CHARTER SCHOOLS 31 By June Kronholz. The Wall Street Journal. October29, 1999. 73 Charter Hypocrisy Editorial. A Babel of Standards: StudentsFace a Confusing Array The Wall Street Journal. October 20, 1999. 32 of Tests and Assessments By Michael Kirst. Dropping Out? National Crosstalk.* Fall 1999. 75 By Laura Lang. The Washington City Paper. October 22, 1999. 33 Discrepancies Mar New SchoolGauge By Brigid Schulte. The Fight Over What Kids Learn The Washington Post. October 24,1999. 77 By Anna Bray Duff. The Investor's Business Daily.* November 29, 1999. 41 Taking A Chance On Promotion By Debbi Wilgoren. Charter Experiment Goes Awry The Washington Post. September27, 1999. 79 By Dennis Willard and Doug Oplinger. Akron Beacon Journal. December 12, 1999. 43 When Teachers Cheat By E.J. Dionne. The Washington Post. December14, 1999. 81 Lessons: One Standard Doesn't Fit All HIGHER EDUCATION 111 By Richard Rothstein. The New York Times. December 8, 1999. 82 Moving On To College, Going Back to Basics By Steve Twomey. The Washington Post. September 23, 1999. 112 TEACHER QUALITY 83 Why One College Jettisoned All Its Remedial Courses Students Say 'Fake' "Teach" Was Grade A By Lois Cronholm. By Susan Edelman. The Chronicle of Higher Education. September 24, 1999.114 The New York Post. October 1, 1999. 84 The 20 Percent Solution Not Free to Teach For Free? By Linda Chavez. By Kathleen Burge. The Denver Post. December 1, 1999. 117 The Boston Globe. November 22, 1999. 85 The Scholarship Game Neediest Students Get Least Prepared Teachers By Debbie Goldberg. By Nanette Asimov. Washington Post Magazine. October 24, 1999. 118 San Francisco Chronicle. December 3, 1999. 87 Rewarding Teachers For Work Well Done GRAB BAG 121 Editorial. The Baltimore Sun. September 12, 1999. 88 Absence in the Classroom By Fred Bayles. Opposing Forces Tug on Teachers USA Today. November 15, 1999. 122 By Richard Lee Colvin. The Los Angeles Times. December 8, 1999. 89 A Taboo Erodes: The Truth about Blacks and Education By Abigail Themstrom. Caning the Teachers National Review.* December 20, 1999. 126 The Economist. * October 23, 1999. 90 Practicing the Piano the American Way Horrifies the CURRICULUM & CONTENT 91 British By Greg Steinmetz. Constructing Knowledge, Reconstructing Schooling The Wall Street Journal. November 12, 1999. ....... 128 By John Abbott and Terence Ryan. Educational Leadership. November 1999. .. 92 Online Service Broadens Access to AP Coursework By Jonathan Fox. Summerhill Revisited Education Daily. * November 30, 1999. .130 By Alan Riding. The New York Times. November 7, 1999. 95 The Parent Trap By Tom Loveless. The Schools They Deserve: Howard Gardner and the The Wilson Quarterly.* Autumn, 1999. 132 Remaking of Elite Education By Mary Eberstadt. Are School Consultants Worth It? Policy Review.* November 1999 98 By Tyce Palmaffy. Investor's Business Daily. * October 22, 1999. ... , .. 135 If It's Tuesday (In Chicago), It Must Be Polygons By Abraham McLaughlin. Christian Science Monitor. October 26, 1999. ....... 103 * Reprinted with permission; all rights reserved. Our sincere thanks to all the publishers, journals, and writers who graciously gave assent to Educators, Parents See Magnets' Flaws use their works in this publication. By David Nakamura. The Washington Post. November 23, 1999. 104 Students do Better in Small Schools, So Why Have We Been Making Schools Bigger? By Philip Langdon. The American Enterprise. * Jan./Feb. 2000. 106 BEST COPYAVAILABLE iv Network Notes Choice & Charters program and some comparisons with other Choice and Community: The Racial, Economic and Edgewood students. The focus is on demographics, Religious Context of Parental Choice in Cleveland opinions, background characteristics and initial test A new report prepared by Jay P. Greene for the scores.