Author Archives

• The trouble with expectations.

  By TC Weber on June 26, 2014 • ( 0 )

  

  “We know that when students with disabilities are held to high expectations and have access to a robust curriculum, they excel,” Duncan said. That quote above has had me walking around jaw dropped for about two days. Many other people, much… Read More ›

• Wanted: Chief for Change

  By TC Weber on June 20, 2014 • ( 3 )

  

  Last year when I started reading educational missives from the Chiefs for Change, for a minute or two I wondered what it takes to be a member of  Chiefs for Change. In case you didn’t know, Chiefs for Change is… Read More ›

• Universal Pre-k is not a blind trust

  By TC Weber on June 16, 2014 • ( 1 )

  

  One area of education reform that everybody seems to agree on is the need for quality pre-k. There is a growing body of evidence that links the growing achievement gap to the lack of quality pre-k. This gap begins before children… Read More ›

• The Importance of School Board Races

  By TC Weber on June 11, 2014 • ( 0 )

  

  I often speak about public schools as democratic institutions. Now this sounds great but what exactly does that mean and why is it so important. Since here in Tennessee we’ve got a bunch of school board elections coming up, this seems like… Read More ›

• Accountability Commissioner Huffman Style

  By TC Weber on June 7, 2014 • ( 0 )

  

  “Growing results while closing achievement gaps is incredibly hard work,” said Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman. “The goal of Tennessee’s accountability model is that all students grow. Accountability data help us sharpen our focus on the students who need added… Read More ›

• Are we even having the right conversation?

  By TC Weber on June 2, 2014 • ( 0 )

  

  It seems like I spend an inordinate amount of time talking about education policy. As a parent and the spouse of a teacher, it always seems to come up. Still with all that time spent talking I find my self… Read More ›

• A Crisis of Credibility

  By TC Weber on May 29, 2014 • ( 1 )

  

  Last week Vanderbilt hosted an education writers seminar. It was a pretty big deal. Such a big a deal that it brought Arne Duncan to town. Arne spent some time making appearances with his good buddy Kevin Huffman touting all the wonderful things… Read More ›

• Welcome Back From Friday News Dump

  By TC Weber on May 27, 2014 • ( 1 )

  

  Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day week-end. It was a good time to spend with family and remember those who have fought for our freedom. However let’s not forget those who would give it away. Let’s continue taking a… Read More ›

• More on the Tennessee TCAP Fiasco

  By TC Weber on May 23, 2014 • ( 6 )

  

  “We must make this the decade of education reform,” he wrote in January 2010, later citing initiatives he favors: decisions driven by “transparent data on student achievement,” differentiated pay for high-performing teachers and, perhaps most telling, “taking seriously who needs… Read More ›

• Who’s accountable?

  By TC Weber on May 22, 2014 • ( 0 )

  

  This morning I read this story online. (http://www.ewa.org/blog-educated-reporter/tennessees-haslam-aims-mantle-education-governor) It’s all about Governor Haslam wanting to be the “Education Governor”. Then I read this interview with his “change agent” Kevin Huffman.(http://nashvillepublicradio.org/blog/2014/05/19/ed-talk-kevin-huffman-says-adults-means-teachers-work-harder/) In this interview he makes a strong case for “a… Read More ›