Federal Take Over Of Mass Education

3.5. Hours plus five days a week equals one big forum. Its current form on most of these talks visionary M -- W.

I was labeled it could mean. Thomas Todd WRKO good morning it's beautiful out there putting a nice summer day once again. We've had a good some good having incredible -- history weather's been. Yet you testified there if you wanna move of course he figures this thing enough though you know if he turns all wrong -- then you go to talk end he doesn't hear anything. Now he's now he's playing with -- That's what she is now turning on whatever might keep Jamie is not sitting out of chip and I got to all the I'm really -- from the pioneer.

Our institute a think tank that studies so lot of different issues the US to a -- on education do you not -- so it's probably it's just a point that -- a little more towards your kept everything we spent probably 67% our time and education and you've been making the most noise about this decision that came to a head last week. To move away from -- adopt common -- joint 2627. Other states. It'll probably be ball by the time all as well do you folks you when I say -- such as you Jamie but I India the organization. Have been very critical as Charlie Baker was just critical. And yet you see some pretty well respected people Dave Driscoll and others saying no this is the right thing to do this is not gonna end up in an idea should I get to hear any of them -- give a good reason why it's better to abandon state controlled education and turn it over the Obama administration I don't have you -- a compelling argument for why that should happen I I -- not I mean I'm pretty. Pretty lock solid on the -- stuff the results I think speak for themselves my concern is that are always cold took some. Norm which in the end without regard to public education unfortunately is a mediocrity as opposed to an -- pursuit of excellence. Tom Birmingham I thought who have made some compelling comment.

If you think about the other side of it caught saying is if I your former rom -- ahead of education for the state or something like that saying oh yeah this is a great idea. I assume it's because he's an insider. Who has some political reason for doing it because I've yet to hear anyone articulate a reason why we should voluntarily. With no upside offered. Give -- local control over education for the state other than the the federal government is offering us a bribe of a couple of hundred letters --

And that would be that would be at least one of the upsides but let me tell it's a very very modest upside in comparison to the cost the expense and the complexity. That will follow and in my opinion IA are maybe im gonna be wrong and I guess I'd like to be -- first -- to be the pursuit but. It's just an I think the MCAS the -- reform -- speaks for so Jamie you've dumped tons of work Alessio thanks.

personal thanks Todd thanks mister speaker and beyond yeah look I mean I've been working in public education for about twenty years now I've seen a lot of things that are a real violation of the public trust and decisions in which the interest of the adults take precedence over the interest of children but this is by far the worst and it's really pretty disgusting chapter. Of that reform in the state in Massachusetts says it is a state that sense. You know the -- sixteen hundreds is really kind of charted its own destiny. An education and then generally among the best because of that. Yeah and last week you know Governor Patrick handpicked board of education vote took a vote in late July. We've all these phony -- valuation saying that this the standards of national standards are going to be as. Equal to ours. It really was a pretty revolting thing to watch and -- I talked to someone after the vote and they said -- so this is what -- political life is like in in China. But -- we have done as you mentioned more work on this topic than anybody across the country we've done for value evaluations. Independent and objective valuations of the last six months and it. Sandra Stotts -- was on the board of education to develop the standards in Massachusetts that are regarded as the best in the country. Mathematicians from Stanford and Silicon Valley engineers these are the kinds of people that reroute -- relied on to make our decision. -- how -- you study this what do you actually look at because you're going to unknown territory right really do what we do is we are crosswalk. The pre existing standards in Massachusetts California and Minnesota all of these are the tougher -- higher performing states against the various drafts that the national standards have released of the last to see if the specifics in the proposals on the federal level. Are as rigorous as what we have in Massachusetts say careful kind of independent cross what I mean dig -- give you an example sort of the other side of the coin here is is that. -- Chester commissioner of education Paul revel said they say that there are gonna base their opinion on three evaluations they actually came out what their opinion. To adopt before. The only way after only one of them had been released and all three -- the valuations were paid for by the gates foundation which -- the same people that paid for the standards. So give the gates foundation in the so close feeding loop here why did -- it's literally being judge and jury in your own case what's Californians know what -- California Minnesota -- Michigan maybe I don't know of Texas. What are those states going to do what have they done via a California is in the process of deciding what they're gonna do Minnesota which has very high almost as high as Massachusetts math standards is said that they're not going to. Adopt the comic core Virginia which has a new governor and a new secretary of education who's on my advisory board. Jarred Robinson they have said that they're not gonna adopt in Texas from the beginning really has been the profile in courage because really they're like they're our country. And they're both in terms of the cost of retooling this they've said what this is ridiculous we have invested billions. Over the last ten years we have some of the best standards. It in the country where we don't measure up will make adjustments and revise -- even higher. But -- what -- think that both The Herald did a great piece just -- just -- Fargo and did a great piece. A couple weeks ago based on the valuation more recent evaluation that we did. And there were things ought to read here is this is the Massachusetts standards so -- it talks about identify subject and verb agreement in a simple sentence this is what the national standards talk about. Using Motorola is Hillary's -- conveyed various conditions I mean that's just a textbook. Did you speak it is an absolutely very well designed to be able to drive a truck through. Is it exactly and it's immunity overly tetanus are good goalie that's it that's again and I haven't heard that kind of crap analog to. SMS messaging stuff but this is basic standard English identify subject and verb agreement and a simple sentence the national standards. For the same standard they talk using total auxiliary used to convey various conditions. What ever that pedals that easily and if that is idiocy run -- I never heard such crap be up. They were -- and then and that's on the LA's side and that on the map are an English language arts and then on the math side. The progression. Up to. Algebra often national standards is just much slower and much less rigorous than what we already have a master Jamie helping you understand this it's a political question in May not be an answer but who are -- to do your best. Why you would. The feds not look at say Massachusetts or California and say. That's the standard we're shooting for that's out minimum Kia as opposed to up. Where the heck do you think they're gonna end up right there in ads for Massachusetts that's the 250 million dollar question and there's a question actually ask some of the drafters after the board of that meeting. Last week why didn't you start with Massachusetts where the highest performers best in the country. Internationally competitive Whiting U sty with the start with a high standard. And the reality is they couldn't start with a high standard because they needed to have Louisiana and Alabama and Arkansas and Mississippi. All the lowest performers in the country to sign onto it and if -- started high none of those low performing so we'll just sort of -- Solis.

Our medium and then go down from there right but the reality is arguing that that the elephant in the room is the teachers' unions which it seems to me the only logical explanation. For this whole thing. The unions want to. Less toughness in the standards they want weaker standards so they can't be judged by the results of of tests and they have many -- succeed on the state level up until now they've now got a governor willing to abandon the children. In return for the money that they donate to his campaign. And they're the easiest win is to just hand this thing all off to the federal government then the union gets one stop shopping in the future in terms of having -- standards.

Right well only for Deval Patrick this is basically a two for one deal he gets to ditch -- and -- the standards that his supporters of the teacher's union never wanted to -- with. Any -- has the political cover from the federal government and the prospects of 250 million dollars. As compensation ports so it's a total and assists in fifty is peanuts let's be honest compared to the billions we have spent and what can charge --

When you got the whole package now. This state gets -- fifty million dollars he gets to brag about the wonderful new -- he and Obama saving education. As they -- ruin our standards and he gets another two point it's -- donated by -- calculation of this about the teachers you know -- I'd be something to -- what else as -- equation well I guess it's this and it's more -- an individual assessment -- you have to run across teachers who say. Don't leave -- and cast now it's just starting to with the changes have seen caused several years now not about features of the union is about the union. And the union doesn't want teachers judge they don't like standards being in the vicinity is that not true. --

Sometimes -- mean I think the thing is is that the road I think that you as a result is both you're right the rank and file teachers having probably -- pretty appalled by this even the left leaning blue mass group had discrete blog from an English teacher who is just outrageous they've basically cut the amount of live literature American and British literature. In half what they have to do those -- that's right that's absolutely. -- what is a model example. Seven exercise actually the delay it's a little led -- that he would tie you up to the when you're watching John -- a case about why that's -- that's the model would sit there. And an enemy to realize their pocket try to avoid being up. Fresh little. Popped at least one more on the the plot is your this is absolutely ridiculous there were.

Our time by the way he's not have to thank you for comments are we talked to right up against some traffic cop I thought we wanna keep this alive so we're trying to do everything every day you know if it's something every day on this because. People don't understand it no we want them to get to understand that so. Power and talked about a lot so well we'll have you back maybe he'll send us some other people to chat up the disaster that this is Jamie gas. Pioneer institute thanks for being here thanks so much appreciate it -- see again assuming we'll be back tomorrow morning 530 -- are coming up next.

I get out of here please be sure to follow up the.

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