Some WI ed-system "aftermath"

[Badger52]

Few interesting points that have a nexus to the previous kerfuffle as a nearby city gets ready for 2012-13 school terms, with some snippets. Knowing there are several who have continued teaching or being involved in public education I'd be interested in observations, good/bad/ugly.

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/top-five-changes-for-la-crosse-students-this-year/article_6ff350d4-e9af-11e1-ace7-001a4bcf887a.html

Students will learn new things, in new ways, in new buildings, under new standards. And teachers will work without a union contract.
Even the report cards will look different.
New, tougher classroom standards are probably the biggest change facing teachers and students this year, Superintendent Randy Nelson said.

Part of a state-promised education reform was the introduction of so-called “Common Core” standards for basic subjects such as math, English and science.
Instead of a letter or number grade, four indicators will track a student’s progress toward year-end goals. Earlier in the year, the grades will show if a student is struggling or on path to meet year-end targets. Late in the year, grades will show if a student has achieved the goals
Under the old way of calculating state test scores, 81.9 percent of Wisconsin students scored proficient or advanced in reading, and 78 percent scored proficient or advanced in math. Those numbers drop to 35.8 percent and 48.1 percent, respectively, under the new standards.

[Pete]

I see the union goons are still not happy.

[Badger52]

I see the union goons are still not happy.Nope. What was omitted from much of the previous rhetoric in-the-moment ("this governor has cost us thousands of teachers") is now finally being reported for what it was: ripcords on golden parachutes, or the foreign profs on lucrative deals going on to other things. The unions, around here anyway, have never represented "education" itself. (On the river we tend to terminate lampreys with extreme prejudice.)

Being of empty-nest, on the surface I sense a return to a desire for proficiency in some basic academics, first, then balanced with other things. Been wrong before, we'll see how it pans out I guess. I haven't heard of any programs usually touted as being endangered species being cut because of funding issues. Maybe they can afford them because they're not under the previous pension/health insurance stranglehold. Districts who had quit crying early & got to work seem to be doing the best.

Probably nothing to the union worry about teacher evals done by locally-elected school-board folks they don't have in their pocket.

[Badger52]

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has covered this initiative (http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/state-creates-new-path-to-teacher-license-j96igd3-166831206.html), also not without its hand-wringing. Snippets:
Aspiring public-school teachers who have a college degree and some nontraditional K-12 teaching experience may pursue a new track to become a licensed educator in Wisconsin, the Department of Public Instruction announced Monday in a move praised by Gov. Scott Walker but questioned by some leaders of the state's formal education schools.

The new pathway allows an individual with three years of teaching experience - such as in a private school, workplace training center, child care center or postsecondary institution - to apply for a teaching license by submitting a portfolio of work to the DPI for review.
The new pathway also fulfills a campaign platform issue for Walker, who called for strengthening the teaching profession by opening the door to aspiring teachers with real-world experience.