mooneyinstitute's blog

CUNY Professor Jennifer Goldstein's Commentary in Ed Week urges a more reasoned approach and a challenge to teacher unions

A new organization that includes Antonia Cortese and Diane Ravitch has launched a critique of the 21St Century Skills movement, that includes Linda Darling-Hammond. Ed Week covered the story this week that may be one of the most important debates in years. The battle is joined.

In response to a note from Linda Darling-Hammond to friends that she is returning home to Stanford and will no longer be seeking a role in the Obama administration, two prominent education researchers, Gary Orfield and Diane Ravitch articulated a stunning critique of Arne Duncan's direction at the US Department of Education. It resonated with progressive educators nationally.

Richard Rothstein's Ed Week commentary "Getting Accountability Right" summarizes his new book Grading Education.

Just in time to demonstrate that Linda Darling-Hammond is the most thoughtful voice in education today, this month's Kappan magazine published her critique of the US approach to assessment in light of international standards. If she doesn't continue to be the lead voice in the Obama administration, there's something wrong. Its a must read.

Randi Weingarten's November 17 National Press Club speech promoted "Collaboration," "Capacity," and "Community," decried the scapegoating of teachers and teacher unions, and offered a 10 point reform agenda.

A new report by Ed Sector advocates shifting away from NCLB-type multiple choice testing to more robust critical thinking/ problem solving skill measurement. It can be done, and what a revolution in accountability.

wo award-winning DCPS teachers, Liz Davis, and Kerry Sylvia, together with the Mooney Institute's Mark Simon offered a critique of school reform being carried out by Chancellor Michelle Rhee in a September 28 Washington Post Op-ed.Read more

At the National Press Club event launching the Forum for Education and Democracy's new study, "Democracy at Risk," Linda Darling Hammond presented data about the results of current policy to support the contention that we need a new direction in Federal Policy in Public Education. Congressman George Miller too said that we have to take advantage of the change in administrations "not so much to re-authorize NCLB but to re-think the federal role."Read more

A special commentary piece by Mark Simon and Naomi Baden about Tom Mooney's legacy and the need for progressive unionism in the teacher's union movement appeared in the January 30, 2008 issue of Education Week.

The Mooney Institute was the main focus of an Education Week cover story.

On May 7 Ed Sector released the results of a study of teacher attitudes toward their unions, their profession and education reform gleaned from a survey of 1,010 teachers and focus groups. The conclusions:  Read more