There was a time when journalists dreamed of publishing an expose’ that would catapult them to the top of the profession. I’m not saying that they don’t exist, anymore, but I believe they are rare. There is a disturbing trend in news media that I believe is the direct result of corporate takeover. There are […]
ESSA Advisory Blog
There has been much hoopla in the media about Governor Edwards’ ESSA Advisory Council and how some feel as though its intention is to cause havoc in the department of education, and it appears in direct conflict with the ESSA forums being conducted by Supt. John White. The fact remains that ESSA not only guarantees, […]
Ed Reform Part I: Blame the teachers
Ever since the Reagan administration sold the public on the idea that the education system was failing our students, there has been countless misguided attempts to identify the source of a problem that doesn’t exist. Under the 2nd Bush administration, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) attempted to redirect financial resources at the subgroups […]
Small Victories for Education
The 2016 regular session has just a little more than a week left, but for the most part, the bills addressing education concerns are done. Looking back at the 2016 Regular Session, it is pretty clear that the gap between party lines is much larger than in years past. Though newly elected governor, John Bel […]
Update on New Teacher Evaluation and other happenings
May 3rd, 4th and 5th were probably the most frustrating, disappointing and exciting days that I’ve spent in the legislature. Tuesday, May 3rd, the House Education Committee heard a bill submitted by committee chairperson, Nancy Landry. This bill would allow a school district to reduce a teacher’s salary under certain circumstances. Landry submitted the bill […]
Hensgens and Geymann score one for the team.
On Wednesday, April 27th, the House and Governmental Affairs committee of the Louisiana Legislature heard HB-473, a bill submitted by Representative Bob Hensgens related to BESE Ethics. The bill has a history in the House. In the 2014 regular session, former representative, Brett Geymann, filed the bill which quickly gained momentum in the House, but […]
Sign the petition for fair teacher evaluations
[do_widget id=dk_speakout_petition_widget-3] Dear Members of the Education Committee, We believe that professional educators deserve an evaluation plan that is fair and yields valid results with total transparency. Since 2011, the great state of Louisiana has utilized the “Value-Added Model,” also known as VAM. This model is unreliable and invalid. It has resulted in hundreds of […]
Is 2016 a LEAP year?
Parental concerns about federally mandated tests and Common Core State Standards continues to be on the rise. Everyday, my inboxes and social media feeds are clogged with questions about the fast approaching Louisiana state assessment. Let me set the record straight. 2016 is, indeed, a LEAP year. February, in fact, had twenty-nine days this year; […]
Opt-Out 2016: Parents, Know Your Rights
It is Springtime in Louisiana, and for teachers, students and parents, that is an indicator that statewide assessment are just around the corner. As many of you know, last year’s assessments were marred by a growing number of parents protesting against the chosen assessment known as PARCC. This movement wasn’t, and still isn’t, limited to […]
Educate to Advocate
On Sunday, February 14th, the Louisiana Legislature commenced the first extraordinary legislative session. It will be over in three weeks. Then, less than a week later, the regular session will begin. With a new governor at the helm, and all of the political posturing taking place, this year’s session is sure to be interesting. I […]