http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-909595.mp3
Albany, NY – "THE DEATH AND LIFE OF THE GREAT AMERICAN SCHOOL SYSTEM: HOW TESTING AND CHOICE ARE UNDERMINING EDUCATION"
Part One: NCLB and the Proposed Elementary and Secondary Education Act -
The Obama administration hopes to remake the American public school system with MORE choice and accountability. But award-winning author, Diane Ravitch, calls for caution.
Dr. Ravitch is a Research Professor of Education at New York University and distinguished historian of American education. She has been a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. And from 1991 to 1993, she was Assistant Secretary of Education and Counselor to then Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander during the President George H.W. Bush administration. Ravitch was appointed to the National Assessment Governing Board by the Clinton administration. She blogs for HuffingtonPost.com and EdWeek.org. She is the author or editor of over twenty books.
Ravitch fears if the changes the president and his advisors are now proposing go through, students will continue to leave schools with an inadequate education - to the detriment of society and the economy.
She chronicles all this in her latest book. This week, we talk with Ravitch about the last eight years of No Child Left Behind, which she now describes a failure. And we get her opinion on the proposed renewal efforts the administration is calling ESEA, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Glenn Busby reports. (11:52)
**(Programming Note Addendum: Next week, Diane Ravitch talks with us about the Race to the Top competition for federal dollars, parental involvement, and the need for greater community and school leadership.)**
"PUT TO THE TEST:
HOW STANDARDIZED TESTING IS CHANGING EDUCATION"
Part 6 of a 6 Part Documentary Series -
Our previous story with Diane Ravitch, talked about No Child Left Behind. Our next story is the final chapter in our ongoing documentary series "Put to the Test." It demonstrates the real-life impact of NCLB in action.
We return you know for the last time to Western Guilford High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. We're looking at how standardized testing is affecting teachers and students.
Our last episode in May, in TBOOK Show # 1025, left off with student Jessica Giardullo. When Jessica started high school, she was put in a special set of classes to help her catch up on basic skills and improve her test scores. She does well. And by 10th grade, teachers are recommending her for advanced level classes. But Jessica is still not very enthusiastic about school.
TBOOK wraps up this series from North Carolina Public Radio.
Emily Hanford reports. (7:37)