Education Weak

ABC's 20/20: Universal Pre-School Clip With Me

2009-03-14T15:42:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed 20/20 with John Stossel, Bailouts & Bull%#@&, Friday night, here's the segment where I appear.If you can't see the video, go here.

John Stossel 20/20 Reason.tv Special March 13th

2009-03-05T11:55:00.000-08:00

On Friday, March 13 don't miss the ABC News 20/20 special, "Bailouts, Big Government and Bull" hosted by John Stossel. The special will feature Drew Carey of Reason.tv and was inspired by several Reason.tv videos, including "Universal Preschool," which examines much ballyhooed programs that offer publicly funded preschool, and asks whether they truly help educate kids or are a waste of money.For

Sacramento school district restricts school choice

2009-03-05T11:41:00.000-08:00

In Elk Grove, California ...On Tuesday, trustees voted unanimously to cap the number of students who can transfer from their neighborhood school to another through open enrollment at 5 percent.Last school year, 240 children normally bound for Eddy chose open enrollment. Most went to Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle, a new school in the neighborhood. For the coming school year, an additional 240

Democrats Against Education Reform: D.C. Voucher Edition

2009-03-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

Last week the House Democrats passed a spending bill that would end the DC Scholarship program after the 2009-2010 school year. The Washington Post examines the Democrats real motives in defunding a tiny program that provides higher quality education choice for students in low-performing public schools during a time when spending billions is almost passe:But the debate unfolding on Capitol Hill

Oakland Charter Schools Outperform District Schools

2009-02-10T08:40:00.001-08:00

Charter public schools in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) are outperforming their district public school peers at all grade levels, with high-poverty students, with English Language Learner (ELL) students and with ethnic minority students with the exception of whites, according to a new report released today by the California Charter Schools Association. The report also found that

Philadelphia School Privatization Revisited

2009-02-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

A new study by Paul E. Peterson and Matthew M. Chingos of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University offers the real story on the school privatization experiment in Philadelphia.In 2002, the Philadelphia School Reform Commission contracted with the for-profit education management organization Edison Schools to manage 20 of the district’s under-performing schools, and with

No Espresso Machine Left Behind

2009-01-07T13:27:00.001-08:00

Headlines that say it all...VIa today's Chicago Tribune: Chicago schools' espresso machines a waste of money, inspector reportsDistrict overpaid; many go unusedOr another compelling argument for giving the public schools their share of the stimulus package.

Two Reasons to Like Chicago's Arne Duncan for Education Secretary

2008-12-16T12:33:00.000-08:00

Obama has chosen Chicago Public Schools Chief Arne Duncan for education secretary.Duncan was one of our good picks in Shikha Dalmia's analysis of the best picks for Obama's cabinet.There are really two reasons to like Duncan. On the one hand Chicago public schools have only shown moderate improvement during Duncan's tenure. On the other hand, Duncan embraces two public school ideas that have the

Dehumanizing Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T13:42:00.000-08:00

After spending several weeks making Thanksgiving costumes out of colorful construction paper, the school board has decreed that kindergartners in Claremont public schools may not wear these "demeaning", "racist", & "dehumanizing" costumes to celebrate the first Thanksgiving. The instigator is a Professor of Native American literature......Raheja, whose mother is a Seneca, wrote the letter upon

School District Asset Sales: Charter Edition

2008-11-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

This seems like such an obvious win-win situation. Creating new revenue for a school district and giving charter schools desperately needed facilities. The St. Paul, Minnesota Star Tribune reports on the deal:Under the proposal: • Franklin Middle School, 1501 Aldrich Av. N.: Likely would be sold to WISE Charter School, a K-7 program on the North Side that serves about 300 students and plans to

Big, Bad Public School Monopoly: Charter Edition

2008-11-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

The Sacramento Unified school district is unwilling to share the school enrollment process with Sacramento charter schools. Even though Sacramento charters are legally public schools, the district treats them like private competitors when it comes to providing information to parents. Here are the rules the district has set up for charter school enrollment. The Sacramento Bee reports:The proposed

Building Obama's Cabinet: Education Edition

2008-11-18T12:36:00.000-08:00

Reason Foundation's Shikha Dalmia examines President-elect Barack Obama's options for his cabinet. Dalmia writes, "It would be smart policy and politics for Obama to recruit not establishment liberals, but people with a wide-array of views that reflect the ideological diversity of the voters who elected him. Limited government and open markets are ideas that are inextricably woven into the DNA of

Be Our Guest

2008-11-17T23:32:00.000-08:00

Last Friday's performances of Beauty and the Beast weren't what you'd expect of a grade school play because Paul Dean Martin of PDM Young Actors isn't an ordinary director.With his encouragement and expectations, he's got these kids playing way out of their league. Five weeks from casting with twice a week rehearsals and no kid past the sixth grade, the curtain rises. That's professionalism. Sets

On Air Today In Milwaukee

2008-11-12T15:02:00.000-08:00

I'll be on the Vicki McKenna show a little after 3:00 PM PST today to discuss Universal Pre-School. For you Cheese Heads, that's 1310 AM in Madison or 1130 AM in Milwaukee. The rest of you can listen live online at either web site.

Step Away from the Cake!!

2008-11-12T11:58:00.000-08:00

Last night a local CBS news report picked up the story of how the Governator has helped to ban bake sales in California schools.In California it's still legal to sell cupcakes, cookies and brownies in a bakery ... but not at a school bake sale.That fundraising slice of Americana - loaded with sugar and fat - has been banned in California schools by government order, reports CBS News correspondent

California Charters Improve Achievement for Disadvantaged Students

2008-11-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

Today's Los Angeles Times reports on a new survey from the California Charter Schools Association that shows that when using the Academic Performance Index as a measuring tool, 12 of the top 15 public schools in California that cater primarily to poor children are charters.The association, which is an advocate for charter schools, focused on schools where at least 70% of the children qualify for

Which School Choice for the Obama Girls?

2008-11-10T12:36:00.000-08:00

Over at Hit and Run, Reason's Nick Gillespie has been covering the question of where Obama will send his children to school.As Nick notes:At Barack Obama's first press conference as president-elect, Chicago Sun-Times reporter Lynn Sweet asked whether Obama would be sending his children to private or public schools in Washington. He replied that no decision has yet been made and that he and

Marshall Fritz, R.I.P.

2008-11-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

Marshall Fritz, the longtime libertarian leader who founded the Advocates for Self-Government and created the world-famous World's Smallest Political Quiz, died November 4th of pancreatic cancer at the age of 65. At reason online, I remember him as an eloquent champion who believed and practiced the notion that liberty starts at home. I knew Marshall Fritz as the founder of the Alliance for the

Kevin Johnson--Charter School Leader--Mayor-Elect of Sacramento

2008-11-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

Perhaps one bright spot in California politics is the election of basketball star Kevin Johnson as the Mayor of Sacramento.As the Center for Education Reform reports:While Johnson is known for being one of the NBA’s greatest point guards, his true claim to fame is (or ought to be) his successful charter school organization, St. Hope Academy, serving nearly 1,500 disadvantaged students in

Why is School Construction so Expensive? LA Supersize Me Edition

2008-11-03T13:27:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Los Angeles residents will vote on the largest local school bond in the history of the US--on the ballot at $7 billion.Dr. Jay Greene has been having a discussion about school construction costs over at his blog that is relevant to the LA proposition. He is covering local school construction and discussing whether buiilding a new Fayetteville high school is necessary or adds value. He

Weighted Student Funding

2008-08-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

I know that everyone assumes that the model for Batman's Gotham City is New York but I am convinced that it's more likely to be downtown Chicago.I'm in Chicago at the 35th annual ALEC meeting where I'll be presenting model legislation designed to implement Weighted Student Funding.Basically, the legislation introduces competition into public schools by allowing students and parents to choose high

More than One Third of LAUSD Students Don't Graduate

2008-07-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

I'm scheduled tonight at a little after 7:00 pm (PDT) on the Al Rantel Show on KABC Los Angeles.Likely topic: LAUSD's astronomical drop out rate and some alternatives that might help.More than one-third of Los Angeles Unified high school students drop out, according to a new study released Wednesday.....The district's four-year dropout rate of 33.6 percent was well above the statewide average of

2008-07-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

The Million Dollar Cowboy BarHey, it's Mr Lisa Snell and I just got a text from Mrs TWC who is here:The band is great--they're playing Skynyrd.....Don't seem right somehow. Mr Mom is here at Casa de las Rocas Grandes. The kids are reading and making sugar cookies. I'm drinking some Amador County Zinfandel.Lisa is in Jackson Hole at a confab put on by the Alliance For School Choice. We had planned

2008-06-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

Flunked II (Update)Hey, me again, Mr. Snell.In my furor, I failed to mention that Lisa provided much of the impetus and connectivity that went into the making of the documentary Flunked (trailer here) . You'll see her name in the credits of the film itself and she appears in the outtakes.BTW, I just got a text message that she was zipping down Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom, which [gasp]

2008-06-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

Foundation for Education ExcellenceGood Morning, it's Mr Lisa Snell, subbing in for my better half.Lisa is in Fla. for a few days at the Foundation for Education Excellence conference. That's Jeb Bush's baby. Pretty sure those guys are focused on Florida schools and reforming some of the legal impediments to implementing tiny little bits and pieces of school choice. I think she's interviewing a

2008-06-11T21:34:00.000-07:00

New Orleans' Kids Get VouchersTonight, more good school choice news for New Orleans.In a major legislative success for Gov. Bobby Jindal, the Louisiana Senate voted 25-12 Wednesday for a bill that would let up to 1,500 low- to middle-income students in New Orleans attend private schools at taxpayer expense. Already approved by the House, the school voucher bill by Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans

2008-06-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

More on Universal PreschoolToday at Education Week, Linda Jacobson reports on the long-term benefits of universal preschool from the Chicago Child Parent Program.I am the one and only skeptic in the article:But some experts caution that the children served by the Chicago program and similar efforts were very disadvantaged, and that providing such services to middle-class families in universal

2008-06-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

Senator Obama Should Reconsider Universal PreschoolIn today's Reason Foundation column, I look at Obama's early education plans. I decided to look at how the one state that has been the model for universal preschool for over a decade, Oklahoma, was performing on the National Assessment of Education Progress. Curiously, in the twelve states that are scolded by preschool advocacy groups for failing

2008-06-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Will a Democrat Please Stand Up?Will a Democrat Please Stand Up? Looking for someone to help kids stuck in California's failing schoolsBy Lisa SnellAcross the nation, Democrats are helping make 2008 a banner year for school choice, allowing parents to select the schools that are best-suited for their kids.Nationwide, there are now 24 school choice programs in 15 states. In 2008 new choice

2008-05-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

Is Alice Cooper a Terrorist?Via my husband, The Wine CommonsewerIt occurs to me that by modern standards, this guy is a fargin' terrorist. I mean, look at these lyrics:School's out for summerSchool's out foreverSchool's been blown to piecesEmphasis mine. But can we be too careful? What would happen to a seventh grader running through the halls on the last day of school, not singing, but gleefully

2008-05-16T14:12:00.000-07:00

Charter School Competition Works: LA EditionOver at Flypaper, Liam Julian offers more proof that competition has positive effects on public schools. He writes about how competition from charters is helping Houston public schools:HISD school board member Diana Davilla told the Chronicle about KIPP,“They’re attracting more students than we are. Somewhere, we’re missingsomething because they’re

2008-05-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

College in California: Still a BargainThe big news today is that both California State University and the University of California will raise tuition fees. From the Sacramento Bee:The cost of a university degree for the more than 500,000 undergraduate students at the state's public universities went up Wednesday.Fees will increase 10 percent this fall for students in the California State

2008-05-13T13:04:00.001-07:00

Virtual Schools Are The FutureI'm speaking today at UCSD about the exciting future of virtual education.PDF is here.

2008-04-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

Two notable new education blogs.Two great new additions to the education blogosphere.First, education scholar and economist Jay P. Greene from the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform and Manhattan Institute fame has an appropriately self-titled education blog.Today, he looks at the "more money myth," riffing off of a Sunday Los Angeles Times story that bemoans the lack of state

2008-04-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

Nonprofit Charters to Run D.C. Failing SchoolsMichelle Rhee moves forward on her plan to use outside providers and charter schools to restructure DC's low-performing schools. Rhee seems to be taking an approach that includes parents in the discussion.Via today's Washington Post.D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee plans to hire up to six nonprofit educational companies to help run the city's

2008-04-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Over 100,000 California Teachers Getting Pinkslips?In this Reason commentary I take on the myth of the California teacher layoffs.The California Teachers Association is currently running a statewide advertising campaign claiming that the proposed education budget cuts will result in 107,000 teachers losing their jobs.Similarly, if you've picked up any newspaper in California recently you have

2008-04-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Longing for a JetBlue Education ModelCompetition works and fast. I love JetBlue.Via today's Los Angeles Times:Even as rising fuel costs are grounding weaker airlines -- including three this month -- airline competition is heating up for travelers flying the Pacific coast.On the runway is JetBlue Airways Corp. with new 100-seat jets that will begin flying next month from Long Beach up and down the

2008-03-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

California Homeschooling PanicA California court has a ruling that implies that California's more than 166,000 homeschoolers are simply truant and their parents are criminals.Today's San Francisco Chronicle covers the panic.The ruling arose from a child welfare dispute between the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services and Philip and Mary Long of Lynwood, who have been

2007-11-26T18:06:00.001-08:00

Sometimes A Cigar Is STILL A Cigar(even if someone already smoked it)Gentle Readers,Hi, it's Mr Education Weak with a little screed for today that just may be marginally connected to education issues.To protect the flavor and to keep the cigar from drying out, Romeo Y Julieta Cigars come in a really fancy aluminum tube with a cushioned screw cap. After a night out with the Kosmik Kid in Palm

2007-08-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

Universal Preschool Falls in VirginiaVia the Washington PostVirginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine on Thursday scrapped his campaign promise to provide universal access to pre-kindergarten, announcing that he will instead push to more than double the number of underprivileged 4-year-olds eligible for early education at the state's expense.Faced with a looming lean state budget and skeptical Republicans

2007-08-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

Universal Preschool in Chicago, NOT UNIVERSALOne of the little published but obvious facts about universal preschool is that when you make programs universal, there is less money for poorer more disadvantaged children. And parents and policymakers who represent communities who are not as disadvantaged are more savvy about directing resources to their children first. And even in disadvantaged

2007-08-02T11:25:00.001-07:00

California's Lost StudentsJoanne Jacobs pens a column for Reason Foundation on how many English Language Learners do not learn to read and write in California schools.As the Sacramento Bee recently reported based on demographic projections announced by the state Department of Finance, California's economic future could well be shaped by the success -- or setbacks -- of Hispanics, the coming

2007-08-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Gold Standard Study Shows Charters Score High in NYCAnother great study from Harvard's Caroline Hoxby that shows New York City charter schools scoring higher and with more disadvantaged kids.Via Education WeekStudents in New York City charter schools are, on average, posting higher gains in reading and mathematics than they would have had they attended the city’s regular public schools, a

2007-08-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

Stolen DreamsI think it is terrible for individual students that UPrep charter school in Oakland cheated and lied about rising test scores. However, the school board's quick move to close the school after reviewing the evidence is to the board's credit and is the great benefit of the accountability of charter schools.No one ever writes headlines like this one in the San Francisco Chronicle, "

2007-08-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

Meanwhile Paterson, New Jersey Still Horrible Place to LearnDespite the Abbott school adequacy lawsuit, universal pre-k, state intervention, and a $15,000 + per-pupil investment,Paterson district still failing in every way.The 28,000-student Paterson district, which has been under state control since 1991 because of fiscal mismanagement and poor academics, failed to show satisfactory progress

2007-08-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Good "School Choice" News from New OrleansMany folks have been very skeptical of the school choice based charter system in New Orleans. The charter schools seem to be working out for the kids that choose them.Via the Times PicayuneIn a ranking of the city's schools by percentage of students scoring at basic or above in English and math, the state's barometer for acceptable performance, 17 of the

2007-07-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Preschool Reality Check in New JerseyMy column on universal preschool in the Abbott districts ran today in the Bergen Record.I say:IN NEW JERSEY the promises made about the benefits of universal preschool in the Abbott districts have reached unparalleled heights. Recently, Record Columnist Mary Ellen Schoonmaker explained why preschool is "a new front in the nation's war on poverty." Yet, in the

2007-07-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

Clear backpacks or Asinine School Policies Volume 1,234This should be out of an Onion story.But alas, it is another chapter in the ongoing saga of sudents and parents versus dumb school board policies.Via the Dallas NewsAt least the school board for Dallas Unified came to their senses and rescinded the policy. But as reported below, there are school districts in America that require students to

2007-07-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

How NOT to Build a SchoolVIA the Los Angeles TimesThe Belmont Learning Complex was envisioned as one of a kind. It would combine the city's first new high school in nearly 30 years with housing and retail development — extras that could raise money to help cap construction costs at about $45 million.When the school opens in 2008, at least nine years behind schedule, it will indeed make history —

2007-07-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

Big FAT Surprise HereMore than $1 Billion in federal spending on nutrition programs has NOT reduced childhood obesity.The federal government will spend more than $1 billion this year on nutrition education:It emphasizes fresh carrot and celery snacks, videos of dancing fruit, and hundreds of hours of lively lessons about how great you will feel if you eat well.But an Associated Press review of

2007-06-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

Colbert on No Child Left BehindI love this.It is the exact theme of my Reason story How Schools Cheat.

2007-06-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

Paycheck Protection, the Supreme Court, & School ChoiceThe Evergreen Freedom Foundation has won a huge legal battle today.Today the United States Supreme Court announced it has overturned the Washington Supreme Court’s ruling in Washington v. Washington Education Association and Davenport v. Washington Education Association (WEA). The cases are the culmination of a decade’s worth of work by

2007-06-08T21:53:00.000-07:00

Mr MomI've been House Dad this week while Lisa is camped out at the Hyatt Regency across the river from the most recognizable skyline in the known world.The Alliance For School Choice hosts this strategy confab called Battling in the Trenches for those who believe that choice is more than some reproductive rights buzzword. Why is it that so many people are pro-choice except when it comes to where

2007-05-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

Charter School Districts In GeorgiaIn a potentially strong form of public school choice and competition, Georgia has passed a new law allowing entire school districts to seek charter status. This law would allow districts to opt-out of work rules and credentialing mandates and state mandates like class-size reduction in exchange for fiscal and academic accountability.A plan that could give

2007-05-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

UPK: Boston Vs. FloridaI report, you decide.Ok so Boston has a universal program run by the public schools, featuring teachers with bachelors degrees. yada yada yadaBoston preschools falling far short of goals, study saysTeacher quality, site safety faultedBy Tracy Jan, Globe Staff April 7, 2007Boston's public preschool and kindergarten programs are hobbled by mediocre instruction, unsanitary

2007-05-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Times Round IIIToday we debate teacher tenure.I say:Despite Ralph and Walter's horror stories, there is a significant reason to be skeptical of our current tenure system in Los Angeles Unified. It has created intolerable working conditions for teachers, who are less concerned about "lifetime security" than their day-to-day school experience.Tenure and lock-step salary schedules

2007-05-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Evaluating Florida's Universal Preschool VouchersThis seems like it will be a huge dilemma for the folks at Pre-K Now and other preschool advocacy groups. On the one hand, they lean heavily toward state-run preschool programs with teachers with bachelor’s degrees. Yet, Florida’s new evaluation of kindergartners seems to bode well for a choice-based program where the money follows the child.Here

2007-05-16T09:43:00.000-07:00

The Proliferation of Charter School Choice.For yet another look at the diversity of charter schools in the United States, check out these 53 charter schools, recognized by the Center for Education Reform for their excellence.Similarly, the California charter schools association recently awarded accreditation to 39 charters based on rigorous standards and evaluation.I like this ongoing trend of

2007-05-16T09:34:00.000-07:00

Mayor's Ticket WinsWill a win by the Mayor's candidates actually mean real reform for LAUSD? Yesterday I discussed the potential for reform in Los Angeles schools with a Mayor majority on the school board. However, I will believe in real reform when student outcomes change in Los Angeles.

2007-05-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Times Round IILet students vote with their dollarsBy Lisa SnellWhile transforming Los Angeles Unified will be a difficult job no matter who sits on the school board, I believe there are two significant impacts that could come from a win by the Mayor's candidates—Tamar Galatzan (District 3) and Richard Vladovic (District 7).First, since they are more open to charter schools, they could

2007-05-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Save Los Angeles Kids Volume IFor the next week, I will debate Cal Poly Pomona professors Walter P. Coombs and Ralph E. Shaffer on the pros and cons of education reform proposals at the Los Angeles Times opinion pages.The first installment is a debate over Mayor Villaraigosa as charter school authorizer in Los Angeles.They say:L.A. city councilman Richard Alarcón's plan to have Mayor Antonio

2007-05-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

Education quote of the year:VIA the Los Angeles Times:The principal of one of Los Angeles' most troubled high schools lashed out at the city school system Thursday, saying the behemoth organization is resistant to dramatic reforms needed at his campus and other low-performing schools."It is criminal to allow a school to continue on year after year, the way this one has," said Frank Wells, head of

2007-05-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Charters by the NumberNow more than ever the biggest school choice program in America.Via Center for Education Reform:The number of charter schools nationwide grew by 11 percent in 2006, serving a student body that is on average 53 percent minority and 54 percent low-income, according to the 2007 Annual Survey of America's Charter Schools, released today by the Center for Education Reform (CER).

2007-05-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

School Choice Revolution in Watts--Competition helps students and teachersVia the Los Angeles Times, more news on why Steve Barr and Green Dot public schools has single-handedly brought more choices to Los Angeles children:Challenging the balance of power in the city's public school system, a leading charter school organization is poised to wrest control of a failing high school from the elected

2007-05-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

A comeback...I know, I haven't blogged in a long time. But I'm going to attempt a comeback. I still blog over at Reason Foundation's Out of Control Blog. I am going to make an effort to cross-post and add new posts here. It is sad when my eight year old is better at keeping up her blog.

2006-11-19T20:17:00.000-08:00

Grading California's EducationHi, it's Mr. Lisa Snell here, guesting for the old lady, whose traveling to Lexington even as we speak. The following is cross-posted at The Wine Commonsewer.Looks like TWC may have to stop insulting people by asking them if they were educated in Californicate public schools. According to the latest information from my better half, California public schools have made

2006-11-02T13:19:00.000-08:00

No On California's Proposition 1-DWith Prop 1-D, California taxpayers are again being asked to sign off on a multi-billion dollar bond issue. Guess what? It's for the kids.Our local school district has been flirting dangerously close to tax-paid advocacy and may be over the line in principle, if not in fact, when it used tax dollars to promote this bond issue in two direct mailings. My analysis

2006-08-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

Cupcakes Need Not ApplyI flew back from Chicago on Saturday, which didn't leave a lot of prep time for my son's birthday on Monday. I took him to breakfast and, at his request, picked up some of those awful cupcakes they sell at the supermarket with the intention of handing them out at the end of class.Home baked goodies are already banned but I was surprised when Ms Eno reminded me of the new

2006-07-27T00:27:00.000-07:00

On The Air In The Windy CityOne explanation for calling it the Windy City because early Chicago politicians & boosters were so full of hot air.I'm scheduled on Eileen Byrne show on WLS 890 (Chicago) at approximately 10:00 AM Central (8:00 AM PDT) Thursday July 27. Listen live here.

2006-07-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Kids Can't Forge Notes AnymoreThings never change. Right? Seems like they don't but in my school district, the custom of sending a note to school explaining why your child was absent the day before has gone the way of the green chalkboard (they use white boards now). Administrators hope that the parents will make the call but if we don't the office secretary will. This must be more time efficient

2006-07-26T01:28:00.000-07:00

My Kind Of TownIf you happen to have a couple of spare twenties and you happen to be in Chicago Thursday drop by the Metropolitan Club in the Sears Tower for lunch. I'll be the July headline act for The Heartland Institute's 2006 Educational Choice Speaker Series.

2006-07-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

Off To WisconsinIt eats up your weekend to fly on Sunday morning, but Lisa is scheduled to testify before the Wisconsin legislature Monday morning so she's off to LAX. She'll be pointing out the pitfalls of the plan to lock Cheesehead kids into a universal pre-school style plan.She was a bit glum about the prospects and the flight. Being that my glass is always half-empty, I cheered her up with

2006-07-10T20:58:00.000-07:00

First Day Of SchoolIt's 2006 and my kids go to a public school in an upscale neighborhood. Why am I filling out Emergency Notification Cards in ink, by hand? Worse, there is a blue one and a white one containing identical information, both of which must be completed in detail, presumably to be filed in some sort of oversize throwback of a card catalogue for reference by the office staff at Wilson

2006-07-07T16:49:00.000-07:00

What Are They Learning?The three of us sisters and our families spent July 3rd at Huntington State Beach, which is exponentially more crowded than any beach in Hawaii. After a day in the sun, Jacob's ten-year-old cousin, Clayton, came home with us and stayed most of the week.Over grilled burgers one night, we were all regaling Clay with stories of our recent trip to Maui, and explaining how much

2006-06-18T00:23:00.000-07:00

....Cuz I Like Pina ColadasAt Napili Beach after Coconut Shrimp and the best French Onion soup ever.

2006-06-09T22:28:00.000-07:00

82: Down In FlamesThis isn't news any more so I just want to thank everyone for their support throughout this campaign. It is rare to best the educational establishment, particularly in California. The few of us throwing rocks at Goliath feel especially vindicated now.Is it too late to say here today, gone to Maui? We were on an early flight the day after the election......

2006-06-06T00:26:00.000-07:00

No On 82The same public school establishment that cannot keep your child safe in high school asks that you let them have your four year olds. Hyperbole? Perhaps, but it isn't much of a stretch.

2006-06-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

New York Times: David Brooks Says No On 82That isn't a big surprise coming from Mr. Brooks and this is nevertheless an important piece. It's a Sunday NYT op-ed and will be read nationwide by an audience who may not be familiar with California's Prop 82 or the concept of Universal Preschool in general (coming to your state soon). Any negative light cast is welcome.Read the whole story here.

2006-06-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

Preschool Heroes (Davids) & Villians (Goliaths)Over at Tykes on Trikes I'm listed as one of the heroes of the war on the Meathead Initiative (Prop 82). That put a big smile on my face.

2006-06-03T14:07:00.000-07:00

On Air NowI'm on KFSO right now with David Gold.Bay Area listeners can tune in 560 AM or listen live here.I'll also be on KFSO again at 4:10 - 4:30 on the Barbara Simpson show.Thanks for your interest.

2006-06-02T22:28:00.000-07:00

Upcoming AppearancesI'll be on C-Span's Washington Journal to discuss the universal preschool proposal on California's June 6 ballot, Saturday, June 3, at 9 a.m. EDT/6 a.m. PDT. For more information or to watch the program online, go here.I'm also scheduled on KABC's The Al Rantel Show at 2:00 p.m. Eastern/11:00 a.m. Pacific on Monday, June 5. Listen live here. KABC is home to Larry Elder

2006-05-30T13:10:00.000-07:00

On With The Junkyard Dogs of Talk RadioI'm scheduled for the four o'clock hour (PDT) with John & Ken on KFI AM 640 this afternoon along with Chris Cardiff, one of two authors of the new study noted below.Click here to listen live.

2006-05-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

Click on the picture above (or click here) for a podcast of a recent Prop 82 public appearance in Los Angeles.It should stream in Windows Media Player but it seems to want to download in other applications.Run time is about a half hour.Thanks for your interest.

2006-05-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

Reexamining RAND's Economic Case for Universal PreschoolNew Study: California's Preschool Benefits Were Miscalculated & OverstatedA Rand Corporation study that claims universal preschool will deliver $2.62 in benefits for every dollar spent by California taxpayers has been thoroughly discredited by two San Jose State University economics professors who show the Rand preschool study "cherry-picked

2006-05-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

Little Johnny Does IslamThe same 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that ruled the phrase under God in the Pledge of Allegiance to be an unconstitutional imposition of religion on the inmates of the public school system recently ruled that..... Reciting aloud Muslim prayers that begin with "In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful . . " Memorizing the Muslim profession of faith: "Allah is

2006-05-26T10:26:00.001-07:00

On Air Now....I'm talking about Universal Preschool on the Larry Mantle Show right now.Listen in So Cal on KPCC 89.3 FM or go here and listen live.ThanksUPDATE: One of my husband's clients just called him and asked if that was really me (Lisa) that he just heard on the radio. Always nice to know that somebody is listening out there.UPDATE: Listen to the archived show here. Scroll down to May 26,

2006-05-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

I'm delighted that the following Op-Ed appeared in the Orange County Register this morning here (free registration may be required)Preschool for all? Don't feed the beast Claims that preschool boosts reading scores later are at odds with history ABOUT THE AUTHORLisa Snell is director of education at Reason Foundation "Preschool for All"

2006-05-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

California Supreme Court Reinstates Exit ExamHigh School seniors who failed California's proficiency exam will be disappointed to learn that they probably are not going to graduate.That seems almost impossible because earning a passing grade on the proficiency exam only requires slightly more than half the right answers on a test that is geared to 8th grade math and 10th grade English.Right now

2006-05-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

Update on Full FocusApparently the show I'm taping this afternoon in San Diego will air at 6:30 PDT broadcast from SDSU (the Party School of the Great Southwest) on KBPS Channel 15 San Diego.The show will be archived here for a week. You can access the archive using Windows Media Player.Thanks for your interest.

2006-05-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

No Offense High SchoolThe latest incident in the public school culture wars comes from Liberty High School in Texas.Liberty is a first-year school and commemorated that event by portraying the first-year brand new Jefferson nickel on the cover of the year book. Of course, that meant removing the phrase In God We Trust from the yearbook's cover image.Janet Travis, principal of Liberty Elementary

2006-05-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

On Air This AfternoonI'll be in Pasadena today as a guest on Patt Morrison's show on KPCC (NPR) . It is scheduled live for 2:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time (5:00 EDT). I'm probably debating former venture capitalist Phil Halperin (again), president of Silver Giving and huge supporter of Universal Preschool. I'm tentatively scheduled for the early part of the program.There's a listen live

2006-05-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Banned In The DesertI was barred from the Pro-82 press conference in Indio so I hung around outside with my lowly stack of photocopied LA Times editorials from this morning (see previous post).On their way out, camera crews from the NBC & CBS affilliates in Palm Springs interviewed me. Send me an email and let me know if I made the Six O'Clock news. Thanks.CBS is Channel 2 and NBC is KMIR Channel

2006-05-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

LA Times Says NO on Prop 82This may or may not be a coup but it is certainly a huge boost to those of us struggling to keep Meathead's mitts off the fridge........Proposition 82, the initiative on the June 6 ballot that would provide preschool free of charge to every 4-year-old in California, has a defect common to most initiatives: It's so poorly designed that it could do more harm than good.

2006-05-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

Me & GoliathThere are a few other voices in the darkness besides mine and we all feel a little like Biblical David. It is a long uphill struggle to drive a stake into the heart of Universal Preschool in California.The measure (Prop 82) drew $2.4 million in contributions in 2005, much of it from Reiner's earnings as producer of Castle Rock Entertainment and from his father, actor and comedian Carl

2006-05-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

Meathead's Silver BulletI was quoted this morning in an Associated Press story by Juliet Williams that appeared in the Washington Post, Forbes.com, MSNBC and dozens of other places.Unfortunately, the gist of the story was a positive spin on the California's proposed Universal Preschool Initiative (Prop 82).The No on Proposition 82 campaign referred questions to Lisa Snell, director of education

2006-05-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

Not For The Convenience of Any ParentLisa had to turn down an appearance on network TV on Friday. Why? Well, the House Blond, Katie, has the lead in the second grade production of Little Red Riding Hood. Obviously the right choice.Then it occurs to me. Why is the play happening at 2:00 in the afternoon when most parents are at work? In fact, almost every public school event is scheduled during

2006-05-15T09:38:00.001-07:00

The Latest In The War On The Meathead InitiativeOn Tuesday morning, May 16, I will debate Prop 82 live from the Embarcadero in San Francisco on AM 960, The Quake (the Will & Willie Show) scheduled for 8:05 through 8:30 AM.Listen live here.I appreciate your interest.

2006-01-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

"New" Laptops for TeachersFlorida Governor Jeb Bush's proposal to give a laptop to every teacher in Florida is big news this week.All of Florida's nearly 164,000 public school teachers would receive laptop computers under a $237 million plan to recruit and retain educators, which Gov. Jeb Bush unveiled Monday at North Miami Middle School.This story is shocking for what it tells us about the state

2006-01-24T09:04:00.000-08:00

No Way Out: Community EditionIts not always just individual families that want to escape a low-performing school district. The Los Angeles Times reports on an entire community desperate to escape. Of course their home district is holding them and their money hostage.The move also would have meant that Ladera residents no longer would help pay off Inglewood school bonds — although they would have

2006-01-23T14:50:00.000-08:00

Amazon Rocks: Public School EditionA great New York Daily News investigation into the New York City Department of Education book purchasing practices.The bottom line: Amazon and Barnes and Noble are much cheaper!Despite massive buying power that could muscle big discounts, the city's Department of Education pays more for some books than everyday online bargain-hunters, a Daily News investigation