Jim McLaughlin's Blog

Dear Deborah, I have been fascinated by the continuing commentary and controversy about the results of the international tests of reading, mathematics, and science known as PISA (the Program for International Student Assessment). President Barack Obama and Secretary Arne Duncan immediately said that the mediocre standing of American students was “a Sputnik moment,” which should Read more

Under No Child Left Behind, the federal government requires school districts to use 1 percent of Title I money to fund programs that involve parents in the schools and provides another $39 million annually for 62 Parental Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs) that provide training and information for both parents and district personnel to bolster Read more

10 Things Charter Schools Won’t Tell You – SmartMoney.com. Read more

Last night I read and posted the clip on ‘21 Things That Became Obsolete in the Last Decade‘. Well, just for kicks, I put together my own list of ’21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020’. 1. Desks The 21st century does not fit neatly into rows. Neither should your students. Allow Read more

A new report concludes that contrary to popular perception — including that of Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s — most U.S. public schools require at least as much or even more instructional time for students than countries touted for their high performance on international tests, including Finland, Japan and South Korea. via Report busts myth that Read more