Education, News

Seattle Public Schools to Parents: Psych! Now You Give Us $1 Billion?

While I was trying to make sense of this dishearteningly stupid story, Seattle Public Schools made a new announcement: “New proposal calls for return to current 2011-12 transportation plan and minimal impact to current bell times.”

Seattle Schools Community Forum, which has been watchdogging the district on this, calls the statement a “remarkable piece of dis-information.” It’s hard to argue with their concerns about how transportation logistics became a last-minute fire drill. Continue reading Seattle Public Schools to Parents: Psych! Now You Give Us $1 Billion?

Education, Environment, News

Op-Ed: Seriously, Will Nature-Deficit Disorder Turn Fatal?

Is it courageous for a 3-year-old to stand her ground against a lion? Is it brave for the boy in this video to say “kitty kitty”? It seems a fairly culturally specific reaction. As an adult, knowing what I do about both Plexiglass and lions, I’d probably still step back from this lionness because I recognize this behavior is (in other, non-Plexiglassed circumstances) very dangerous. Continue reading Op-Ed: Seriously, Will Nature-Deficit Disorder Turn Fatal?

Business, Education, News

Kids! The “Doodle 4 Google” Window is Closing!

So here’s how the winning part works: All doodles need to be submitted by March 23. Then “a team of Googlers” and guest judges (Katy Perry, Phineas and Ferb creator and executive producer Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, recording artist Jordin Sparks) choose finalists. On May 2, a public vote will determine one winner from each grade group. First prize will be awarded on May 17th, with the winning Google doodler’s art showcased on google.com on May 18th. Continue reading Kids! The “Doodle 4 Google” Window is Closing!

Education, News

UW Special Collections: Don’t Panic! We’ll Be Reproducing Digitally

“As of January 20, 2012, due to the closure of the Classroom Support Services Photography lab,” reads the notice on the University of Washington Special Collections page, “we will temporarily be unable to provide photographic prints or digital scans. We are actively exploring alternative services. Photocopy services are not affected by this change. We apologize for this inconvenience.” Continue reading UW Special Collections: Don’t Panic! We’ll Be Reproducing Digitally

Education, News

State Supreme Court Demands “Ample” Education Funding, But Careful What You Wish For

Pointedly, the justices remark: “This court cannot idly stand by as the legislature makes unfulfilled promises for reform.” Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown shot back that “the Supreme Court could help out the Legislature by taking a closer look at the constitutionality of a citizen initiative that forces lawmakers to get a two-thirds vote on any tax or fee change,” reports Tacoma’s News Tribune.

Of course, the state constitution refers only to primary and secondary education. The state has been making great strides in getting out of postsecondary education completely. Continue reading State Supreme Court Demands “Ample” Education Funding, But Careful What You Wish For

Education, News

Whoops! Discovery Math Wasn’t Key to Mercer Middle School’s Success

“Scrapping the district’s mandated math textbook” has to be the most controversial move–Rosenthal allows that it’s “the most talked about”–given that Mercer Middle School hadn’t been given permission to do it. They went rogue. It’s kind of a big deal. When the Seattle Weekly was attempting to explain why school board members hung onto their positions in the last election, they pointed to Mercer Middle School’s test scores. Continue reading Whoops! Discovery Math Wasn’t Key to Mercer Middle School’s Success

Education, News, Politics

Ask an Economist: What’s the Deal with College Tuition?

I’ve written before about what I think could be called, fairly, the runaway costs of higher education. But what, I wondered, does an economics professor think of this trend?

On the one hand, viewed with an economist’s famously dispassionate eye, perhaps we’re simply seeing the true value of higher education set. On the other, as a professor of economics, there would be some skin in the game. Is this what’s best for students? For society? Continue reading Ask an Economist: What’s the Deal with College Tuition?