Obama appears to have done something good

[Imran Siddiqui]

I know I'll regret responding to Ben, but awarding money to states that try new and innovative approaches that seem to be working is a bad thing? Don't we want to encourage them to innovate? It's like a market solution - provide incentives and watch as competition spurs innovation.

[Hauldren Collider]

Don't feed the trolls, Imran.

I know I'll regret responding to Ben

QFT

[Boris Godunov]

You'll have to give him credit for more than that, at least according to The Economist:

http://www.economist.com/node/16846494

[DaShi]

At the risk of being an elitist, No Child Left Behind misses the mark in that it fails to address the challenge to motivate and inspire the gifted and talented and strive to push them in favor of minimum standards. Assuming these so called gifted and talented are the individuals most likely to have the largest impact to society and societal advances it seems a symptomatic cure at best.

Yes, the gifted and talented are really struggling in America. :rolloftheeyes:

[onodera]

Tying teachers' pay to their pupils' test results means that talented teachers won't even try to teach in underperforming schools, where they're needed the most.

[Hauldren Collider]

You'll have to give him credit for more than that, at least according to The Economist:

http://www.economist.com/node/16846494

Tell me this is a joke. You're joking, right?

[Ben Kenobi]

I know I'll regret responding to Ben, but awarding money to states that try new and innovative approaches that seem to be working is a bad thing? Don't we want to encourage them to innovate? It's like a market solution - provide incentives and watch as competition spurs innovation.

One, the money is coming from the federal government.

Two, the money is going to the entire state, not to the individual schools.

That's not competition, that's a slush fund.

Incentives are great when they have teeth. IE, if teachers were evaluated every year and the top performing teachers were awarded bonuses, that is an incentive. Awarding a district extra funds because of how their teachers perform, that's not quite the same thing, is it?

[Boris Godunov]

Tell me this is a joke. You're joking, right?

Why's it a joke? The Economist doesn't appear to be laughing.

[Imran Siddiqui]

And to be quite honest, I agree with them. I thought it'd be a horrible boondoggle, but the Obama Administration impressed in its running of GM.

[Imran Siddiqui]

One, the money is coming from the federal government.

Two, the money is going to the entire state, not to the individual schools.

That's not competition, that's a slush fund.

The states are not competing against each other for funds? That's a fun, albeit wrong, idea. It is the STATES who are putting in place new policies here. And who cares if the money is coming from the feds?

Incentives are great when they have teeth. IE, if teachers were evaluated every year and the top performing teachers were awarded bonuses, that is an incentive. Awarding a district extra funds because of how their teachers perform, that's not quite the same thing, is it?

Why is better performance = more money not a valid incentive? That's exactly what happens in the private sector.

[ricketyclik]

Tying teachers' pay to their pupils' test results means that talented teachers won't even try to teach in underperforming schools, where they're needed the most.

Unless students are baselined before beginning with a teacher, and it's their improvement that's assessed.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

In the spirit of screwing over base constituencies

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/08/25/25greenwire-obama-admin-urges-supreme-court-to-vacate-gree-42072.html

[DaShi]

If there's any poster who fits the meaning of "ax to grind" perfectly, it is Oggie.

[Hauldren Collider]

In the spirit of screwing over base constituencies

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/08...ree-42072.html

He's on a roll

Now if only he would start bombing Iran already I'd be sold. Except for that healthcare law.

[RoboCon]

Let's have a look, shall we, at Obama's first 18 months in office, to run concurrently. 6 million chosen people dead? Try to spin that, Mr. Gibbs. Obama's affair with the Kenyan Katrina? The no pants presidency :lol Now come the Muslim crusades, and it all starts at ground zero with 9-11. Build the border 20 feet high and the Obama ego still flourishes. People, it is time to take our country back, but all I see are liberal sheep. It will begin in the south, on 9-11.