In The 74 Richard Whitmire and I take a look at a possible Bloomberg presidential candidacy and what it means – or more precisely doesn’t mean – for the education debate:
Education reform enthusiasts might hope that Bloomberg’s commitment to charter schools could allow Clinton to edge back to the political center, perhaps tacking back from her recent anti-charter musings. Or that a Bloomberg candidacy might drag Republicans back from the cliff they’re heading over. But in practice Bloomberg’s education history and credibility is more likely to land with a deafening silence.Gun safety, Wall Street, the economy and the role of billionaires in American life are the kind of issues that will define a Bloomberg candidacy if one emerges. Sorry education reformers.
In the unlikely chance Bloomberg wins the presidency, all this would change. At that point his core philosophy, that unacceptable schools are no longer acceptable, would shake up Washington’s comfortable political arrangements around education policy. But the path to that catalytic moment runs through an angry electorate and a gauntlet of issues that, unfortunately for Mike Bloomberg, have little to do with one of his strong suits — schools.
Are New York City schools failing to adequately serve disabled students?
I suspect the teachers unions are resisting this trend.
CAP on testing policy going forward. Hillary Clinton ed policy primer.
National PTA comes out against opt-out. It’s certainly defensible but is an interesting stance for a pro-parent organization. Wait, what? They’re against school choice, too? Nevermind. New GreatSchools report cards for CA schools. Here’s a (depressing) primer on Detroit.
Mike Petrilli on the finalists in the great Fordham accountability competition. Alex “Scorsese” Medler with videos about a TN turnaround effort.
