Blog

Massachusetts has high standards. Massachusetts students do well on NAEP and international tests. Now, comes the proposal for 'voluntary' national standards (voluntary because states don't have to follow them if they are willing to forgo national funds. Good luck with that! By history, states all fall in line sooner or later.) People who have read the proposal are telling us that the national standards are lower than Massachusetts (and Virginia? and other states with high standards?) [...]

(redoing education again!)

(Fire the parents, not the teachers)The good news is that education is on the front burner. People are chiming in. This opinion has a lot going for it. A lot.I remember Al Shanker discussing in his NY Times column, Where we stand, a related issue... "Imagine saying we should shut down a hospital and fire its staff because not all of its patients became healthy." He concluded by saying that students won't learn if they don't work harder. And they are unlikely to work harder if they hear [...]

My early March interview with comments it received in Education News.org. is now archived. In case you missed it, the URL is:(Interview about Fixing Special Education)

Yet another wake up call--testimony before Congress, as it considers reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.(Many countries passing U.S. in education)What amazes me in this and other news stories that bemoan the state of America’s schools, is silence on the positive role of parents. While the article mentions that our students are 'overentertained and distracted,' and that we should do something about that, again we would be tackling the symptom, not the cause, of our [...]

Dear friends,HOT OFF THE PRESS!The updated 2010 book, IEP and Section 504 Team Meetings... and the Law is now available. For information, please visit my website, (SchoolLawPro) or email me at miriam@schoollawpro.comMay your TEAM meetings ROCK!

At last! Here is is. NAEP's new policy.(NAEP's NEW accommodation and exclusion policy for students with disabilities and English language learners)Let's hope it is implemented consistently and leads to valid results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the 'nation's report card.' As a member of the expert panel for students with disabilities, I am gratified that the work is nearing completion. This new policy will lead to consistent results and is consistent with students' [...]

(Too many students labeled). This article summarizes a recent analysis of the Pittsburgh Public Schools special education programs. Even as progress and promise in its special education programming are highlighted and acknowledged, the report leaves us with troubling questions about labeling students. The Council of the Great City Schools report can be found at (Great City Schools report on Pittsburgh special education)The numbers are troubling...18.2% of all students are labeled for [...]

(Joanne Jacobs summarizes reviews of Diane Ravitch's new book). I just got the book! It's turning out to be a must-read for those of us interested in improving public education for all students. As a history major and former 'social studies' teacher, I do look forward to reading the historical perspective--and to understanding how one education leader came to change her views on education reform.

As you may remember, I was interviewed by EducationNews.org before New Year about my new book, Fixing Special Education--12 Steps to Transform a Broken System.It's time to celebrate what's right and fix what's wrong. Well, that interview/commentary became the 'most commented' and 'most popular' for several months! That positive response was awesome! I do believe this discussion gives voice to many folks who have been silent, even as they know the system is broken. So, today the follow-up [...]