Posted by: Tom Haig
on 01, May, 2013
Tagged in:
Youth guarantee ,
Teachers Council ,
MOE ,
Ministry of Education ,
John Key ,
John Banks ,
Hekia Parata ,
education politics ,
education policy ,
education ,
Christchurch schools ,
change ,
Catherine Isaac ,
Bulk Funding ,
Buildings ,
Bill English
It was widely agreed that Parata had a rough year in 2012 and was lucky to keep her portfolio – albeit now saddled with a mini-van load of associate ministers who are doing most of the work.
Despite supposedly being the Ronald Reagan of the National Party she alienated the sector, baffled the public, struggled in the House and burned through her staff.
Posted by: Tom Haig
on 10, Nov, 2012
Tagged in:
secondary schools ,
public education ,
private schools ,
National Party Education Policy ,
Maori achievement ,
Hekia Parata ,
funding ,
Fees ,
equity ,
education spending ,
education politics ,
education policy ,
education
So a day after announcing the closure of two residential special schools, Parata announces the government is going to be giving $3 million a year to Wanganui Collegiate.
Collegiate is a decile 10 school, which according to the 2011 ERO report had no Pasifika students and 11% Maori.
The same ERO report praised its ‘relatively small class sizes’ which enabled teachers to know their students well, and commented on the ‘success rates considerably above national comparison levels.’ Yep, well that’s what a top private school is supposed to do, right?
Parata and Longstone have been berating schools and teachers to raise the achievement of Maori, Pasifika, special needs and students from low-socio-economic status families - these are supposed to be the priority learners that are the Minister’s ‘unrelenting’ focus.
Posted by: Michael James Stevenson
on 01, Oct, 2012
From 26 to 28 September 2012, I had the privilege of accompanying the inspirational Karran Harper - Royal during her visit to Ōtautahi (Christchurch).
Karran is a public education advocate and Hurricane Katrina survivor from New Orleans.
Christchurch was an obvious destination for Karran to visit while in New Zealand and warn the community about the attacks on public education they can expect as government attempts to find cost effective (cheaper) ways of rebuilding education after a natural disaster. In New Orleans, the federal government did this by introducing charter schools. In doing so, parents lost their democratic right to elect local education boards.
Originally, I was going to write this post as a diary of Karran's many appointments and meetings in Christchurch, but over two and half days there were simply too many to write a full narrative in this forum. So, instead, I will be reflecting on two important points I discovered during Karran's visit to earthquake devastated Christchurch - School choice and democracy in education.
Karran Harper-Royal warns the Unlimited staff not to follow the New Orleans experience of education reform.
Posted by: Michael James Stevenson
on 26, Sep, 2012
A review of the 25 September 2012 Mike Feinberg seminar at Victoria University Law School
If you enjoy eating a bowl of cold sick for breakfast, you should attend one of Mike Feinberg's two remaining New Zealand seminars about his U.S based charter schools franchise KIPP (Knowledge is Power).
I was surprised when an e-mail from Victoria University arrived inviting me to a lecture by Mr Feinberg, as these slots are normally reserved for experts or academics to speak on a particular topic. In this case, the ACT lobby seems to have broken through the University's peer review process and managed to get a snake oil salesman from America on stage. Despite a myriad of international research on charter schools and an April 2012 research report by twelve academics at Massey University, none were invited to speak.
Posted by: Michael James Stevenson
on 19, Sep, 2012
My view of the Thursday 13th September education announcements in greater Christchurch
The aim of this blog post is to provide clarity for PPTA members around the events of Thursday 13th September 2012 in Christchurch.
