Members in the News
The world of politics and, specifically, education politics is constantly changing. Read the latest news updates on topics related to education, politics, and Teach For America alumni.
Teachers much make the grade in charter schools (Opinion)
The Washington Post , May 21, 2012
Most parents know who are the great teachers in their schools and who are the teachers to avoid. So on one level the resistance to evaluating teachers more systematically, rewarding good ones and encouraging bad ones to leave, is puzzling.
Eric DeSobe (Los Angeles '01) Named Local Hero
EmpowerLA's Leadership Academy , May 10, 2012
Eric DeSobe (Los Angeles '01) serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Del Rey Neighborhood Council, and explains advice he gave his students inspired him to become involved with his local Neighborhood Council--he always encouraged his students to get involved in their community and change it for the better.
Congratulations to LEE Members Rebecca Kaye (Atlanta '00), Genevieve Debose (Los Angeles '99), Toni Maraviglia (New York City '05) and Sophia Pappas (Newark '03) for making Education Week's list of Next Generation Education Leaders
Education Week, May 4, 2012
LEE members Rebecca Kaye (Atlanta '00), Genevieve Debose (Los Angeles '99), Toni Maraviglia (New York City '05) and Sophia Pappas (Newark '03) made Education Week's exclusive list of Next Generation Education Leaders which recognizes outstanding educators leading the transformation of education in this country in the coming generation.
LEE Member Neal Gorka (New York ’08): To Compete For Talent, Teaching Needs a Clear Career Pathway
Educators 4 Excellence, Apr 27, 2012
Neal Gorka (New York ’08) argues that teacher evaluations can make the profession more competitive by attracting young talent that has traditionally gone to more ‘distinguished’ fields.
Stand for Children Arizona Names John Fisher (Phoenix ’04) Executive Director
Phoneix Buisness Journal, Apr 27, 2012
After serving as interim Executive Director at Teach for America in Phoenix for six months, LEE member John Fisher (Phoenix ’04) has been appointed Executive Director of Stand for Children Arizona.
LEE Member Jess Bialecki (G.N.O. ’08) Recognized for Tech Innovation with Classroom Blueprint
Fast Company, Apr 20, 2012
Jess Bialecki (G.N.O. ’08) was awarded a top prize at Startup Weekend – Edu in New York City for her social network for teachers, Classroom Blueprint.
LEE Member Ana de Vries's (Greater New Orleans ’10) Educational Start-Up DASH is a Hit with Mobile App Developers
Nola.com, Apr 13, 2012
Founded by a team of teachers including LEE member Ana de Vries (GNO ’10), DASH is a smart phone application that facilitates communication between parents and teachers.
LEE Members Madeline Edison (Twin Cities ’09), James Kindle (Twin Cities ’09), and Sarah Schultes (Twin Cities ’09) Recommend Replacing LIFO in Minnesota
StarTribune, Apr 4, 2012
Though a heavy burden rests on their shoulders as teachers, including alleviating Minnesota's large achievement gaps, accelerating learning gains, and getting all children college- and career-ready—Madeline Edison (Twin Cities ’09), James Kindle (Twin Cities ’09), and Sarah Schultes (Twin Cities ’09) are up to the challenge.
Fourth grade teacher Rebekah Adamek (New York ’08) Shares Her Experience Working on an Educators 4 Excellence Policy Team
Educators 4 Excellence, Apr 2, 2012
LEE member and current fourth grade teacher Rebekah Adamek (New York ’08) joined the NY E4E Policy team to help shape education policy that impacts her students.
Kwame Griffith (Houston ’02): More Male Teachers of Color are Needed to Inspire Students in and Outside the Classroom
The Washington Post, Apr 2, 2012
Schools have always had difficulty attracting men of color to the teaching ranks. LEE member Kwame Griffith (Houston ’02) believes the way to narrow the achievement gap is by recruiting more black and Hispanic male teachers.
Anne O’Brien (Greater New Orleans ’03) Advocates for Strong Community Involvement in Schools
Edutopia, Mar 21, 2012
LEE member Anne O’Brien (Greater New Orleans ’03) writes about how vital family and community engagement is to a truly successful school and why we ought to celebrate and emulate the schools that do this work well.
MD State Senator Bill Ferguson (Baltimore ’05) Introduces Bill That Would Give Parents Time for Parent-Teacher Meetings
Education Week, Mar 20, 2012
MD State Senator Bill Ferguson is spearheading legislation that would require business owners to allow employees up to four hours of unpaid leave twice each semester to attend parent-teacher meetings.
Jason Kloth (Rio Grande Valley ’03) Named Indianapolis’s First Deputy Mayor of Education
Indianapolis Business Journal, Mar 19, 2012
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard has appointed Jason Kloth (Rio Grande Valley ’03) as deputy mayor of education, a new cabinet-level position that reflects Ballard’s recent shift toward taking a more active role in education.
Tamara Gilkes (New York ’08) Argues Effective Teacher Retention Data Should Be Included in Principal Evaluations
E4E: An Independent Voice for Teachers, Mar 15, 2012
Making the case that retaining effective teachers provides insight into intangible elements of a principal’s leadership such as a principal’s ability to support their staff, Tamara Gilkes (New York ’08) reasons that teacher retention should factor into principal evaluation.
Ryan Hall's (New York '07) Tale of Two Principals
E4E: An Independent Voice for Teachers, Mar 9, 2012
Ryan Hall (New York '07), a public charter school math teacher in Brooklyn and LEE member writes on the impact of excellent principal leadership and how one outstanding principal transformed him from a frustrated teacher about to leave the profession to a happy one.
Sarah Broome (South Louisiana ’08) Fights for School Board Approval of THRIVE, an Inner-City Baton Rouge Public Boarding School Modeled on SEED
The Advocate, Feb 23, 2012
THRIVE Executive Director Sarah Broome (S. Louisiana ’08) was motivated to found a school after her time in the classroom, where she “saw the limitless potential of children and wanted to create a place for them that offered limitless opportunity.”
Tina Hone (Bay Area ’92) Announces Creation of Coalition of the Silence, a Non-Profit for Underserved Children in Fairfax County, VA
Washington Post, Feb 23, 2012
The new group will advocate for the restoration of programs cut during the recession that are particularly important for children from poor families and will press for a closer examination of the disproportionate suspension and expulsion of minority students and students with disabilities from Fairfax County Schools.
LAUSD Board to Hold Off on Cuts to Pre-K and the Arts Thanks to Motion Proposed by Steve Zimmer (Los Angeles ’92)
Daily News Los Angeles, Feb 15, 2012
The LAUSD board unanimously approved a motion submitted by LEE member Steve Zimmer (Los Angeles ’92) to hold off on cuts that could have ended Pre-K, the arts, or adult education for at least one more month while they seek other options.
Op-Ed: How to Grade a Teacher
Los Angeles Times, Feb 10, 2012
Kyle Hunsberger (Los Angeles ’04), Los Angeles Unified School District math teacher, Teach Plus Teaching Policy Fellow, and LEE member argues teacher evaluation, including the use of reliable test data, can be good for students and teachers.
Three LEE Members Testify on Behalf of a Bill to End Seniority-Based Layoffs at the Minneapolis Statehouse
TwinCities.com, Feb 6, 2012
LEE Members Erin Gavin (Twin Cities ’09), Sarah Schultes (Twin Cities ’09), and Jennifer Flood (Bay Area ’97), testified on behalf of a bill that would end seniority-based layoffs in the Minneapolis School System. Proponents argue that the policy disproportionately affects schools with large populations of low-income students and students of color because those schools tend to employ more novice teachers.
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